Episode 111: Hope and the Howlers

Hello magical friends, and welcome to episode 111 of WZRD Radio! I’m your hostwitch Bess and I’m so excited to be debuting a brand new wizard rock band today! Vive la music!

I’d also like to make a quick note that I’m still working on my recording room so my sound is a little echo-y. Sorry about that!

Before we meet our newest wizard rocker, let’s check in with some familiar favorites. Here’s Striking Down Diggory with “The Princess of Snakes.”

~*~

That was “The Princess of Snakes” from Striking Down Diggory, the Mirror of Erised with their interpretation of the Kings Cross scene in “Deathly Hallows,” and Totally Knuts’ “Time for Potions” [lyrics].

And now let’s chat with Lillian and get to know our new wrocker!

Bess: Welcome to the show, Lillian. I am super stoked to be starting the year off by talking with you.

Lillian: I’m excited to be here. It’s really surreal because I listened to the show, so…

So I know why you’re here and you know why you’re here. But we’re gonna go ahead and dive in from the beginning, which is your history with wizard rock.

Lillian: Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, I have to really try to like trace my 12-year-old brain’s memory when I think about it. You know, I know that it was some HP/Twilighter YouTube music video, uh, that got me into wizard rock, and I think it might’ve been a Moaning Myrtles one, that that is where I’ve landed on that. But I was a big fan at the time and I, at that time, I saw one show, um, it was at an Ann Arbor library and I, that it did have Tonks in it, so that was awesome. And I got back into it when I was about 15, just a little bit, and… It’s like, whatever the opposite of a claim to fame is, is that between my Harry Potter eras I went to, um, YoumaCon 2012, where I, uh, <laugh> left a Harry and the Potters concert, uh, because–I know it’s like, it’s traumatic to me now thinking about it.

And I’m not, I didn’t even like traumatically make it up either because they have all of their concerts like listed on their website and it does say 2012 YoumaCon. And I’m always like, “this is terrible.” But it was at, it was just like very loud in there and, uh, it was pretty late and it’s like a whole weekend and, um, I was like, “I just can’t do this.” And then I left and, uh, will never forgive myself. But, um, between then and now a couple years ago at this point a year or so ago, I got back into Harry Potter, but the, the way that I knew I was starting to get back into Harry Potter was actually, ’cause I had started listening to wizard rock again. Um, and I was always, you know, on, on the more cursory scale in a weird way. I had never– I didn’t really ever listen to Harry and the Potters or Draco and the Malfoys when I was, uh, growing up.

It was, you know, different artists. But, um, when I got back into it about a year ago, I just like was listening to so many different artists and, and newer artists. And I joined the wizard rock Discord and, you know, I’ve been working with Susannah a little bit on the, uh, the wizard rock master list, which has been really cool. It’s a great way for me to like find out all the stuff that’s out there. And then I went to the last LeakyCon. I had never been to LeakyCon before, so, you know, and that’s was another step on this kind of journey, <laugh>

That sounds like quite an adventure.

Lillian: I, yeah, I said a lot of things which sort of constitutes it as an adventure. <laugh>,

My cat is here to help.

Lillian: My cat has been trying to help me for hours. I’m sure she’s gonna come in and do the same thing.

I’m gonna move you off the rickety table. I’m so sorry.

Lillian: Oh, that reminded myself somehow of, um, shout out to Karl-Johan who, uh, posted in the wizard rock discord, you know, before LeakyCon, that there were the mini grants through the, um, InterFilk Association or InterFilk… Whatever the end word there is, um, that they, you know, would help fund people to go to LeakyCon because without that I wouldn’t have been able to go. So, uh, you know, and at the time I was like, “I, I’m not a musician, I’m not planning to become a musician. Uh, but I really care about this community and I have some, you know, I, I have written academically and I’d like to do that about this.” So that would be sort of my contribution. And I was their first recipient, so that was really cool. <laugh>

That is incredibly cool. Karl-Johan is such a gem. We’re very lucky to have him.

Lillian: Yes, absolutely.

But you have become a musician.

