Hello magical friends, especially my wonderful patrons who make these interviews possible. I’m your hostwitch Bess and today I’m talking with a very cool trio– Potterwatch!
We had so much to talk about, so let’s dive right into the music!
This is “I’m A Puff and I’m Staying” by Dream Quaffle.
~*~
That was “I’m a Puff and I’m Staying” by Dream Quaffle, Lily & James with “Not Too Dead To Wrock” [lyrics], and Starfish and Stick singing “With Your Heart” [lyrics].
“Not Too Dead to Wrock” was a special request from my magical patron Lan and is dedicated to wrocking out with magical homies at LeakyCon Chicago.
Now it’s time for my chat with Potterwatch!
Welcome to the show, Potterwatch! It’s so cool to have the gang all here.
Juan: Yeah, thanks.
Adam: Yes.
Libby: Yay!
So we do have everybody, which is Libby.
Libby: Hi!
Adam.
Adam: Hello.
And Juan.
Juan: Hello!
Uh, and some of the notes you sent me back were very intriguing, so I kind of just wanna jump right in on your history with wizard rock and how Potterwatch came to be.
Juan: I think we’re gonna hand this one to Adam.
Adam: Yeah. So I think I was the first one to get into wizard rock, and it was still kind of late, so like early 2010s I was into YouTube and of course Very Potter Musical and was a Vlog Brothers fan. And so my introduction to wizard rock was actually through Hank Green. I listened to “Accio Deathly Hallows” and I related so hard, um, and then discovered other wizard rock through that; Harry and the Potters were next. Fell in love, absolutely. And then Hank Green, like, went on tour with them, the Tour Because Awesome in 2014, I think? Is when I first saw Harry and the Potters and it changed my life and I wanted to chase that high ever since.
Juan: Libby, you want to…
Libby: Sure, sure. I’m actually the person who was in fandom first. I started writing fanfic back in 2002… uh, actually late 2001. Posted my first story on fanfiction.net in 2002. And so that was pretty much my entry into fandom. And that’s where, and that’s been the space I’ve been in pretty much most of the time. Uh, let’s see, I actually went to Azkatraz, the San Francisco Harry Potter convention in 2009. And I mean, at that point I was aware of wizard rock, but they were the cool kids in fandom <laugh>. And I was like one of the elder Snape fans. So I’m just like “Ah, who are these energetic, delightful young people?” So I ended up on an elevator and I’m like “lemme just check to see what this is all about.” So I went to a songwriting, uh, a songwriting panel given by, uh, let’s see, Lena Gabrielle, the Butterbeer Experience.
And I was super excited about the panel and I loved the panel, but on the way there, I was in the elevator with these, with these very excited young wizard rock people, and they totally harshed on my, uh, my ship <laugh>. They were <laugh>… And so I’m like “okay, maybe this isn’t the space for me.” So I thought “okay, maybe, maybe I’ll just stay in my lane.” But then I met Adam at a choir rehearsal and he had this beautiful, uh, jean jacket with a Hogwarts logo on the back. And I’m like “you’re one of my people. Let’s talk about, about fandom.” And he was the one that really got me into wizard rock. So, and I’m really, really grateful he did. ’cause the scene is so different from what it was back in 2009. And, and as for me, you know, it didn’t matter that I was not that cool <laugh>. So I’m just really, really happy to have landed… to have founded at the point when I did.
Juan: Yeah. And so Adam was my introduction at wizard rock as well. I think you first mentioned some of that stuff about 2018. And then we like finally got to play a song together in 2020. Uh, it was like February of 2020, something like that. Yeah. And then everything happened and we went into hibernation and started collaborating remotely.
Adam: Yeah. So our first track, “Dolores Umbridge,” was actually recorded in our own, like, home closets on our iPhones.
Libby: <laugh>
Juan: Yeah. Yeah. It was like 100% remote.
So you were really doing the, uh, the good work over there on the west coast, Adam, getting everyone invested.
Juan: Yeah.
Adam: Yeah.
Libby: Yeah!
Adam: It’s just, it was such a crazy experience, like, being in a crowd of people like singing along to Harry and the Potters. Um, like I remember LeakyCon’s 6… 2016 was like smaller and not that many people in the crowd, but like everyone had wands out and fist pumping to music. And that was just like such a cool experience. Everyone’s like so nerdy and very into it. And that’s exactly my jam.
Juan: Yeah. You’re an evangelist for wizard rock.
Adam: Yes.
Libby: Well, the, well you two first played together in a choir concert. You played it, was it a Harry and The Potter song?
Adam: Yeah, so we did a concert with our pro choir called “Music is Social Change.” And I requested to perform a cover of “The Banality of Evil” ’cause Lumos had just come out, um, and that was really hitting hard. I guess that’s also big inspiration for why we became a band, actually–
Juan: Mhm.
