Intro to Wizard Rock
Jul. 31st, 2007 09:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pegkerrI've had a LOT of people asking lately, so . . . here's a quick intro to Wizard Rock.
General information can be found at these sites:
1. Wizrocklopedia.com (syndicated at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
wizrocklopedia)
Here's the list of Wizard Rock bands (all hyperlinked to their various webpages) at wizrocklopedia
Here's wizrocklopedia's Beginner's Guide to Wizard Rock.
2. wizardrock.org (syndicated atwizardrock_org)
I keep an eye on these two sites because they'll announce which bands have released new downloads or CDs and I can check them out.
There are several podcasts that follow the wizard rock scene, although I haven't checked them out myself: WRock Club (which is put out by Wizrocklopedia), WZRD (your Wizard Rock station), The Podcast of Awesome, and Alley Cast. You can subscribe at iTunes.
I certainly don't download everything--there are a lot of bands that are really REALLY bad. But there are enough that are good--even excellent--that I keep an eye out. If you were interested in checking out the Wizard Rock scene, and want to start a modest little Wizard Rock playlist without spending a lot of money, here's what I'd suggest to give you a sample of a number of bands and songs that I enjoy.
Of course, you must start with the granddaddy of them all, Harry and the Potters. Go to their myspace account and you can grab "This Book is So Awesome," "Saving Ginny Weasley" and "The Human Hosepipe" [a song about Cho Chang and Harry's disastrous date with her). There's another site, here, where you can grab a few more. Try "The Hogwarts Tonsil Hockey Team" and "Hermione's Birds and Bees." Why I like them: They started the whole thing. They have fun and funny lyrics, and a lovely enthusiastic idealism for the whole wizard rock scene. I like that they have done a great deal to raise money for literacy causes and to promote other wizard rock bands. If you are interested in buying their CDs, I like the second and third better than the first. They are also available on iTunes.
Next mandatory group to include: Draco and the Malfoys. You can get several free downloads at their website. Grab "My Dad is Rich," "Potions Yesterday" and "Power of Love." Why I like them: they are very, very funny. Their lyrics are excellent at playing up Draco's character as an arrogant prat for comic effect. Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys frequently tour together and they write a number of songs about each other. Their self-titled album "Draco and the Malfoys" is lots of fun, and I'll probably pick up their second which has just come out, "Party Like You're Evil."
Next stop: Ginny and the Weasleys: Take a look at this page and listen to some samples and download whichever songs you like best. Why I like them: they experiment with a lot of different styles, everything from jazzy to country (!) to Beach Boys surfing style to boogie woogie.
Next stop: The Whomping Willows here. I recommend "Your Flying Car." (His main myspace page is here, and has a couple of songs you can download for free.) Why I like him: very funny off-kilter point of view in his lyrics (because, well, he's a tree). "A Heart Worth Loving" (which, alas, is no longer up on his myspace page) is one of my favorite love songs EVER, about how the Whomping Willow has fallen in love with Hermione, and how he wishes she would give him a chance. Even though they're different species. Also available on iTunes.
Go to the Wizard Rock EP of the Month myspace page and grab "Evil is Sexy" from the group Voldemort (to get a taste of Wizard metal) and "The 7th Horcrux" by the Remus Lupins. (Skip "Norbert," which is painfully bad, and I personally don't like "Expecto Patronum," myself, either.)
Next you have some options, depending on your own personal taste. Listen to various free downloads on these pages and see if there are any that you like.
From The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office here grab their free download "Lily's Green Eyes.
The Hermione Crookshanks Experience here.
Hogwarts Express here (I recommend "You Must Take the Train")
I mentioned finding The Weasel King today and enjoying his music, here.
If you are willing to purchase music, besides the bands above which also have CDs for purchase, here are several wizard rock bands that are worth considering:
Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls here is absolutely worth considering. I have purchased his first album and I love it, and I plan to get the second. He has very professional arrangements and a great voice and I just love his stuff.
Listen to several of his songs here and purchase cuts from his first and second album here.