Lillian: Yeah. Uh, really it makes my like skin, I’m trying to think of a positive word for crawl in a good, in a good way. I’m like, ah,

Tingle?

Lillian: Yeah. Like, I’m like, “that can’t be right.” But I guess it is. But yeah. So I, I was gonna say, when, when did I even, oh, it was because, um, the Snail Collective, that’s what it was, <laugh>, after LeakyCon I had made friends with about, well not about five other people. And we had a Discord that was just us, you know, chatting and stuff like that. And I came up with the idea that it would be really fun for us to just, you know, put together. We had sung “Hot To Go” a lot when we’d been at LeakyCon. That was like the thing we would fall back on, was “Hot To Go.” Uh, so I wrote a “Hot To Go” parody called of course, “U No Poo” and you know, submitted it for the Sampler.

But I had such a, and we had a lot of fun making it. And Chloe, they were the vocals on that. They’re just incredible. They knew what they were doing with their voice, which really helped me ’cause I had no idea what I was doing on the backend. And it was such a difficult experience. And I realized like, if I wanna do this, this is fun conceptually, but if I wanna do this, I need to start fresh and like get any sort of groundwork for creating music. So I started being interested in, you know, playing the guitar and taking music lessons. And so I actually confided in Libby of, of Potterwatch and I was like, “am I silly if I sign up for music lessons?” And she was like, “no, do it!” You know, she was very sweet in encouraging me and I did, but I was like, oh my God, I, I don’t know what I’m gonna be able to afford.” I mean, music lessons are not super cheap either, you know? And I was like, “I don’t know what I’m gonna be able to afford a guitar actually on top of this expense.” So then I think you posted a reminder about the uh, Community Fund.

We will absolutely get to that, but I want to hear more about the Snail Collective.

Lillian: Yes. Yeah. So, um, the Snail Collective is myself, Ella Elf, Zoe, AJ, and Chloe. So we’re based around the whole country really. Zoe goes to school on the east coast. Ella is in grad school in New York. Chloe and AJ are close to, you know, where LeakyCon was in Portland. Uh, I’m in Ohio. Uh, Elf was in Chicago, like, so we’re all around. So it was kind of of a way for us to like connect even though we’re in such disparate parts of the country and the name comes from, uh, Ella and I are both big Horace Slughorn people, <laugh>, we just really like Slughorn. And um, there was some, you know, joke we were making while we were walking around LeakyCon that was like… I’m very passionate that I think that Lily’s Lily Potter’s patronus being a doe is stupid. I think it’s weird that a character who’s as independent and strong will willed as her, uh, would have a doe patronus just because her husband’s is a stag. I think that’s like weird and gender essentialist. And I was having a discussion about this with, with Ella and I was like, “I think her patronus should be a big slug” <laugh>. And Ella had been disagreeing with me until that moment. Then she was like, “wait, no, you’re right. It should be a big slug” <laugh>. And then we were bandied about a bunch of different names and stuff, it’s so it’s the Slug Club and then the Snail Collective.

So it’s like fans of the fan club?

Lillian: Yes. Or it’s like an alternate version of the Slug Club, I guess <laugh>.

Now one of the things I think I’ve been asking about since you started your music journey is: are you going to have a band name or are you gonna perform under Lillian?

Lillian: So I took, oh my God, the polls in my friend groups, the polls in the discord, the like, the like thousands of ways. I tried to think of wizard rock names… Just because I knew I wanted one and it’s just really hard ’cause there’s so many directions you can go with it. Um, so I’ve landed on Hope and the Howlers, which I think is, I I I mean obviously listeners can’t hear, but the, the face you made was gratifying. So <laugh> because, um, I’m a huge… It was hard. It’s like I wanted it to do so many things. The name, I wanted it to be fun. I was listening to your Ludo Bagman episode and I just love that name. It’s one of my favorite names, Ludo Bagman and the Trash. And I was like, “obviously I’m not gonna, you know, uh, come up with anything that cool” but, or maybe who knows.

