Music inspired by Harry Potter

Photo courtesy of Moaning Myrtles

Credit: DKS Editors

This one is for all of you who were pissed when your Hogwarts letter never came. And if that previous statement doesn’t apply to you, let this be a lesson that great music can come from the most surprising of places.

I don’t know who started it, or even why it was started – all I know is it is really good stuff. That “it” is Wizard Rock, or Wrock for short, and yes, it’s music about Harry Potter.

I am not a Harry Potter fangirl. I have only gotten through about three of the books. I’ll watch “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” when it’s the only thing on HBO, but I don’t don my robe and wand to go to the midnight showing of the newest movie in the saga. But let me tell you, I can get down to some Wizard Rock.

I’ll admit, if you haven’t read the books, you’re probably not going to know what these bands are talking about. But that can be said for a lot of music. Take Lady Gaga for example.

So with an open mind, I ask you to venture into the world of Wizard Wrock. Here’s my short list of starter songs:

‘Lovegood’ by Ministry of Magic (Acoustic)

Ministry of Magic plays electronica-style songs, but try to listen to the acoustic version of “Lovegood.” This song alone will prove to you that these guys can flat out sing.

The song is about the blue-eyed witch Luna Lovegood. It’s definitely a love song, and I definitely wouldn’t mind if someone wrote a song of this caliber about me.

You won’t be able to find the acoustic version on the band’s

MySpace page, but if you search for it on YouTube you can find it.

www.myspace.com/ministryofmagicmusic

‘Prefects are Hot’ by The Moaning Myrtles

This song is told from Moaning Myrtle’s perspective (F.Y.I., Moaning Myrtle is dead. She’s a ghost.)

“Prefects are Hot” is a funny song about prefects being hot, spying on guys while they’re bathing, and ghost sex.

Enough said.

www.myspace.com/themoaningmyrtles

‘What Kind of Name is Hermione’ by The Parselmouths

This is a bitchy, angst-ridden little ditty about Hermione Granger, Harry Potter’s super smart female accomplice.

It’s really quite accurate in the whole jealous teenage girl aspect. It has mocking tones mixed with just the right amount of humor. It’s perfect, really.

www.myspace.com/theparselmouths

Those are by no means the only good songs and the only good bands. And those bands have even more good songs. It’s really a never-ending cycle of incredible.

I think what’s most incredible to me is how well these songs are put together. If someone came up to me out of the blue and told me about Wrock, I would be thinking it was some mediocre-at-best, bogus idea someone came up with. At no point would I ever consider it could be this good until I gave it a listen.

So what did we learn today, class? Great music can come from anywhere – you just have to keep your ears open.

Now take out your wands and turn to page 138.

Contact features correspondent Nicole Aikens at [email protected].