Here's an interview of Kelli from The Sweetwater All-Stars! She is a Ph.D. student in Ethnomusicology, and plays many instruments, including different kinds of flutes, guitar and djembe. She wrote her master's thesis on wizard rock and enjoys being academically involved with fandom things, but now wants to back off from that a bit because she doesn't want to spend all of her wizard-time working. In the HP fandom, she is also a writer for Accio-Potter.com and an enthusiastic Marauders-era canon roleplayer.
How did you get into wizard rock?
I actually first heard about wizard rock from a piece of fan art that I came across while looking for something for one of my RPG's several years ago. I was also an occasional Pottercast listener and started to hear bits and pieces through them. I didn't get seriously, seriously into it until I read Melissa Anelli's book and realized I must be missing out on a lot of awesome. I was...lol. I spent a little time perusing MySpace and the Wizrocklopedia, decided it was pretty much the best thing ever, and the rest is history. :)
How did you get into wizard rock?
I actually first heard about wizard rock from a piece of fan art that I came across while looking for something for one of my RPG's several years ago. I was also an occasional Pottercast listener and started to hear bits and pieces through them. I didn't get seriously, seriously into it until I read Melissa Anelli's book and realized I must be missing out on a lot of awesome. I was...lol. I spent a little time perusing MySpace and the Wizrocklopedia, decided it was pretty much the best thing ever, and the rest is history. :)
I started making wizrock in the Spring of 2009. I had been listening casually for a while and my hardcore interest in it was starting to take off. I've been a musician my whole life and decided that it would be a great opportunity for me to learn guitar and work up my songwriting and arranging skills while having fun being a Potternerd.
Tell the story behind your band's name.
I honestly had no idea where to start choosing a name. I wanted something wrock-cliche and cool, but at that point I hadn't really become familiar with all of the bands or the 'Pedia list. I'm also from Texas, and I knew that The Sweetwater All-Stars were pretty much the only canon Quidditch team from Texas...a la "Quidditch Through the Ages". I learned that the name wasn't taken. Then, my friend Elissa, who was originally going to be in the band and was actually from Sweetwater told me how they actually have a really longstanding aviation history there, especially where women are concerned, with the Avenger Field WWII Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). Their mascot Fifinella looked kind of Quidditchy. I love Quidditch. So, I snatched the name up by opening my MySpace page and notifying the Wizrocklopedia.
What characters, topics and themes do you write songs about? Do you have a certain point of view or does it vary?
My perspective and subjects vary. I suppose that means I'm indecisive, lol.
What genre does your music belong to?
I think I'm kind of folksy. That just comes from my muggle life...my new album is more blues-rock ish... so let's call it Folk wRock.
Have you played live shows?
I've played 2 shows in the Dallas, TX area. One was the Wrockin in the New Year thing at the Prophet Bar downtown with Dreary Inferi, Into the Pensieve, Hollow Godric, Secondhand Magic Supplies, Statutory Snape, Thomas & Finnigan, Kwikspell, Just Lily, The Owl Post, and How Airplanes Fly. The other was at the Allen Public Library with Secondhand Magic Supplies sometime in March. I've got 2 things scheduled for the future but I'm trying to add more. I'm having an album release party with Kwikspell and Foundation of Fair Fortune on the day before Wrockstock, and I'm also playing at the Wampum Willow at Wrockstock this year. :) I'm happy to play wherever I am wanted if time and travel money allows. :)
What makes your band unique?
I don't know if I'm the ONLY one who does what I do. I just do what I do because I like to do it. I've got a good blend of styles going on. Not so much on the D-List album, but with We're Still at War I've got the real musical me going on. Now that I've had a year to learn the specifics and politics of things in the wrock world, I think I can really bring something to the table that is at least a little special by using more of my own musical background.
Who are your favourite wizard rockers?
PERSONALLY, I enjoy
The Mudbloods - I miss them. I think Adam Dubberly is pretty much the best songwriter ever. Muggle or wizard. The Mudbloods' music is also very catchy and familiar and just nice to listen to.
The Buttermellows - Saryna is my wizard BFF and my very first wizard rock friend. Also, her lyrics are fantastic, and I enjoy the rawness of her sound and the honesty of her music.
