Wizard rock (or Wrock) is a type of

novelty Novelty (derived from Latin word ''novus'' for "new") is the quality of being new, or following from that, of being striking, original or unusual. Novelty may be the shared experience of a new cultural phenomenon or the subjective perception of an ...

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

themed around the ''

Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...

'' franchise. The music was largely prevalent in the United States in the early 2000s. Wizard rock initially started in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

with

Harry and the Potters Harry and the Potters are an American rock band known for spawning the genre of wizard rock. Founded in Norwood, Massachusetts, in 2002, the group is primarily composed of brothers Joe and Paul DeGeorge, who both perform under the persona of ...

, though it has grown internationally.

Characteristics

Leading bands in this genre include

and

Draco and the Malfoys Draco and the Malfoys are a wizard rock band founded in Woonsocket, Rhode Island in 2004. The group is composed of half-brothers Brian Ross and Bradley Mehlenbacher, who both perform under the persona of Draco Malfoy from the '' Harry Potter'' boo ...

. Although most listeners of the genre are fans of ''Harry Potter'', some bands have attracted listeners outside of the books' fanbase. Wizard rock songs are often written from the point of view of a particular character in the books, usually the character who features in the band's name. In contrast to mainstream bands that have some songs incorporating literary references among a wider repertoire of music (notably

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

to ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's boo ...

''), wizard rock bands take their inspiration entirely from the ''Harry Potter'' universe. When performing live, wizard rock bands often

cosplay Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, ...

, or dress as, characters from the novels. Some bands perform at fan conventions.

History

The earliest Harry Potter-themed song is conventionally traced to 2000 when the Los Angeles-based

pop-punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...

band Switchblade Kittens released an "Ode to Harry" from the perspective of

Ginny Weasley Ginevra Molly Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' novel series. Ginny is introduced in the first book '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', as the youngest sibling and only girl in the Weasley family. ...

originated the Harry Potter-themed band, which became the genesis of a

fandom A fandom is a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the objects of their fandom and spend a significant ...

-centered genre of music called wizard rock.Thomas (2018), pages 30-35. As Harry and the Potters increased in popularity, other wizard rock bands emerged. Brian Ross and Bradley Mehlenbacher originally conceived

as a parody of Harry and the Potters performing at a local house party. In April 2005, Matt Maggiacomo invited Harry and the Potters to play at an all-Harry Potter show at his Rhode Island home. That night, Maggiacomo made his debut as ''The Whomping Willows'', and his friends, Mehlenbacher and his brother, Brian Ross, played for the first time as ''Draco and the Malfoys''.Harry Potter 'Wrockers' Conjure Musical Magic
/ref>Thomas (2018), pages 35-40. There are also festivals focused on the genre such as

Wrockstock Wrockstock was a yearly music festival featuring wizard rock, music inspired by the world of Harry Potter.

, which was first held in 2007 in the United States."Wrockstock Festival Dates Announced".
''

WIRED ''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San Fra ...

'', 8/11/2009. In 2015, Mexican band Velvet Darkness released the song "Death Eaters" as part of their debut EP ''Delusion''. It was later rerecorded in 2018 as a bonus track for their debut LP ''Nothing But Glory'', and a music video for the song was released in 2019 with a live recording of it. "Death Eaters" has led the band to play at several Harry Potter themed events, playing both their songs and heavy metal covers of the movies' soundtracks. As of 2021, there remains a small but active wizard rock scene. Notable events include the Wrock From Home and O.W.L Fest online music festivals and the annual Wizard Rock Sampler compilation series, and websites such as Wizrocklopedia and the Facebook group "Wizard Rock Revival" see much activity, with dozens of active musical acts and thousands of fans.

Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...

currently features many wizard rock releases from past and current bands.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* *

External links

Fanlore.org page about wizard rock

Your Wizard Rock Resource, a comprehensive database of bands and lyrics
{{nerd music American styles of music American rock music genres Fantasy music Musical subcultures 2000s in music 21st-century music genres Harry Potter fandom