Adam: –Um, is ’cause we’re all social justice oriented. Um, and we wanted to have some sort of voice and found wizard rock as that voice thanks to like the Lumos album and how powerful in messaging that was.
Juan: Yeah. For, for me it was like, uh, the Potterverse was an opportunity to say things and make commentary about our world, uh, through that lens and things I probably wouldn’t put in a song otherwise, but had no problem doing and voicing in that way. So yeah. Hence “Dolores Umbridge” being the first song.
Libby: And that’s also really what, what drew, you know, I believe that’s what really drew Adam to the idea of taking over sort of the bootleg pirate wizard radio.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: Uh, and adopting that for, for our fandom identities, for, uh, for our wizard rock identities and our wizard rock band name.
Juan: Exactly. Yeah.
So yeah, you were saying that the, um, the social justice and activism and awareness was a big part of how Potterwatch came to be. Was that just like a, a conversation you all had? How did it go from concept to reality?
Juan: Yeah, so first Adam and I did that cover together. Uh, that was in January or February of 2020. Uh, and then everything shut down and, uh, we had to produce like a bunch of virtual choir recordings for church jobs and for our pro choir and that kind of stuff. We, I should mention we’re total choir nerds.
Libby: Woo!
Juan: Yeah. Um, all over that scene. So, you know, I became a, basically an audio engineer and producer at home, uh, in that time just immerse myself in Logic. And I was like “I wanna make music that’s my music too.” Like, I don’t wanna just be doing all of this stuff all of the time, 24/7. And so I started thinking about projects. Libby and I both had read, uh, Jeff Tweedy’s book, “How to Write One Song.” Uh, and so we were kind of throwing around ideas about songwriting and things like that.
And so I worked on, uh, “Dolores Umbridge” as an kind of commentary on a previous, uh, Secretary for Education in the previous administration. Uh, and so we used that song as kind of a way to say something about that. And then, uh, it felt important to not just sit on the sidelines and let the world, you know, burn at the time and just make some commentary. And so we just started writing songs and holding our own Wizarding Wednesday, which, uh, we, we could talk a little bit more about and creating all sorts of spreadsheets about song ideas and voice memos and Google drives and all that stuff. And working together on these projects. And also the wizard rock scene kind of rallied together and, you know, invited us to be part of compilations and things like that. So we just found inspiration in so many different places.
Libby: Yeah. The other thing that we, we’ve, we’ve tried really hard to do is the more vociferous the author has become with her transphobia, the more we’re like trying to lean into “how can we counterbalance that?” So, you know, there’s always sort of been an anti-authoritarian strain in the music that we’ve been writing in, you know, the sort of stories that we’ve been trying to tell. Quite literally, anytime people buy our music, we donate at least 50% of that to, uh, usually Mermaids UK and the Trevor Project, ’cause we’re trying to… I mean, that’s sort of killed my enthusiasm, certainly for writing fanfic. ’cause there are people that I know in fanfic spaces that I’ve had to withdraw from on account of the fact that they are still supportive of the author. And, you know, since this is a space that I’ve been in for, you know, over two decades now, this, despite that, it’s been really hard to want to continue being part of that.
So finding ways to proactively, uh, to proactively support the LGBTQ community, particularly trans kids. It’s just been… You know, I’ve, I’ve been really grateful to have landed in exactly that spot over in wizard rock, and I’ve been just so, so grateful to see folks leading the way for that. And if there’s anything we can do to support that, we try to be good citizens and good allies. And that’s stuff that we’re addressing more directly with our songwriting as well as our, you know, how we present ourselves and the ways that we move in, in this fandom space.
I know that’s a struggle and debate that a lot of people have been having with fandom having to be more deliberate than, you know, just the, the carefree wild west it was decades ago.
Did Potterwatch as a band name come instantly or did you debate other things? Was there going to be a Dumbledore’s Army or Bertie Botts?
Adam: Yeah, so–
Libby: <laugh>
Adam: –basically, like Juan just texted me one day, he is like “we should be a wizard rock band.” I’m like “yes!” like immediately. And you already had the idea of a Dolores Umbridge song and then we were talking about “oh, we should probably have a band name as well.” And we had talked a little bit, um, and there was a name that I wanted, um, which is The Beasts Formerly Known as Fantastic. Um–
Juan: Which I still like that one.
Adam: Yeah, we like that one. And then there’s one that’s from a Barty Crouch quote, um, senior quote is “a genuine name of consequence,” which is just a cool band name, anyway.
Juan: Yeah, I still like that one as well.
Adam. Yeah, yeah.
Juan: But you, we kind of settled on Potterwatch because of like the subversive nature that pirate radio and having alter egos and things like that, you know? So, yeah.