Kwikspell - Kwikspell just rocks. If you've never heard her, you should. She played at the first wrock show I ever went to, and is also one of the nicest people ever.
Tell the story behind your band's name.
I honestly had no idea where to start choosing a name. I wanted something wrock-cliche and cool, but at that point I hadn't really become familiar with all of the bands or the 'Pedia list. I'm also from Texas, and I knew that The Sweetwater All-Stars were pretty much the only canon Quidditch team from Texas...a la "Quidditch Through the Ages". I learned that the name wasn't taken. Then, my friend Elissa, who was originally going to be in the band and was actually from Sweetwater told me how they actually have a really longstanding aviation history there, especially where women are concerned, with the Avenger Field WWII Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). Their mascot Fifinella looked kind of Quidditchy. I love Quidditch. So, I snatched the name up by opening my MySpace page and notifying the Wizrocklopedia.
What characters, topics and themes do you write songs about? Do you have a certain point of view or does it vary?
My perspective and subjects vary. I suppose that means I'm indecisive, lol.
What genre does your music belong to?
I think I'm kind of folksy. That just comes from my muggle life...my new album is more blues-rock ish... so let's call it Folk wRock.
Have you played live shows?
I've played 2 shows in the Dallas, TX area. One was the Wrockin in the New Year thing at the Prophet Bar downtown with Dreary Inferi, Into the Pensieve, Hollow Godric, Secondhand Magic Supplies, Statutory Snape, Thomas & Finnigan, Kwikspell, Just Lily, The Owl Post, and How Airplanes Fly. The other was at the Allen Public Library with Secondhand Magic Supplies sometime in March. I've got 2 things scheduled for the future but I'm trying to add more. I'm having an album release party with Kwikspell and Foundation of Fair Fortune on the day before Wrockstock, and I'm also playing at the Wampum Willow at Wrockstock this year. :) I'm happy to play wherever I am wanted if time and travel money allows. :)
What makes your band unique?
I don't know if I'm the ONLY one who does what I do. I just do what I do because I like to do it. I've got a good blend of styles going on. Not so much on the D-List album, but with We're Still at War I've got the real musical me going on. Now that I've had a year to learn the specifics and politics of things in the wrock world, I think I can really bring something to the table that is at least a little special by using more of my own musical background.
Who are your favourite wizard rockers?
PERSONALLY, I enjoy
The Mudbloods - I miss them. I think Adam Dubberly is pretty much the best songwriter ever. Muggle or wizard. The Mudbloods' music is also very catchy and familiar and just nice to listen to.
The Buttermellows - Saryna is my wizard BFF and my very first wizard rock friend. Also, her lyrics are fantastic, and I enjoy the rawness of her sound and the honesty of her music.
Kwikspell - Kwikspell just rocks. If you've never heard her, you should. She played at the first wrock show I ever went to, and is also one of the nicest people ever.
Statutory Snape - Bryan and Emilia are both awesome people and are incredibly welcoming. Their music is fun and dark at the same time, and Bryan does a really great job with Snape.
How Airplanes Fly - Abril's voice is amazing. Uh-mazing. Possibly one of the top 5 voices in wizrock. Her music is great. She's super nice and fun to hang around with...
The Remus Lupins - The first wizard rock band I ever heard. I remember the first time I saw them play I was doing thesis work and had to be all professional, but I was secretly having a huge squee moment. Their music is incredibly fun and catchy. I've seen them tons of times and never get tired of their live shows. Alex has a stage energy that is unusually awesome and infectious. Plus, they're all friendly little sweethearts.
Justin Finch-Fletchley - I had never paid much mind to Justin until I saw him live, and he quickly became one of my favorites. I like the simplicity and straight-forwardness of his music, and he also has a fun stage presence. He really did a fantastic job at Wrockstock 09...and keeps getting better. :) And he's a nice dude.
Harry and the Potters - I think they're great...their music is hilarious and I appreciate that their recordings are honest and not over-processed. I've never seen them live because I've been living too far away for so long...but I intend to remedy that as soon as possible.
Diagon Alley - They've put on the best wrock show I've ever seen. I hadn't really heard of them before Wrockstock 09, but they really rocked hard and have a great energy on stage that translates well to their recordings. Plus, they seem like pretty nice guys.