But like I wanted, it made me think of persona wizard rock. Something I’ve really loved about wizard rock since its inception is it, I wanted something that was that like take on Harry and the Potters that so many bands have had since. And then I also, you know, Remus Lupin is my favorite character. I wanted something that relates to him. For a while I was like, “I want something quidditch related.” It was like, going in all too many directions… I love Dumbledore. I was really like, for like a week I was just coming up with every ridiculous iteration of “Blank and the Put Outers” <laugh>. Because another thing I’m passionate about is that, uh, why are we too cool to call it a Put Outer? Why’s it gotta be a Delluminator now? Like come on, it’s a Put Outer. Like stop revisionist history in your will, Albus. But Hope and the Howlers is like a combination. It’s– Hope Howell is Remus Lupin’s mom, Howell, her last name being a play on “howl,” Howler, you know, and then of course the the wizard rock like persona name. So I I it had most of what I wanted and it, I think it’s nice. <laugh>

That sounds amazing and suggests that there may be future band members, uh, beyond just you.

Lillian: If I think of what to write for, my boyfriend has very much agreed to like sing, you know, vocals for any part. He’s got a pretty good baritone voice and and isn’t shy about singing, which– that’s a hurdle that I’m definitely overcoming is like a lot of singing anxiety.

Now are you Hope Howell personified or is the name more in honor of her?

Lillian: I think there’s some combination of like, I would like to do some persona, you know, wrock songs, but at the same time I’m definitely not gonna be– I would say the majority of what I’m thinking about is not from her perspective, but, you know, I don’t know if I were ever to perform in front of people or something I can see doing… I’m sure a lot of the songs I’ll be doing are about Remus Lupin so it’s like kind of fun to, to play into that persona a little bit there.

Remus Lupin was my first favorite character in the book series. I actually remember saying that to people as we were chatting, waiting for a wizard rock concert, I think in Arlington, Virginia. I think I’m just a sucker for characters who are sad. And I was like, “I just need him to be happy.” <Laugh>

Lillian: I do too. And I’m on like a canon revisionist quest to prove that he is <laugh>.

How intriguing.

Lillian: Yes. Oh, for a long time the name was Headmaster Werewolf. That was like the, like everyone was mad–like not everyone by like that, I mean like two people–but two people were mad when I was like, I’m, “I just don’t feel that it’s right.” You know? Yeah. I, I completely, he was my, he’s one of my very first favorite characters too, and I was like too young to even really know how obsessed with him I would someday get <laugh>. I have all sorts of thoughts about Remus Lupin and they’re all battling each other in my head. <laugh>.

Well, if one emerges top, let us know.

Lillian: Yes, will do.

So as you were saying, you did not start intending to become a wizard rocker, rather, you know, a wizard rock fan and one of our many intellectuals, journalists… Uh, what changed that and what has it been like?

Lillian: Well, I, I mean like there’s always been like, you know, I’m sure most people on this earth who have enjoyed a song have like a latent desire to like create something like that. But I, I mean it really was like, you know, when I was like 12, I remember part of the reason I wanted a persona name like that was because I remember when I was like really 12 or 13 I wanted to be Lily and the Potters, but I, I don’t really like that name. Um, I don’t even know that I loved it then, but like I could, you know, I just …didn’t like to play music at that time, you know, it wasn’t something I was really interested in, but, but going to LeakyCon and just like, I don’t know the energy of that and you know, I am a writer by trade I guess,

And so like I enjoy writing parodies and I enjoy just writing songs and, and doing that kind of work. But… I’m sorry, I’m trying to like think the, my way through this question <laugh>, but like it started to change then, then it was the Sampler song and I was like, “this is really hard.” But also Brian Ross said something– and I wrote a story for the paper I work at about LeakyCon and I think I included this quote because I asked him why he continues to do this, why he continues to go out to wizard rock events after all these years. And he was like” being the reason that a kid picked up a guitar for the first time. Like, that’ll keep you going, you know?” And I, just think that wizard rock tries to make–is one of the most accessible forms of song making and one of the most accessible forms of music making.