If you don't listen to ANYTHING ELSE on this list, listen to his song "End of an Era," which is perfectly evocative of this bittersweet point in the books' publishing history, where the story we love is finally coming to a close. He has two different versions, one on each album, the second more acoustic (that's the one that plays on the myspace page), which I prefer. Listen to it and tell me if you like it, too.
Christian, the singer/musician for Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls also has a two-person band called Talons and Tea Leaves. You can a couple free downloads from their myspace page here.
Another group which really impresses me is Ministry of Magic, here. (Snape fans, check out their "Snape vs. Snape" which was done in collaboration with The Parselmouths). Also available on iTunes.
I'm definitely planning on purchasing the Ministry of Magic CD, too. (Note that one of their songs is a cover of the Harry and the Potters song "This Book is so Awesome.") edited to add: I did buy the CD, and it's FANTASTIC! Can't wait for the next one.
Switchblade Kittens here.
I purchased the Switchblade Kittens' CD "The Weird Sisters," and the girls and I really like it a lot. You can purchase individual songs from iTunes. Check out their song "Secret Keeper" or perhaps you might like "Ode to Harry."
I purchased three cuts from The Mirror of Erised here, for 99 cents each. Not Wizard Rock. More like Wizard ambient/introspective mood music. I particularly liked "The Enchanted Harp" and "Reflections of Desire."
That's it! I'd say my favorites right now are Oliver Boyd & The Remembralls, Ministry of Magic, Harry and the Potters (particularly their later stuff), Draco and the Malfoys, the Remus Lupins and the Whomping Willows. Tell me if you find anything you like (esp. "End of an Era.")
General information can be found at these sites:
1. Wizrocklopedia.com (syndicated at
wizrocklopedia)Here's the list of Wizard Rock bands (all hyperlinked to their various webpages) at wizrocklopedia
Here's wizrocklopedia's Beginner's Guide to Wizard Rock.
2. wizardrock.org (syndicated at
wizardrock_org)I keep an eye on these two sites because they'll announce which bands have released new downloads or CDs and I can check them out.
There are several podcasts that follow the wizard rock scene, although I haven't checked them out myself: WRock Club (which is put out by Wizrocklopedia), WZRD (your Wizard Rock station), The Podcast of Awesome, and Alley Cast. You can subscribe at iTunes.
I certainly don't download everything--there are a lot of bands that are really REALLY bad. But there are enough that are good--even excellent--that I keep an eye out. If you were interested in checking out the Wizard Rock scene, and want to start a modest little Wizard Rock playlist without spending a lot of money, here's what I'd suggest to give you a sample of a number of bands and songs that I enjoy.
Of course, you must start with the granddaddy of them all, Harry and the Potters. Go to their myspace account and you can grab "This Book is So Awesome," "Saving Ginny Weasley" and "The Human Hosepipe" [a song about Cho Chang and Harry's disastrous date with her). There's another site, here, where you can grab a few more. Try "The Hogwarts Tonsil Hockey Team" and "Hermione's Birds and Bees." Why I like them: They started the whole thing. They have fun and funny lyrics, and a lovely enthusiastic idealism for the whole wizard rock scene. I like that they have done a great deal to raise money for literacy causes and to promote other wizard rock bands. If you are interested in buying their CDs, I like the second and third better than the first. They are also available on iTunes.
Next mandatory group to include: Draco and the Malfoys. You can get several free downloads at their website. Grab "My Dad is Rich," "Potions Yesterday" and "Power of Love." Why I like them: they are very, very funny. Their lyrics are excellent at playing up Draco's character as an arrogant prat for comic effect. Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys frequently tour together and they write a number of songs about each other. Their self-titled album "Draco and the Malfoys" is lots of fun, and I'll probably pick up their second which has just come out, "Party Like You're Evil."
Next stop: Ginny and the Weasleys: Take a look at this page and listen to some samples and download whichever songs you like best. Why I like them: they experiment with a lot of different styles, everything from jazzy to country (!) to Beach Boys surfing style to boogie woogie.
