Wizard Rock and Censorship.
Written by Dani.

The world of Harry Potter isn’t all enchanted lollipops and flying broomsticks. Just like the real world, it can be a dark place. Murders, betrayals, and witchcraft pepper the popular series, making the subject matter increasingly controversial. It’s only natural then that the music inspired by this dark subject is bound to have a few disputed issues as well.

With the rise and popularity of Wizard Rock as a music genre, the base of fans has indefinitely grown. Of course some of these new fans are barely old enough to hold a Harry Potter book without toppling over. So what exactly happens in the wizard rock world to accommodate these tiny fans?

Most artists are extremely aware of the young fan base. Abbey, from How Airplanes Fly, explains, “I think that in any sort of music there is going to be censorship because young people listen to all music and not just what they’re ‘supposed’ to listen to. The thing to remember is that Harry Potter isn’t just for little kids or big kids or kids, it’s for adults too. I also think that Wizard Rock is just like any sort of genre so censorship is going to go along with it, I don’t agree with it or like it, but it’s got to be there for the worried parents.” Naturally the godfathers of Wizard Rock, Harry and the Potters have dealt with censorship issues. Paul explains, “If we were to go out there cursing up a storm, we just wouldn’t be able to perform in front of children, and performing for young kids is one of our biggest joys as a band. We love having access to these young people and being a part of their lives as they grow up, and we simply wouldn’t have that if we were using profane language.”

Many artists remain extremely conscious of what songs they play in front of younger crowds. Lyrics change quickly or are mumbled to accommodate small ears. Musicians and bands each have their own way of scoping the scene to find out what songs are appropriate. Brian, from Draco and the Malfoys, explains, “We mostly play in libraries, and we have people of all ages there, including families. We tone down vulgarity, but only as it relates directly to language. We still yell about having fun being evil, sing about sticking last year’s house cup up your crack and all of that. When we play more adult-oriented venues, we let the vulgarity fly, both in the lyrics and in our between-song banter.” The Whomping Willows has stated, “Lately, my strategy has been to ask parents of young children ahead of time if it’s ok for me to say certain words in front of their children. If the audience has no young children but a lot of kids in the 11-14 range, I’ll simply announce that the set will be PG-13 and that any parents who feel weird about that have the opportunity to remove their children before I start playing.”

Aside from live shows, CDs must also be monitored for content. While many bands have their own way of approaching the subject of songs that swear, Harry and the Potters carefully make sure that parents are well aware of what the songs contain. Paul writes, “When we were writing songs for Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock, we came up with ‘Cornelius Fudge is an Ass.’ We debated for a couple weeks about trying to change the language, but in the end, decided that ‘ass’ was probably the most poignant word we could use and it was only borderline offensive (it’s in the Bible and Shakespeare), so we decided to stick with it. As a precautionary measure, we made sure that the title of the song was on the back of the album so that parents purchasing the CD for their kids would be fully aware of the song’s content.”  While some bands choose this route, other bands like The Moaning Myrtles have been asked to release two versions of their upcoming album for E7, one family friendly version and the other with their original untouched music. After careful consideration, the Myrtles chose to release only one CD with their original music, free from censorship. Lauren explains, “If the original intent of the song is to capture Myrtle’s combination of angry, emo, and at times perverted, personality, the words we chose are necessary. But if we have to either play a censored set or no set at all, we are willing to censor it. And many of our fans really like our uncensored music, so it’s sad when we have to change it and they’re expecting the raw emotion we had in the original songs.”

In the world of wizard rock, music isn’t the only thing subject to censorship. Many fans have wondered if bands censor their own feelings on band preferences, merely supporting all artists regardless of talent or taste in music. When asked “Do you feel like you have to be supportive of every wizard rock band that appears regardless of whether or not you like the music?” a minor controversy in answering arose. Most artists were grateful for the support of their fellow wizard rock bands, yet some others claimed that while the atmosphere is helpful for beginners who might not have pursued music otherwise; it does not allow constructive criticism to be given. At times the protective bubble could even damage musical growth. Regardless, Kristin of The Marauders sums it up best, “I think regardless of whether I like the music or not, I still support the idea of wizard rock, so therefore I support what they are doing.”

Despite the issues, Wizard Rock remains strong. How to deal with censorship is ultimately up to the individual. Still, artists and fans band together to promote and experience this phenomenon powered by the weapon of love, even when the experience is less than pristine.