I’m a perfectionist, so I do still have a time, you know, a hard time like, like getting over an internal hurdle of like wanting things to be what I consider to be like high enough quality and that, and I was, I started taking a photography class and I realized how much I benefit from instruction that like these things aren’t just hurdles I can’t ever get over. It’s actually that I can get over them if I feel like I’ve got a structured environment that is like teaching me how to, as opposed to like, “oh, it’s all on YouTube.” Well that’s nice, but I don’t even know enough to navigate how to find it on YouTube, you know?

I often say, I don’t know what it is that I don’t know.

Lillian: Exactly.

Which can make it a little overwhelming to try to teach yourself something like music or, or singing.

Lillian: Exactly.

But now you’re taking guitar lessons.

Lillian: Yes. Yeah, guitar and voice lessons from this, um, great teacher named Daniel. He’s just been like the perfect…Um, I actually had a music lesson earlier today where, you know, I was, I was practicing the vocals for– because I told him I was recording Sunday and he definitely gave me like a pep talk at the end. He was like, I was like getting, you know, really anxious, honestly. And he’s just like, such a, has just such positive energy and um, he, he kills me ’cause he does these like riffs, he’ll just like start singing like essentially a beginning of a wizard rock cover and I just want him to sit down and, you know, record everything and, and share it with everyone. ’cause he is so good at it. And he also loves coming up with band names. So I’m just hoping that, uh, you know, that <laugh> that not one wizard rocker has been born, but two, you know?

That would be amazing. Maybe you found Headmaster Werewolf?

Lillian: Yeah, maybe. I have. I’m sure he’s gonna, I want him to come up with his own great name. I’m sure he’s got, you know, like a, a dozen just percolating <laugh>.

Now you mentioned it earlier, but you were the inaugural recipient of not one but two micro-grants last year.

Lillian: Yeah. So I, when you posted, uh, you posted a link to the Fund, you know, and clearly I just, I think maybe people sometimes see that and they think like, “oh, that couldn’t apply to me.” You know what I mean? Like, “you know, they don’t mean me because I–” but at that exact moment, it was like right when I was talking to Libby about signing up for music lessons and I had just done so, and I was again stressing about a guitar and I was like, “this is exactly, this is exactly the kind of support that I’m seeking at this moment.” So I applied and reached out a, a a couple of weeks later and it was like, I was so excited because, um, the Community Fund purchased my, uh, my guitar!

Back when WZRD supported Yes All Witches I talked to other people who ran micro loans and micro-grant programs and it is often like pulling teeth to get people to apply. I’ve even had people message me, “do you think I could? is it, is it okay if I?” And and I wanna say “yes, please apply, tell your friends to apply.” That’s what it’s there for.

Lillian: Absolutely. And my feelings about it are that it’s such a gift in, so in more than one way, it’s not just the gift of a guitar, but it’s also like a responsibility in that like, you have been generous to, to use this resource on me and I want to make sure that I’m able to… I’m trying to think of the way to put this. Um, but like I want to, you know, I just think of the support that got this guitar into my hands and I want to make good with that. I wanna do something with it, you know? And I know that the ex the expectation isn’t like, you know, suddenly be headlining at, whatever, but I want to create with it. Like that’s like, to me it’s a responsibility to like bring more music into the world in some way.

Running it is strictly selfish. I figure the more support I give wizard rockers the more wizard rock I get and uh, the happier I am.

Lillian: Yes, absolutely. I mean I love that motivation ’cause I always wanna see more wizard rock too.

It’s time for a music break. First up is The Giant Squidstravaganza and “Underwater.”

~*~

That was “Underwater” by The Giant Squid Stravaganza, Neville’s Diary with “The Family Name” [lyrics], and The Caradoc Dearborns and “Send the Fire.”

Who’s ready for more interview?

So now that you are fully named, getting comfortable with your instruments, what collabs might we anticipate or hope for?

Lillian: That was the hardest question. I don’t know, like, you know, first of all, love Karl-Johan. Um, I would love to do something with Karl-Johan. Obviously I’m like a Potterwatch super fan. I can’t believe, I forgot to mention earlier that Ella, myself, three members of the Snail Collective, the ones that were uh, able to go met and went to Avada Kedavrock 2024. And then while we were there we got Potterwatch tattoos. So <laugh>, you know, I would love to, you know, work with any member or all members of Potterwatch at some point. I’ve gotten some permission from a couple different wizard rockers for some covers, which I’m excited about. Like, not just covers, but like changing them in a little, like a little bit, which will be really fun. Obviously that’s not a collab, but I, you know, I’m open to working with so many people. There’s so many talented people in wizard rock, you know.