Next stop: The Whomping Willows here. I recommend "Your Flying Car." (His main myspace page is here, and has a couple of songs you can download for free.) Why I like him: very funny off-kilter point of view in his lyrics (because, well, he's a tree). "A Heart Worth Loving" (which, alas, is no longer up on his myspace page) is one of my favorite love songs EVER, about how the Whomping Willow has fallen in love with Hermione, and how he wishes she would give him a chance. Even though they're different species. Also available on iTunes.
Go to the Wizard Rock EP of the Month myspace page and grab "Evil is Sexy" from the group Voldemort (to get a taste of Wizard metal) and "The 7th Horcrux" by the Remus Lupins. (Skip "Norbert," which is painfully bad, and I personally don't like "Expecto Patronum," myself, either.)
Next you have some options, depending on your own personal taste. Listen to various free downloads on these pages and see if there are any that you like.
From The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office here grab their free download "Lily's Green Eyes.
The Hermione Crookshanks Experience here.
Hogwarts Express here (I recommend "You Must Take the Train")
I mentioned finding The Weasel King today and enjoying his music, here.
If you are willing to purchase music, besides the bands above which also have CDs for purchase, here are several wizard rock bands that are worth considering:
Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls here is absolutely worth considering. I have purchased his first album and I love it, and I plan to get the second. He has very professional arrangements and a great voice and I just love his stuff.
Listen to several of his songs here and purchase cuts from his first and second album here.
If you don't listen to ANYTHING ELSE on this list, listen to his song "End of an Era," which is perfectly evocative of this bittersweet point in the books' publishing history, where the story we love is finally coming to a close. He has two different versions, one on each album, the second more acoustic (that's the one that plays on the myspace page), which I prefer. Listen to it and tell me if you like it, too.
Christian, the singer/musician for Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls also has a two-person band called Talons and Tea Leaves. You can a couple free downloads from their myspace page here.
Another group which really impresses me is Ministry of Magic, here. (Snape fans, check out their "Snape vs. Snape" which was done in collaboration with The Parselmouths). Also available on iTunes.
I'm definitely planning on purchasing the Ministry of Magic CD, too. (Note that one of their songs is a cover of the Harry and the Potters song "This Book is so Awesome.") edited to add: I did buy the CD, and it's FANTASTIC! Can't wait for the next one.
Switchblade Kittens here.
I purchased the Switchblade Kittens' CD "The Weird Sisters," and the girls and I really like it a lot. You can purchase individual songs from iTunes. Check out their song "Secret Keeper" or perhaps you might like "Ode to Harry."
I purchased three cuts from The Mirror of Erised here, for 99 cents each. Not Wizard Rock. More like Wizard ambient/introspective mood music. I particularly liked "The Enchanted Harp" and "Reflections of Desire."
That's it! I'd say my favorites right now are Oliver Boyd & The Remembralls, Ministry of Magic, Harry and the Potters (particularly their later stuff), Draco and the Malfoys, the Remus Lupins and the Whomping Willows. Tell me if you find anything you like (esp. "End of an Era.")
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 03:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 03:24 am (UTC)Please.
gardening.
biking.
karate.the girls
rob's (lack of) job
please.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 04:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 09:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 09:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-15 10:19 pm (UTC)(Meant to reply to this a lot sooner, but then the bridge collapsed, and I got distracted, oddly enough.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 04:06 am (UTC)Thanks for the links; these are definitely very helpful.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 04:31 am (UTC)I hadn't the foggiest notion there were so many of them. I knew about Harry and the Potters, and Draco and the Malfoys, and
Nor had I ever actually heard the term "wizard rock" before.
*is reluctantly curious*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 10:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-01 07:33 pm (UTC)But I might go through and see if someone else appeals to me more. Thanks for the list!
(It is also neat that they're using their music to do activism.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-02 02:16 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-02 02:24 am (UTC)Just a lurker, here.
Date: 2007-08-02 03:39 am (UTC)-Kate
Re: Just a lurker, here.
Date: 2007-08-02 03:50 am (UTC)