Adam: Yeah. It just felt right.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: Yeah. So for performing… So it took me an embarrassingly long time to come up with sort of a, a Potterwatch code name. ‘Cause in, in the book they all start with r And so all these great ideas that I work, I always coming up with for myself did not start with “R” And I’m like “no, dang it!” <laugh>. So literally we would sit down at part of our, part of our rehearsal and just throw “R” words. And I, I’ve actually, I went online and I found like, you know, crossword puzzle lists that of words that start with R and i… it took me forever. And I finally came up with one just off the fly. So, yeah. So mine is, mine is Rightie, and reason being is because I’m left-handed.
Adam: And because you write.
Libby: And I cuz write. Yeah. But, you know, <laugh>, my natural perversity strikes again.
Juan: Yeah. What’s yours, Adam?
Adam: Um, so I actually still play Hogwarts Mystery, which a lot of people don’t. But, so it’s ‘seventh year and beyond Hogwarts’ just came out and I’m pretty excited about the new drop. But, um, I played for a long time. And for anyone who has played, you know, that, um, your best friend in the storyline is named Rowan. Plus I make wands, I’m a slight woodworker, made a few wands for people. And because of that, I chose my name Rowan ’cause it’s also a wand wood.
Juan: Yeah. And mine is a homage to the, uh, space wizard franchise and Red Leader.
Adam: ’cause he is also our leader. <laugh>.
Juan: Yes. I, I suppose.
So is this like Harry and the Potters? Where they come on the stage? “We’re Harry and the Potters? I’m Harry Potter. And I’m Harry Potter.” Is that like you introduce yourselves thusly? Or when do the names come into play?
Libby: Hopefully at some point.
Adam: That’s the idea at some point.
Juan: But basically all of our shows have been, well, not all of our shows, but pretty much most of our shows have been, of the three have been basically just friends who gathered. So they already know who we are. But, um, at some point as we develop, as a live act, uh, I think that would be, that would be the fun part. Yeah. It’d be fun to get the audience to also develop their own R names.
Libby: Yeah. And oh my gosh. ’cause our very, because actually several of our first tracks, we, we literally played with the, with radio static in them. And that was, and that was a big part of it. So that could also be potentially a, a, you know, an audio cue that we’re about to come on kind of thing to build anticipation. So we have many ideas for live performances, but you know, we’re still technically in a pandemic and I’m sick right now. So, uh, so that’s very much in mind. So at some point when live shows completely come back unimpeded, it’s, it’s one of our many plans.
Juan: And when we get a drummer
Adam: Yeah.
Libby: Oh yeah. <laugh>.
Adam: If there are any drummers out there in southern California. <laugh>, if you wanna be part of Potterwatch and already have an R name ready…
Juan: Or not. We’ll help you come up with that too so…
Libby: I still have lists. <laugh>
Adam: That’s a surprise.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: <laugh>
Drummers are such a precious resource in music, I’m learning.
Juan: Yeah. wizard rock in particular. I don’t know what the deal is. So…
I’ve never met a drummer that plays just for one band.
Juan: Mhm.
They sort of become community property.
Juan: Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s true.
Libby: Yeah. We can’t afford most of the ones we know, unfortunately. <laugh>
Juan: <laugh>, that’s right.
You just gotta hook someone on the genre. Adam, you’re really good at that. Find a drummer.
Juan: Yeah,
Adam: I’ve been trying.
Juan: Yeah, totally.
Now, as we were organizing this interview, it came up that you all are very busy and have wildly disparate schedules. Uh, and I believe spreadsheets were mentioned–
Juan: Yes.
Libby: <laugh>
–multiple times. So I’d love to know more about your coordinating and organizing. How does Potterwatch happen?
Juan: When we have the time, uh, we have Wizarding Wednesdays, which we tried to preserve as much as possible. Uh, we have pro choir rehearsals, uh, at the same time throughout the year, so it kind of gets impeded. But Wizarding Wednesdays has been a hallowed time for us. And we were, we would get together and write songs and work on production and recording and stuff like that. Uh, but this project started, you know, when we were all sitting at home too. So, uh, we, we definitely did a lot of coordinating online, sending each other voice memos and spreadsheets and lyric ideas, Google Docs, you know, with four or five different versions of the song, uh, laid out. So Libby has been great in kind of organizing that and then editing and all sorts of stuff and going back and forth. So we do a fair amount of collaboration online, despite the fact that we all live within about four miles of each other, now. <laugh> Actually Adam’s my neighbor now. He just moved in about a month ago. So, um, yeah, so we’re, we’re very close. <laugh>.