Draco and the Malfoys - Oh Em Gee. I actually feel like I have things in common with the Malfoys. I don't know if I actually DO, but their music and public personalities give me that impression...BEYOND the general love-of-Potter that we all have. Behind the sarcasm and irony and sheer brilliance, I think they're just really honest guys with welcoming music.
BUT, my list of favorites goes on for quite awhile. I've listened to every listed wrock band and pretty much have something that I like about all of them. :)
Do you have a favourite wrock video?
I really like the Diagon Alley video by Diagon Alley. They rock so hard. I also like the Seven Potters video by The Remus Lupins.
Would you like to collaborate or play in a show with some wrockers?
Any of them!! I love doing music with other people!!!! I don't play shows by myself, period...and I have a few collaboration tunes in the works. I'm always too afraid to ask people to collab with me unless they're good friends because I put people on pedestals, but seriously...I'll do wizrock with anybody. Love! ♥
What is the funniest experience you've had with wrock?
I have had far too many to count...in fact, I'm having a really hard time singling anything out. The two most memorable things, though, for me...were:
1) The vanishing cabinet room with my roommates at Azkatraz - which really probably isn't funny but it was at the time - because Saryna Buttermellow would wave her wand and say "Accio" to anything and it would actually kind of happen...until we got in our room and then our magic was nullified...
2) at Wrockstock 09, the Pitch F***ing Eels, which had to do with one of my friends mishearing something one of my other friends said. Though neither of these things are probably funny to anyone who wasn't there. lol...
What is the most touching experience you've had with wrock?
Also, too many of these to count, but if I had to pick, I'd say Wrockstock 09's bursting into The Weapon after the last Mudbloods song at the last concert on the last day. That should be all kinds of self explanatory.
What is the best moment you've had as a wrock fan?
At Azkatraz in 09, Saryna Buttermellow took us along with her on "Elevator Tour," where we would stand in the elevators and she would play...and my friend Mandy and I would sing along or play tambourine as people came in and out of the elevator. She would do her songs, other people's songs, and this awesome catchy little number in which she just sang "Elevator elevator elevator" over and over. It was incredibly fun. We took Elevator Tour on the road the night of the bonfire on Ocean Beach and turned it into "Lost on the Bus Tour" when we couldn't find the way back to the hotel after some of the bus lines stopped running. xD There's video somewhere in the abyss of my external hard drive.
What is the best moment you've had as a wrocker?
I pretty much just get excited when people have heard of me, haha! But, my favorite was probably at the Wrockin in the New Year show I played at in Dallas in 2010, I was doing I Lost My Owl and people actually all came up and stood by the stage and sang the different parts and everything. :) I was so excited! That was the first time I had ever witnessed anyone other than myself singing anything I had written. ♥ It's a great feeling.
Do you wish you had more time and money to spend with wrock?
Yes. If I had more time/money, I would write more, record more with better quality, and tour like mad. I would go to all of the shows ever and buy everyone's albums. (Which, I try to buy them all as it is, I just have an enormous list and I'm working my way down it.)
What future plans do you have?
I'm releasing the new album We're Still At War in November. I plan to wrock out. I plan to be at as many wizarding things as possible, whether I am performing or not. There's talk of tour in summer 2011 with Miss Parkinson, The Buttermellows, Kwikspell, Statutory Snape, and How Airplanes Fly. If we can all afford to go! :)
Is there anything you want to say to your fans and fellow wrockers?
To Fans: I love that you exist, and you're AWESOME and make wizrock worth it!!! I love you.
To Fellow Wrockers: I love you all. Tremendously. We should make music together. :)
How Airplanes Fly - Abril's voice is amazing. Uh-mazing. Possibly one of the top 5 voices in wizrock. Her music is great. She's super nice and fun to hang around with...
The Remus Lupins - The first wizard rock band I ever heard. I remember the first time I saw them play I was doing thesis work and had to be all professional, but I was secretly having a huge squee moment. Their music is incredibly fun and catchy. I've seen them tons of times and never get tired of their live shows. Alex has a stage energy that is unusually awesome and infectious. Plus, they're all friendly little sweethearts.
Justin Finch-Fletchley - I had never paid much mind to Justin until I saw him live, and he quickly became one of my favorites. I like the simplicity and straight-forwardness of his music, and he also has a fun stage presence. He really did a fantastic job at Wrockstock 09...and keeps getting better. :) And he's a nice dude.
