Interview: Harry and the Potters

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Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 4/12/2006

Harry Potter has launched yet another craze: wizard rock. Two brothers from Boston—Paul DeGeorge, 26, and Joe DeGeorge, 18—were so obsessed with J. K. Rowling's wizard that they formed the band Harry and the Potters.

Paul impersonates Harry in year seven, and Joe impersonates Harry in year four. Currently on tour, the two have fans of all ages and perform in lots of places, but their absolute favorite venue is the library.

School Library Journal caught up with Paul while they were on the road to talk about the duo's music and fans.

How did Harry and the Potters come about?

It really started as just a silly band name. Then one day, Joe was having a show in our shed in the backyard and a few bands [that he had booked] cancelled. So we sat down in the kitchen and wrote a handful of songs and played them a few hours later.

How long ago was that?

It's been almost four years since we wrote that first batch of songs. We play wizard rock. There are only two people in the band. Joe is Harry, year 4, and he plays keyboard and sings. I'm Harry, year 7, and play guitar and sing.

How does the band tie in with the Harry Potter series?

It's the kind of band Harry would start if he decided to quit hanging with the jocks on the quidditch team and embraced punk rock and DIY culture. We write all our own lyrics and music. That's part of punk rock, you know?

The books themselves are [what] turned us on to Harry Potter. I think the fact that it's become such a huge part of popular culture is what has made our band so fun. Not many bands will tour with a PA system and set up in libraries and weirdo places like bookstores and bike shops.

Like the books, we just have fans from all over the age spectrum. That's part of why we play lots of shows in libraries, and if we do play in a club, it's always all ages. It's just totally awesome to get all these different people together because they all want to party like wizards!

Do you dress like wizards?

We dress half as wizards, half as punks. Sweaters and ties with jeans and a studded belt. WIZARD ROCK!

Where do you like to perform?

We play in libraries all the time—that was one of the reasons we started the band. I've always been a big fan of putting together concerts in weird places, and a library almost seems like the antithesis of a good concert venue. Maybe that's what makes it so much fun for us to play there.

Aside from libraries, we play shows in bookstores and clubs and art spaces and things like that. We've even played in a doughnut shop and a pirate supply store! We're open to pretty much anything.

Do you guys enjoy reading?

We definitely love reading, and we love the fact that we can help promote reading. Reading is really the key to knowledge, and knowledge is the key to progress. I start feeling stupid if I haven't read anything for a while. So it's good for us to be reminding people that reading is cool and they should make it a part of their lives. Voldemort hates it when you read!

Have you released any CDs?

We've released two CDs and we're in the middle of recording a third one that should be out for our massive

What are your future plans?

We're planning to keep rocking out until the seventh book drops, and then who knows? We'll have to read and find out, won't we?

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