There comes a time once every month (or so) when we at the Wizrocklopedia are able to sit down and chat a bit with the members of some of your favorite bands. May’s Band of the Month was none other than The Moaning Myrtles. As May was a particularly busy month, with Phoenix Rising and a long string of technical challenges at the Wizrocklopedia, our questions for the girls ended up being delivered slightly behind schedule. We are, however, very pleased to be bringing you this, our very first interview with wizard rock’s resident “sad and dead” singing ghosts, as written by Lizz and khittie.

Did you start reading the Harry Potter books when they first hit the shelves 10 years ago or did you pick up the series at a later age?
Lauren: I think I started right before the fourth book came out. I read them out of order because my grandma started me at number two and I was too into them to go back to the first one until I’d finished the fourth.
Nina: I was in a mother-daughter book group when I was little, so we read the first book a few months after it came out. I was hooked.

Other than Harry Potter, what was your favorite book or series as a child?
Lauren: I read most of the Animorphs books when I was younger. I was really cool. But I remember having to get through Louis Sachar’s Holes pretty quickly because I was supposed to have it finished for school in a week, and I fell in love with it.
Nina: Hmmm. I loved Little House… I read those in second grade. I also liked anything written by Ann Rinaldi, and read the Wrinkle in Time series as well.

Are there any other TV/movie series or books you’re obsessed with?
Lauren: I’m pretty sure I watched all ten seasons of Friends on DVD while I was away at school, and I still can’t get enough of it. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed, but I couldn’t turn it off either. I also love Joss Whedon’s Firefly. I was obsessed with American Idol for a few seasons as well.
Nina: Pirates!!!!!!!! I love me some Johnny Depp. Sighhh.

How about your favorite Disney movie?
Lauren: It’s a tie between Mulan and Hercules for me. I still listen to the Hercules soundtrack… I’m in love with the music.
Nina: Aladdin all the way. ::bops::

What was something in your childhood that made you really angry?
Lauren: A whole mess of easily avoidable (at least I thought so) family issues that basically kept me from having a social life or being able to participate in anything fun outside of school until I was sixteen years old.
Nina: I complained about my neighborhood a lot. I lived in the middle of nowhere with no kids my age around, so I played by myself a lot. At this point, I wish we still lived in that house, because living in a townhouse, I miss my yard a lot.

What cheers you up when you’re sad? What do you like to do when you’re sad to make yourself feel better?
Lauren: Honestly, I just go online. There’s always someone around to make me laugh or just take my mind off of everything, no matter what time it is. Driving over to Nina’s for hugs, ice cream, and kittens works too.
Nina: Lauren, or my boyfriend Mike. Sometimes I need both.

What were some of your after school activities in high school?
Lauren: I was in our choir for three years. Junior and senior year, I was in our school musicals. I went to some random club meetings for a little while too I think.
Nina: I was the president of our Debate club, which did Model UN/Congress events around the country and the world! We went to Nashville (I was totally looking for Ben Folds the ENTIRE time, not gonna lie) and Berlin, Germany. I also did lots of theatre. Favorite roles: the title roles in Kiss Me, Kate and Peter Pan.

Have you been recognized by fans outside of a wrock event?
Lauren: One time when I was getting food in the dining hall at my college, someone called my name. And when I turned around, this guy I’d never seen before said “Are you Lauren from The Moaning Myrtles?! I’m such a big fan of yours!” He called two of his friends (who are also fans) over to say hi to me, and I was by myself so I had lunch with all of them. I got to talk about wizard rock and answer questions the whole time… it was a blast!
Nina: The closest I’ve come so far is getting recognized on my college’s Facebook group. Maybe I’ll have more stories come August!

What are you reading right now?
Lauren: At the moment, I’m reading the British version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that Nina got me for my birthday!
Nina: I just reread HBP and cried (again) when Dumbledore died. 🙁

What do you think Myrtle would be doing if she hadn’t died?
Lauren: What an awesome question! I’d hope she would be married to a wonderful, nerdy wizard and have a family of her own. Something tells me she would still spend a lot of time crying in her bathroom anyway, though.
Nina: She strikes me as a charms kind of girl. Maybe she would be a cute little witch with fun glasses.

If you could send an owl to any Harry Potter character, who would you send a letter to and what would it say?
Lauren: I’d probably send an engagement proposal to Fred and/or George Weasley. Or something.
Nina: I’d send one to Fleur that says “Ta mere, la pute! Tu m’emmerde!” which translates to “Your mom’s a whore! You piss me off!”

I’ve heard rumors about Myrtle and the Whomping Willow hooking up…. Any comments?
Lauren: All she did was offer that she wouldn’t mind potting him and letting him stay in her bathroom. You know, in case a certain Slytherin girl tried to chop him down or something.

Do you think Harry is a horcrux?
Lauren: I feel like he isn’t, but I think it would be more likely that somebody close to him is. I still feel like reading too much into things in order to predict the last book isn’t for me though, in case I’m right and then it isn’t a surprise.
Nina: I have absolutely no idea! I think maybe he would have known if he were.

What profession would you have if you were a character in the series?
Lauren: I think I would enjoy being the bathroom ghost… it’s almost like what I did in college this year except in a dorm room.
Nina: I’d be in the Weird Sisters or something.

It’s Tuesday night and you’re bored. What do you do?
Lauren: I’ll probably start a huge craft project that I’ll abandon as soon as something better comes along. Either that or I would just be refreshing MySpace and Facebook for a few hours. Sometimes, I even put the TV on.
Nina: I don’t know; I am just graduating to actual life. Ask me in a year.

What do you usually order from a diner?
Lauren: I haven’t been to a diner in the longest time! Probably spaghetti and meatballs.
Nina: Open faced turkey sandwich.

Do you have a favorite aquatic mammal?
Lauren: I’ve loved manatees since I was little when I had to do a project on them.
Nina: Uhhhhhhhhh. Are platypuses mammals? (Wiki says yes).

How do you feel about ice skating?
Lauren: I do it every few years but I always forget how, so it usually involves me hanging onto a wall and pushing myself along until whoever’s with me gets annoyed and pulls me away from it. There are almost always bruises involved.
Nina: I don’t know. I don’t like it as much since I forced my boyfriend this winter and we went around the rink twice and came home.

We’re always eager to discover what muggle bands wizard rockers listen to. What are some of your favorite CDs?
Lauren: Just to name a few: Kelly Clarkson‘s Breakaway, Ben Folds‘ Supersunnyspeedgraphic, and The Hush Sound‘s Like Vines.
Nina: Ben Folds’ Songs for Silverman, Joni Mitchell‘s Blue, The Hush Sound‘s Like Vines, Badly Drawn Boy‘s Hour of the Bewilderbeast.

Thanks so much, ladies, for sitting down with us and taking the time out of your busy schedules to answer our questions. We have but one query remaining. Is Granger really a slutface?
Lauren: She totally gets involved with ridiculous people to make Ron jealous when she has no intention of returning their feelings. Definitely slutface-ish if you ask me.
Nina: If Myrtle says so, then yes.