Libby: Yeah, I’m, I’m like a seven minute drive away. It’s pretty nice.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: But yeah, so on top of Wizarding Wednesdays, I mean, we tend to, we tend to, like, we tend to be working on a project at a time. Like when we were working on “Dolores Umbridge,” we were working on “Dolores Umbridge.” If we had other ideas, we’d just basically throw them into, we have a huge sort of master spreadsheet of our songs that have like a title, you know, sort of who’s shepherding it or taking ownership of it, uh, how much of the music exists, how much of the lyric exists, whether it’s just a concept, you know, then there’s like a general description of the song. And, uh, and from there, you know, we can add stuff as we work on it. Like, I’ve done a whole bunch of lyrics drafts for stuff that has no music. Juan has some really cool, like, licks and sort of general ideas for like, the, the shape of a and, and like a, a tune and that kind of thing.
So we’ll basically have links or, you know, links to a Google Doc or, you know, uh, just a reminder of the file name so that we can go find it in our email and that kind of thing. And so, you know, “Dolores Umbridge” was very much its own thing. And then, uh, Totally Knuts did a sea shanty compilation. And I am a bit of a sea shanty nut, so I’m like “oh my gosh, we really, really need to do this.” So, uh, so in some form or another, we’ve had stuff on, on those compilations, either full as Potterwatch or if I had more time than the gentlemen I, I, I have sort of a side project called Erwa, which is one third of “Potterwatch.” So
Juan: <laugh>
Libby: So <laugh>. So, you know, we will, we will tend to do that when we were, when we decided we wanted to start working on an album, we, you know, had a separate spreadsheet for that where we would sort of take things that thematically work together and move those, you know, up towards the top. We use spreadsheets to keep track of where we put things. It’s, so, it’s really nice that we can do some of this asynchronously just ’cause as you say, there’s, there’s a lot going on. And even though we’re all involved in, you know, one big choir project together as well as pro– as well as Potterwatch, we each have other projects <laugh> as well on top of it. So yeah, Juan and Adam, both their daily bread is in music, I have a day job still, but at the same time, you know, those things often take us away from one another, but all it takes is an email “Hey, can I, can I write a song about this?” They’re like “do it!” And I’m like “okay! I’ll do that” <laugh>. So, and there’s a fair amount of that.
Juan: Totally. Just put it out there and see what sticks.
So in theory, you could use one of the community drummers who’s on the east coast or in the midwest with all of this virtual organization.
Juan: Absolutely, yeah. And I, um–
Libby: We’re hoping so.
Juan: –yeah, the, uh, especially, you know, for recording type stuff, we’re very close to finishing up the record. But the reality is that like the programming stuff in Logic is so good. Uh, I was a drummer in another life, uh, in a punk band. And so like, I feel comfortable kind of just programming and doing this stuff. Uh, but recording drums is such a, such a chore. So we’ve been, we’ve been getting by with Logic and, and all that it offers.
Adam: That’s another thing we should mention is that, like, I have a lot of experience in wizard rock, but Juan has actual experience in actual rock <laugh>
Juan: <laugh>
Adam: like actually played in a band <laugh>
Juan: Yeah. Well it’s funny ’cause as you were talking about like wizard rock, you know, we have ambitions to expand, not, and I mean, obviously we’re not the only ones that have done this, but expand what wizard rock looks like. You know, there’s plenty of other wizardoms out there in literature. Um, and we’ve been toying with the idea of, you know, doing something about space wizards and, you know, things like that. And, um, I just remembered that in the late nineties there was a band called Nerf Herder <laugh>, um, and, and they had– Right? Yeah, who you calling scruffy-looking? but, uh, yeah. And so they had, they had like Star Wars related stuff, uh, as well. I’m like “I wonder if that qualifies.” So it’s adjacent, I would say.
Libby: Yeah. Juan is also the one of us with the most songwriting experience. He’s the one of us with the most instrumental experience. Like, I’m brand new to the bass <laugh>. So, so I’m always grateful when, uh, Juan writes me very, very easy basslines. ’cause I’ve, I’m still in the “figuring out how to write my own” phase. So we could not do our music without Juan’s know-how. And we’re so grateful. <laugh>
Juan: <laugh>
Adam: Seconded.
Libby: That’s why he’s Red Leader.
Juan: That’s right. Yeah.
So y’all are planning on expanding out into the wider world of filk?
Juan: Indeed.
Adam: Yes.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: You know, and it’s funny ’cause that’s, it’s, it’s come full circle for me because one of my, one of my superpowers is writing rhyming verse. And so I’ve always been writing song parodies the entire time that I’ve been in fandom. Usually just as kind of like a side project or, you know, an interesting thing in a fic that I was writing, probably the most elaborate thing I ever did was like a 3,500 word epic poem. Uh, <laugh> that’s, it’s written in stanzas based on Noyes’ “The Highway Man,” because that’s, that’s my lane in, in, in fanfic y’all. But so therefore that’s, that’s just been sort of the thing that I do. But anyway,
Juan: Yeah, it comes naturally.