If you were gonna get to do a collab with Potterwatch, what would you be hoping for? A particular kind of song or whole EP or full album?

Lillian: Oh my god, I can’t even, like, my brain like explodes even at the– problem is, is like, I love them just as they are <laugh>. I’m still developing. I’m really just learning so many of the basics right now and learning how to do covers and parodies because I really want like a foundation and I don’t really know my own style yet at this point. So it’d be hard for me to say… I mean, if they wanted to write a song about Remus Lupin, I would definitely not be a opposed <laugh> and I’d be thrilled to be involved, I guess.

So currently it’s all just future dreams, no particular plans or ambitions?

Lillian: No. Yeah, I’ve got plenty of wizard rock ambitions where, right. It’s a lot of it’s, um, centered on like things that I, you know, it’s, it’s… Turning to music in unexpectedly like this, it’s like all the thoughts where I’m like, “this would make a good album.” It suddenly, it all feels like possible. It feels possible, which is really exciting, but also really hard, which is less exciting. But it, it’s, it’s still, I have like concrete plans for what I’m working on now and then other things down the line that I’d like to do when I’ve got a little more experience under my belt

That is incredibly exciting to hear and I can’t wait to see what’s coming, but I’m not there yet, so I have to ask for other people who are just starting out or want to get into it and don’t know how to begin. What kind of advice do you have?

Lillian: For me, structured lessons like that are so helpful. I find them to be… I think that like the ease of internet instruction has, it did for me for sure, for like years. I just kind of like forgot it was an option and um, all it really took was like a call to like the music school that I actually went to and learned piano from when I was like eight when they were first opening, which is funny, but, you know, I know that’s not an option for everyone for sure. But also, you know, you never know. Like I’ve no started noticing, there’s a word for this, but I can’t remember it, but I’ve started noticing when I’m at a coffee shop, there’ll be like a sign that’s got like, you know, like “drum lessons,” you know what I mean? Like, oh, oh that’s a collab. If any drummers out there really wanna <laugh> hang out, you know.

But, um, I’ve really noticed that there are like, there are people everywhere offering their services at, at different rates and stuff. It doesn’t always have to be like, full music school pricing. I think that it can be really valuable if you don’t wanna go that route. Of course. Like, like don’t just do chords in one order and think to yourself, “I’ve learned the song.” You know, do chords in more, do those chords in all sorts of orders, like try to learn the instrument rather than learning like a, a repeated series of motions. You know, I come to that thinking from my music teacher because otherwise, you know, I don’t even know how to start <laugh>.

Do you have any warmups or other first tips that really clicked for you?

Lillian: Yeah, I mean, I’d be happy to share, like, I’ve got like a YouTube playlist that is vocal warmups that it, Daniel has given me clicking on any of those videos. You’ll find a bunch. But it really is so important. It’s such a difference when you warm up. Just like theater kid stuff, you know, like if you need to be out here mouthing “red leather, yellow leather,” you know, it’s, it’s gonna help <laugh>. Um, as for guitar, man, I don’t know, practice, like for me callouses were exciting when it came to guitar because it meant that, um, I was doing something, I was getting better, you know.

That’s how I’ve always felt about callouses. I earned those.

Lillian: Exactly.

And we will definitely, uh, take that playlist and link it in the show notes assuming, uh, Professor Werewolf–Headmaster Werewolf is cool with it.

Lillian: Oh yes. It’s, it’s like, it’s my playlist on my account that he like gives me videos that, okay. So it’s not super long now, but it really is just like lip trills and one of, he’s given me some pronunciation videos because he’s like, so much of wizard rock has a lot of lyrics, you know, because there’s so many songs about telling a specific story.

So you mentioned having lots of plans and ambitions and thoughts and ideas, reeling it back a few steps. What are you currently working on? What are you looking at?