Harry and the Potters - I think they're great...their music is hilarious and I appreciate that their recordings are honest and not over-processed. I've never seen them live because I've been living too far away for so long...but I intend to remedy that as soon as possible.
Diagon Alley - They've put on the best wrock show I've ever seen. I hadn't really heard of them before Wrockstock 09, but they really rocked hard and have a great energy on stage that translates well to their recordings. Plus, they seem like pretty nice guys.
Draco and the Malfoys - Oh Em Gee. I actually feel like I have things in common with the Malfoys. I don't know if I actually DO, but their music and public personalities give me that impression...BEYOND the general love-of-Potter that we all have. Behind the sarcasm and irony and sheer brilliance, I think they're just really honest guys with welcoming music.
BUT, my list of favorites goes on for quite awhile. I've listened to every listed wrock band and pretty much have something that I like about all of them. :)
Do you have a favourite wrock video?
I really like the Diagon Alley video by Diagon Alley. They rock so hard. I also like the Seven Potters video by The Remus Lupins.
Would you like to collaborate or play in a show with some wrockers?
Any of them!! I love doing music with other people!!!! I don't play shows by myself, period...and I have a few collaboration tunes in the works. I'm always too afraid to ask people to collab with me unless they're good friends because I put people on pedestals, but seriously...I'll do wizrock with anybody. Love! ♥
What is the funniest experience you've had with wrock?
I have had far too many to count...in fact, I'm having a really hard time singling anything out. The two most memorable things, though, for me...were:
1) The vanishing cabinet room with my roommates at Azkatraz - which really probably isn't funny but it was at the time - because Saryna Buttermellow would wave her wand and say "Accio" to anything and it would actually kind of happen...until we got in our room and then our magic was nullified...
2) at Wrockstock 09, the Pitch F***ing Eels, which had to do with one of my friends mishearing something one of my other friends said. Though neither of these things are probably funny to anyone who wasn't there. lol...
What is the most touching experience you've had with wrock?
Also, too many of these to count, but if I had to pick, I'd say Wrockstock 09's bursting into The Weapon after the last Mudbloods song at the last concert on the last day. That should be all kinds of self explanatory.
What is the best moment you've had as a wrock fan?
At Azkatraz in 09, Saryna Buttermellow took us along with her on "Elevator Tour," where we would stand in the elevators and she would play...and my friend Mandy and I would sing along or play tambourine as people came in and out of the elevator. She would do her songs, other people's songs, and this awesome catchy little number in which she just sang "Elevator elevator elevator" over and over. It was incredibly fun. We took Elevator Tour on the road the night of the bonfire on Ocean Beach and turned it into "Lost on the Bus Tour" when we couldn't find the way back to the hotel after some of the bus lines stopped running. xD There's video somewhere in the abyss of my external hard drive.
What is the best moment you've had as a wrocker?
I pretty much just get excited when people have heard of me, haha! But, my favorite was probably at the Wrockin in the New Year show I played at in Dallas in 2010, I was doing I Lost My Owl and people actually all came up and stood by the stage and sang the different parts and everything. :) I was so excited! That was the first time I had ever witnessed anyone other than myself singing anything I had written. ♥ It's a great feeling.
Do you wish you had more time and money to spend with wrock?
Yes. If I had more time/money, I would write more, record more with better quality, and tour like mad. I would go to all of the shows ever and buy everyone's albums. (Which, I try to buy them all as it is, I just have an enormous list and I'm working my way down it.)
What future plans do you have?
I'm releasing the new album We're Still At War in November. I plan to wrock out. I plan to be at as many wizarding things as possible, whether I am performing or not. There's talk of tour in summer 2011 with Miss Parkinson, The Buttermellows, Kwikspell, Statutory Snape, and How Airplanes Fly. If we can all afford to go! :)
Is there anything you want to say to your fans and fellow wrockers?
To Fans: I love that you exist, and you're AWESOME and make wizrock worth it!!! I love you.
To Fellow Wrockers: I love you all. Tremendously. We should make music together. :)
ALBUMS
EPs
EPs
- The Old Demos EP (2009) - available for free here
- Infinitawesome EP - upcoming free EP