Libby: It rather does.So, so yeah, filk is, you know, and I, and though I haven’t really been part of the filk circle thing, uh, you know, that has been something that I always did. So that, that it felt very natural for me to, uh, to sort of slide into.
We’ve talked a little bit about some of the songs that you all have, like “Dolores Umbridge” and the shanties. Um, for introducing newcomers to Potterwatch, what is the best intro song?
Adam: I use “The Love You Seek” um, more than anything else, it’s, I feel like it’s like solidly a positive message in what we pull from the Harry Potter stories, um, to everyone really. The messages of love and friends being your new family, right? Um, of the people around you sharing love. And that’s like what Harry Potter’s all about, y’all.
Juan: Word.
Libby: Hear hear.
Juan: Yeah. So yeah, that would be, that would be our nomination for our introduction to Potterwatch.
All three of you agree on that one. There’s no dissent?
Juan: <laugh>
Libby: <laugh>. I mean, we can make one up.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: Yeah. Geez, Juan. Geez, Adam, you being all in favor of togetherness and friendship. Paugh! <laugh>
Juan: <laugh>. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, because we come, because we started with Dolores Umbridge there, there, that feels like, you know, our introduction to the world. But, but in terms of like where we’re going with our songwriting and what we represent, I think, uh, uh, “The Love You Seek” is probably the better option. So yeah.
Libby: We did have slight arguments over that song when we were writing it though. ’cause I submitted, uh, a very, very wordy bridge. Like, ‘cause ‘cause ’cause when Juan sent the demo, it was like “da da da da da da da da.” And I’m like “oh my god.” And then, and but, but then I decided to like, make it a little more complicated in the second repetition. And Juan’s like “what is this!?” <laugh>? And, and I’m like “Adam, can you sing it?” And he is like “da-da-da-da-da-da-da” he’s like “yes.” And, and, and, and, and then I said “and then we can interject ‘together we’ll find,’” and Juan’s like “I don’t know about this” <laugh>. It’s, it’s, it’s always a struggle getting me to be less wordy, as I’m sure you’re noticing. So <laugh>,
Adam: You also wrote different choruses for every time the chorus came back.
Libby: That’s right.
Juan: I’m like “I don’t think that’s what a chorus is.” <laugh>.
Libby: Yeah…
Juan: Well, I think, you know, one of the interesting things about, you know, like collaborating is, you know, you have these ideas that you put out there, uh, and you’re so attached to them when they’re your ideas, of course. And then, you know, you just, like, people have a different take on what that could be, and you’re like “whoa. Uh, I’m, I’m not sure I wanna go with that.” You sometimes you just gotta, just gotta let it happen.
Libby: <laugh> Yeah. It’s, it’s been, it’s been fun. Uh, getting me to cut verses has also been a theme. <laugh>
Juan: <laugh> We don’t want a five minute six verse song? What? What are you talking about? I don’t know.
Adam: I mean, even “Odo the Hero” was longer than it ended up being, and that’s a long one.
Juan: Yeah, that’s true. Yeah.
Libby: Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, we, we knew that this was going to be a, a ballad and we, and it’s just like “guys, you wanted something epic. That, that involves a lot of verses!” <laugh>
Adam: It was epic.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: We did. So I ended up like combining verses and stuff like that. So it’s not quite so insanely long, but still plenty of words as Adam noticed when we were preparing to sing it live. <laugh> And it’s like “okay, okay, Libby, you are doing your” <laugh>.
Juan: <laugh>.
Libby: Yeah. “Okay. You are absolutely singing, uh, singing vocal harmony the entire time. So you have to learn all your words too.” And I’m like, “dang it. Okay, here we go.”
Do you ever think you’ll let yourself loose and just write the 25 minute epic, you know, of Gilgamesh or something? That’s, that’s in your heart.
Libby: I’m better when I’m edited. So <laugh>, honestly, as a fiction writer, I know this to be the case. And also in lyrics writing I know this to be the case, but if I ever have a 25 minute idea, y’all are getting it. So,
Juan: Yeah. Yeah. We still have ambitions to write the, what, what do we call it? The Tale of the Elder Wand? The…
Adam: Oh, yeah.
Libby: Oh!
Juan: Yeah. So we’ll, we’ll see. That, that definitely has a prospect of being an epic song.
Libby: I did write a short version, but I can write, I can fill it out. So well, I mean, just words and it’s only words right now. Anyway, so that’s not a song yet.
Juan: <laugh>. Yep.
I was joking with Dream Quaffle the other day.