Lillian: So I’m, what I’m working on right now is an cover album. Like an album just full of parody songs and like I said, like, uh, some of them are parodies of popular pop songs or whatever, rock songs. And then some are, there’s a handful of parodies of wizard rock songs, which is really exciting. And like a couple musical songs, like, just like songs that I’ve like, love, love to sing, or the first song that I’ve learned how to play, I wrote a parody of because I’m like, “I’m not interested unless it’s about Harry Potter”. So that’s been really exciting. It’s hard because it’s like, that’s a lot of work already and then it’s like I have ideas after that. You know, I would love to write an album that was set during the first wizarding war. Like, that’s something that’s always been on my mind. And then I generate Remus Lupin thoughts constantly, so who knows? But I have a note in my phone that just says “Mrs. Figg Molotov cocktail.” So that’s the beginning of a song, probably. <laugh>

The final music break has arrived, heralded by Hannah Moroz and “All of us at Once.”
~*~

That was “All of us at Once” from Hannah Moroz [lyrics], House of Black with “Wizard Rock Fan Girl,” and “Pretty British Boy” by Wingardium Leviosa.

And here’s the last bit of my convo with Lillian of Hope and the Howlers!

Thank you so much for talking with me. I am so excited to see what’s coming for Hope and the Howlers. I almost said Horcruxes.

Lillian: Different ending for Hope Lupin, I guess <laugh>. Um, and I do have, I haven’t recorded uh, it yet, so I don’t know what it’s actually gonna sound like, but I have sent you at, in the future, by the time people are listening to this, a recording of like the first song that I’m working on in that cover album, which is exciting.

I cannot wait.

Lillian: <laugh>. Yeah, I would’ve liked to have it to you before, but I’m full of plans. That’s my issues. I’m full of plans, I’m just, and if I had the time I would be able to do all of it, but the issue is I’m full of plans. <laugh>,

You’re full of plans, I provide deadlines. It all works out.

Lillian: Yes. I’m glad I really am because it, um, again, my, uh, Daniel had to talk me down from a ledge earlier. It’s, it’s, I deadlines are very helpful, so.

That’s the journalist in you.

Lillian: Yes, yes. The journalist in me who finished, um, journalisming like two minutes before this call. <laugh>

Where can WZRD’s listeners, uh, find you and your future music online?

Lillian: That is such… So I don’t have a BandCamp at this point. Uh, I’m like, I’m like, could I just like make up the username I’m gonna use probably, I, I might have something, I’ll try to have something for you to link, but maybe like Hope and the Howlers or whatever. And then I’m on Instagram at LuxaLucifer, which is my just a fan fiction name. But, um, LuxaLucifer is my Instagram and I have started using that more specifically because of wizard rock. So, and then I’m always, you know, I’m on the wizard rock Discord. You can always find me there. [Hope and the Howlers’ BandCamp]

And do you think we’re gonna see anything more from the Snail Collective?

Lillian: I think we’d like to at least, you know, we weren’t in person when we recorded, “U No Poo” and that was really hard for me of an extremely amateur like audio mixer to put that together. And it’s within driving distance for me as well. So it’s like I can bring my guitar, you know, so my hope is that we can at least rerecord, “U No Poo” and then, you know, if we have ideas, it doesn’t have to be every member of the now collective at once, or it could be all of us, but I’m hoping that we can, you know, submit a sampler song or a single here and there, you know, when the, the inspiration strikes <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 Community Wrock Fund, where we’re raising funds to help wizard rockers achieve their musical dreams.

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 Hope and the Howlers!

Lillian: So, um, this is a, a parody of, it was just the first song that I learned how to play and like I said, I was like, I want a parody of it. So it is, please enjoy “Werewolf” by, uh, not the Cranberries <laugh>.

Hi, I also wanted to add I totally forgot before that this is definitely a demo. Three months ago I wasn’t able to play two notes in a row on a guitar so the purpose of this is really just to show you how far I’ve come and I’m really looking forward to, you know, making and, um, sharing a more polished version of this, so thanks so much for listening. Bye!