Move over, Metallica and Coldplay, it’s time for The Mudbloods and The Parselmouths!
A new genre of music with its roots in the “Harry Potter’ series is gaining popularity across the world.
Wizard rock, also known as Wrock, is devoted to the magical universe of Harry Potter. What’s more, the band members even dress up (Cosplay) as their favourite characters from the series. Just like fan fiction, wizard rock provides an outlet for fans to express their love for the books.
How it began
Nearly 20 years ago, author J.K. Rowling introduced young readers around the world to the bespectacled boy with a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. And in the years that followed, the “Harry Potter series met with resounding success, spawning multiple films, video games, and even a theme park. But it also conjured up a new form of music – wizard rock!
It began in 2000 in the U.S. with just a handful of bands expressing their love for the boy wizard through their original musical compositions. Soon, Harry and the Potters, the first band in the wizard rock genre, was joined by the likes of The Whomping Willow, Draco and the Malfoys. The Mudbloods and The Parselmouths. Some of the bands even started dressing up like the characters from the franchise, as they belted out number such as “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock”, “Saving Ginny”, and “Dumbledore’s Army”.
By 2006, there were over 30 wizard rock bands, with some of them even going on tours. In 2008, the BBC did a documentary “We Are Wizards” exploring the realm of wizard rock, bringing international recognition to the genre. Today, there are wizard rock bands in different parts of the world.
You can listen to bands like Moaning Myrtles, Gryffindor Common Room Rejects Squared, The Owl Post, Mostly Muggles and We-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on YouTube or music streaming apps.
Fandom
The appeal of the songs of wizard rock lies in their creativity and ability to connect with the readers, capturing the emotions of its characters. For instance, Draco and the Malfoys and The Parselmouths explore the nastiness of the Slytherins through punk and indie rock. Some songs even take the story forward by imagining alternate endings and futures for their characters.
Tune in to Tolkien
“Harry Potter’ is not the only series to serenade its fans. J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series, which was later adapted to the silver screen by Peter Jackson, was perhaps one of the earliest to catch the imagination of the music world. Bands have been writing songs drawing upon Tolkien’s books since the 1970s. One of the most famous among them was Led Zeppelin (“Stairway to Heaven”). Even today Tolkien’s works continue to inspire many heavy metal bands. Blind Guardian and Summoning have written songs about hobbits and dwarves.
Picture Credit : Google