Libby: Dream Quaffle!
That original wizard rock is all either 40 seconds long or like seven minutes <laugh>, and there was no in between.
Adam: Yeah! A hundred percent <laugh>.
Libby: Oh my gosh.
Juan: Yeah.
Adam: Or like 15 seconds <laugh>.
Mhm.
Juan: Yeah. When, when I was like, you know, a kid on the punk scene in San Diego, there was a hardcore band, um, that they, they were like so infamous for having introductions to their songs that were longer than their songs. You know “this is this, this is about the, you know, the travesty of animals being prosecuted about,” you know, like, you know, some something convoluted. And then they’re like “here we go. This is, uh, this is our song. 1, 2, 1234, thank you!” And that was it. You’re like <laugh>, so I, I have ambitions to write some of those songs as well, yeah.
Libby: Ooh.
Adam: To write some of those titles.
Juan: Yeah. Title, titles, yeah. <laugh>
Libby: Okay. I’m having ideas right now. Hang on just a second.
Juan: Oh no, <laugh> This, this is how Libby works.
Libby: <laugh>. Yep. Pretty much.
It does make my, uh, podcast format a little challenging at times. <laugh>, I try to get around nine songs, 30 minutes of music–
Juan: Yeah.
–but with the, the, uh, plethora of under a minutes, it does get challenging.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: So we’ll just, we’ll just do like 12 of them for you.
Juan: There you go.
Perfect.
Libby, Juan, Adam: <laugh>
Here’s another music break, beginning with “Afraid of the Woods” by Draco and the Malfoys.
~*~
That was “Afraid of the Woods” by Draco and the Malfoys, Head Boy and “Saturday,” and NEWTs singing “7th Favorite Weasley.”
“Afraid of the Woods” is a special request from Geoff and is dedicated to Laurie and Elise “thanks for being my moms, and for all the wonderful adventures we had at LeakyCon in Chicago! Love you lots!!”
Let’s get back to that interview.
So my patrons, uh, were curious, you know, when you inevitably, you know, go to Hogwarts and open up a music venue in Diagon Alley, what are you gonna call it?
Juan: The Chamber of Secrets would be my, that’s what I would call it.
Libby: Although we’d have to spell it like with a K backwards and a z
Juan: It definitely, that would definitely make it seem like a death metal venue. Chamber of Sekretz <laugh>. Yeah, that’d be my, my nomination.
Libby: Oh, and that would work really well with… uh, one of the songs on the album initially started out with the working title “March of the Death Eaters.” Juan sent this like super moody, amazing sounding guitar and drum and bass thing, and we’re just like “oh, this is so cool.” But then January 6th happened and we decided we didn’t really wanna write a song about Death Eaters. <laugh>
Juan: <laugh> Too close? Too soon?
Libby: Yeah.
Juan: Yeah.
Libby: Yeah. Pretty much. So that song has a new life on the album. Uh, we wanted to find something equally moody and sort of ominous. And so we went with a theme of, uh, with, with Gringotts and Adam had the brilliant idea to use text from the books and sort of put that and, uh, have that bookend the experience of riding on the cart in Gringotts. So that’s, that’s gonna be a fun song that we’re looking forward to sharing with the world.
Juan: Yeah. The, uh, I, I’ve always thought that it would be super cool if there was some kind of like speakeasy type place at Hogwarts. I feel like that needs to be a thing we can write. So speakeasy music venue. Yeah.
Libby: Writing that down too.
Juan: <laugh>
Like in the school where, like, the students are putting it on or?
Adam: Yeah. I mean, the room requirement would work.
Juan: It it would work. Yeah. I was thinking more like, this is where the faculty go to hang out, you know, and have some drinks.
Libby: Yeah. Who needs a faculty lounge?
Juan: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
So once again, you all just collaborated and you’re like, together we’re gonna start the Chamber of SeKretz?
Juan: <laugh>
There’s no, no competing venue or spinoff?
Juan: Well, one of the, well, I mean, these, these guys can come up. I feel like it’s one of those things where it’s like somebody gets an idea and then you just start going the rabbit hole of that, what that would look like. And so, I don’t know if you guys wanna chime in with your own venues.
Libby: I mean, I’d have like, you know, possibly some, it’s either thrash or else it’s like experimental music and we could call it, instead of the Hog’s Head, we could be the Hog’s Ass.
Juan: <laugh>
Libby: You know? <laugh>
Juan: <laugh> Yeah. Okay.
Despite having been, you know, in the fandom or listening to wizard rock for a very long time, your relative newcomers as far as actually creating and performing wizard rock, and especially with it being such a difficult time right now to be in the Harry Potter fandom and learn how to navigate the, the world and, and the author, what are things that people did that helped you feel encouraged and welcomed?
