Why is Wizard Rock so awesome, you ask? Maybe you don't ask, but I will tell you.
1. It's about Harry Potter.
They sing about the books.
2. It's catchy.
3. It's not completely unmusical. i.e. They can play instruments.
and the most important point...
4. It cares.
There is a little thing called the HP Alliance. Here is their statement:
Did you ever wish that Harry Potter was real? Well it kind of is.
After all, both our worlds face "dark and difficult times."
* Genocide, Poverty, and Global Warming are ignored by our media and governments the way Voldemort's return is ignored by the Ministry and Daily Prophet.
* Both worlds are plagued by planned attacks on civilians
* Our governments respond to terror by torturing prisoners (often without trial) just as Sirius Black was tortured by dementors with no trial
* Our society continues to exploit Indigenous people, poor nations, and sweat shops just as the Wizarding world does not see Centaurs, Giants, and House Elves as equals
So Harry Potter's world is not very different than ours, and each of us is not very different than Harry. As we face a choice "between what is right and what is easy" we can follow Harry's example and use the magic of our creativity to fight injustice. We can connect thousands of Harry Potter fans to campaigns by such organizations as the Genocide Intervention Network, Amnesty International, and Oxfam the way Harry connected the students in Dumbledore's Army to the Order of the Phoenix's mission.
But we need your help. Help us replace the Dark Arts with love. Help us build Dumbledore's Army. Help us create the Harry Potter Alliance.
Harry Potter appeals to so many people because it has good triumph over not only the evils of Voldemort, but the government (under Fudge), Umbridge, and the Daily Prophet. In the books, there are organizations like S.P.E.W. and the Order of the Phoenix that help the fight against evil.
Harry Potter gives me hope.
The HP Alliance is an organization based on giving people a chance to change what is unjust in the world.
Many Wizard Rock bands contribute to the cause. The HP Alliance stands up against the raping of women in Darfur and have raised over $4000 to help them. They also are trying to stop big media and currently have a free download-able CD about the injustices in the Daily Prophet.
Please, go to their website and help out people in the name of Harry Potter.
The HP Alliance
Let's face it. With the writer's strike, which has now ended, primaries are the most interesting thing to watch.
To start off, let me say that, although I cannot vote, I still have a valid opinion. I think that either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will be a president that will change the United States for the better.
The following may seem like an attack on Obama, but I really like him too.
I was talking to my brother the other day about politics and asked him why he likes Obama. Generally, I know people who like Obama better because they hate Clinton, and I expected my brother to have a real reason. And he did. He explained that Obama is hopeful and is less likely to manipulate the public. My brother is a firm believer in changing the world and he thinks Obama is the better candidate for that.
I think that Obama and Clinton will change the world about the same amount. We will have no way of confirming this, but since they have the same general ideas, it is a definitely possibility. At this point, since they are so similar, the primary has turned into a personality contest.
Really, correct me if I am wrong, but my brother's support for Obama confirms this. Sure, he later went into more detail about what he disagrees with about Clinton's heath care plan and such, but I had to ask him about it. Plus, he was looking at CNN when he was talking about it me. But I'm not attacking anyone, I'm just trying to make my point that this is a personality contest.
Obama will win this personality contest. Obama just seems like a nice guy. He has strong convictions and just overall seems more personable. He's just so hopeful!
I think Clinton is nice too. She is also strong, but she can is also considered, cold and distant because of her tenacity. She is also older and more cynical than Obama.
I would rather have a more cynical president than a hopeful one. I just think it would best to have a president to considers the worst situation as the most probably one. That way, the president would be better prepared to think of a solution.
For example, President Bush sent troops into Iraq hoping to find weapons of mass destruction and is now thought of as an idiot. Obviously, there was a great possibility of there not being any. If he weighed that more heavily, we may not have been in a pointless war.
I just don't want a president that will hope all the time and not be realistic. Obama and Clinton are not extremes of this situation; Obama is just less cynical than Clinton.
His message is change. His book is about hope. I would rather not have a Commander in Chief who hopes that change will happen. The worst possible thing could happen and I do not want someone who does not give this great consideration.
So I was listening to Pandora today and I was inspired by jazz.
Big surprise, right?
Anyway, besides singing along with the Sinatra and Darin, I discovered Brian Bromberg. His stuff is really good. The song I heard was on acoustic bass, but if he's half as good on electric, he's still amazing. So listen and enjoy.
Visit his website for more samples.
It's been a rough month so far with finals so here are just some hilarious videos I have recently seen because of boredom. Enjoy!
Coming soon: Wrock!