Libby: Gosh.
Juan: Yeah. The, the online presence, the community has been fantastic. Especially the, the comps and everything you do with your podcast. And, you know, there’s so many great supportive folks out there that it’s been fantastic.
Adam: Yeah.
Juan: Go ahead.
Adam: The wizard rock Discord and the Wizard Rock Revival Facebook group.
Libby: Mhm.
Adam: they’re just so supportive and…
Libby: Wizrocklopedia.
Adam: Yeah.
Libby: Yeah, yeah. It’s been, you know, just, I don’t always get to go to the, the, uh, the organized, uh, listens on Saturdays, but oh my gosh, I’ve just been, it’s sort of blown my mind open just because, you know, despite having been in fandom the longest, I’m the one with the least knowledge of, of wizard rock. So that’s been so useful for me. And I just go and I look at the playlists and you know, if I’m not able to attend in person, I’ll kind of squee over the playlists and get to see what stuff folks love and it’s fantastic. Again, shout out to the folks organizing compilations and, and saying “Hey, let’s do this.” I’ve just been, it blows my mind how creative people are and how quickly folks can write music. ’cause I’m still so new at it and it’s the coolest thing.
Juan: When Wizrocklopedia first posted about us, there was definitely a excited chain text. Like “we made it! this is it!”
Libby: It’s like “oh my god, they noticed that we did a thing!” <laugh>
So that was just sort of general “the community is awesome,” which it is. That is a hundred percent true. Um, are there specific things? Did someone reach out? Was there someone that was easy to ask for advice?
Libby: Let’s see… I have like, I have a mutual squee going on, uh, with, with Dream Quaffle who has just been delightful. Uh, let’s see, Dots and Lines, Totally Knuts. They’ve all been fantastic. Bisexual Harry. Uh, I’ve gotten to collaborate with them in, in, in small, in small ways that I’m hoping become larger ways. Uh, everyone’s just so cool and brilliant and lovely <laugh> and that’s just been a joy.
Adam: I got to go solo to LeakyCon last year and perform some Potterwatch songs at the Wizard Rock Cafe hosted by Brian and–Brian Ross of Draco and The Malfoys–is like so nice and so awesome and we’ll hopefully collaborate with them soon. But like, that was huge for me at least, like going into a room at Leaky Con and having people singing along to “Dolores Umbridge” and it was just like, it was wild. Yeah, it was, it was such a wild experience.
Juan: That’s pretty cool. I would say we, we also have, we have talked about trying to host something in San Diego during Comic-Con. It seems like it would be a natural fit, but a lot of bands aren’t traveling to play right now, so that makes it difficult because there’s not, you know, we haven’t come across anybody else in San Diego, not that they’re not here, but that’s doing wizard rock except for a band called Wizard, which we went to go see about a year ago. But they’re not doing anything in the Potterverse or anything like that. They’re just called Wizard. Uh, and they’re pretty cool. Uh, but we, we had hope so like, oh, maybe this is one of us! <laugh>
Libby: <laugh> Alas.
I can think of at least a couple bands that are very comfortable traveling. So, uh, it’s definitely worth exploring.
Juan: Yeah, definitely. We, we weren’t ready to do it last year and then this year too many things came up. Um, but we would love to do it in the future. Um, as long as Comic-Con is still in San Diego, which it looks like it will be for a while.
Adam: Next year at least, yeah.
Juan: Yeah. We’d, we’d love to just take over a dive bar and do some kind of wizard rock show with a few other bands that would be like the ideal situation in the mid, in the midst of that.
Libby: There are options. We’ve been scouting spaces.
Juan: Yeah.
Well that’s exciting.
Juan: Yeah.
It seems like y’all are single-handedly working to revive the West Coast wizard rock scene.
Juan: <laugh> I wouldn’t say single-handedly, but we’re trying. We’re trying. So if there’s anybody else that’s anywhere close that wants to come, come visit and do a show, reach out, ’cause we’d love to hear from you.
So there’ve been a lot of teases throughout this, of things that we may see from you in the future: 25 minute long epics, an album, a show. What are y’all working on now?
Juan: So the big project right now is the album. We’re very close, very close, and I think we’re ready to give a release date for it if your listeners are are ready for it. We’re gonna drop it on Halloween this year. So, that’s the plan. Do we wanna release, do we wanna name the title?
Adam: Uh, yeah. ’cause we’re giving the–
Juan: Yeah, that’s right.
Adam: We’re gonna give the, the title track, which is “Follow the Light.”
Juan: That’s right. We will be releasing that for your podcast. And then that will be the title of the album.
Libby: Yeah, it’s got 11 songs plus or minus one on it, and they sort of run the gamut from the “Gates of Gringotts” to, let’s see, there’s one about Xenophilius Lovegood that I’m very excited about.
Juan: <laugh>
Libby: Adam and I have, have, have our very first songwriting attempts on the album, so I’m very excited about that as well.
That is a wonderful Halloween present. Is there a, a theme to it or a specific genre, or is it a confetti album?
Juan: Yeah, that’s a good question. I would say musically it’s all over the place. Our default, I think, is kind of in the pop-punk feel, which is kind of the native wizard rock feel. But we definitely branch out. Uh, we’ve got some folkier stuff and then like, “Gates of Gringotts” is almost like soundscape kind of stuff. But, uh, yeah, I would say it’s, it’s mostly based in kind of the pop-punk world.
Libby: Thematically, there are definitely a lot of songs on the album that talk about people finding, or people looking for what leads them to the right place.
Juan: Mhm.
Libby: It can be through a lens of anger, it can be through a lens of despair. Yeah, it can, it can be through thinking about what is right and what is wrong. You know, that sounds kind of cheesy, but these are all things that we were thinking about when we were writing songs, you know, how can, you know, through anger, through community, ways that we can find our own moral compasses and finding hope again.
Juan: I, I think it’s a lot of that is a general response to the author’s stances as well. It’s like, despite what they’re communicating now, there are so many great lessons that the, that the books have taught us. And so it’s kind of celebrating those and celebrating those characters. And, um, of course there’s the silly, silly stuff in there too.
Libby: <laugh>
Juan: But yeah, I think that’s the overriding theme of the record.
Adam: Yeah. So “Follow the Light” as the song, as people will hear, is from Ron’s perspective when he leaves Harry and Hermione while they’re camping. And so it’s also just like finding that little, little spark of hope and continuing to follow it. Um, it’s also kind of in response because we’re so heavily influenced by Harry and the Potters,
Juan: <laugh>
Adam: It’s a response to Lumos as an album as well.
Juan: <laugh>, and “Where the Hell is Ron?”
Adam: Yeah.
Libby: <laugh>
Juan: <laugh>
Libby: Yeah. The, the, the Xenophilius Love song is a hundred percent a response to, “I’ve got 1, 2, 3, 4.” Oh god, I love that song so much. It’s
Juan: Yeah. Yeah. Big Lovegoods fans.
Adam: Yes.
Libby: Mm-hmm. <affirmative>.
Well, it sounds incredible and I cannot wait to hear it.
Libby: Oh, we hope you like it.
Juan: <laugh>. Yeah.
Libby: <laugh>
The final music break is here! This is Totally Knuts singing “Growing Pains.”
~*~
That was “Growing Pains” by Totally Knuts [lyrics], “Misunderstood” from The Fangirls, and Rachel Keeler singing “Lullaby.”
Thank you so much for talking with me today. This has been awesome. As an east coaster, I don’t get to hear about the West Coast scene too often. Where can WZRD listeners find you all online?
Juan: PotterwatchBand on Instagram, potterwatch.bandcamp.com, Bandcamp. SoundCloud, I think we’re also just Potterwatch there.
Adam: YouTube.
Juan: We have a Facebook page. YouTube. When we drop the album, we’ll also attempt to drop it on Spotify and Apple.
That was such a low ebb note after the interview to end on.
Libby: <laugh>
But I guess that’s where we’re stopping, all right.
Juan: You know, Libby would probably be able to deliver that a little bit more enthusiastically.
Adam: Yeah.
Juan: <laugh>
Libby: Yeah. Way back when I was a theater major, so. You can find Potterwatch at PotterWatchBand on Instagram and YouTube, Potterwatch on Bandcamp and SoundCloud, and eventually when we have an album, it’ll be on Spotify and Apple Music. <laugh>
Juan: Yaaay. <laugh>
If you heard a song today and you thought “I could listen to that again” then go to the transcript at WZRDRadioPod.com, follow the link and buy a copy of your very own. It’s the best way to support your favorite musician, and without our wizard rockers, we wouldn’t be here.
If you want discounts on WZRD merch, the inside scoop on everything that’s coming up, and bonus gifts and episodes, then you want WZRD Radio’s Patreon at Patreon.com/WZRDRadioPod. It’s just two muggle dollars a month and also supports the Yes All Witches grant as they give money and mentorship to queer and BIPoC wizard rockers.
If you want to keep up with WZRD between episodes, you can find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok at WZRDRadioPod. If you don’t believe in social media, you can also comment on the transcript or email me at WZRDRadioPod@gmail.com.
And now, here’s Potterwatch!
Juan: This is “Follow the Light,” which is the title track off of our debut album, and it is from Ron’s perspective in the seventh book. And we really hope that it inspires you and helps you follow the light.
WZRD Radio Podcast 