Here’s what you missed in #wrock! 2016 Wizard Rock Sampler Edition

As we turn our calendars to the new year, we wanted to throw it back to something you may or may not have missed in late 2016, the #wrocksampler, compiled by Snidget’s own Grace Kendall.

The #wrocksampler was released on September 3, 2016, and featured songs from old favorites like Draco and the Malfoys, and newer bands like Percy and the Prefects.

Grace decided to put together the sampler after noticing that, in recent years, the majority of wizard rock compilations being released were from the Harry Potter Alliance (which just recently put its older compilations online, so go snatch those up) and were invitation-only. Grace said that she missed “the old days, where people just sent in songs and they automatically got in and you got a real taste of what’s going on in the scene.” As a musician whose own songs were released on charity compilations throughout the years, Grace knew first-hand what it felt like to be included in a project with people she looked up to. “As a musician starting out, it’s exciting to be on an album with your heroes.” Grace wanted to create an opportunity for newer musicians to get the attention that they need to help them grow and get more exposure.

Grace first tweeted about the #wrocksampler project in June 2016, and accepted submissions up until the day of its release. Grace says that she “foolishly chose to run this project while living off-the-grid in the backwoods of Tennessee” and she only had internet access for a couple of hours each week. She promoted the compilation, collected the files from bands, did all the album artwork, and uploaded to Bandcamp using library and “surprisingly fast!” fast-food Wi-Fi.

If you’re in a wizard rock band (or you want to start one) and you missed out on being included in the 2016 sampler, don’t worry your lightning-bolt-scarred-heads over it. Grace is planning to make the sampler an annual compilation, and she’ll start taking submissions for the 2017 sampler this summer. She’s looking for volunteer artists and producers as well as musicians; she hopes to find people to master the album and design album artwork.

If you have questions about the sampler, don’t hesitate to reach out to Grace at wrocksampler@gmail.com.

The #wrocksampler was meant to showcase what’s still going strong in our community, and help newer bands reach a wider audience. Grace says, “I love this scene. People are making some really cool stuff and it deserves to be heard.” Every time she got a new submission for the compilation, Grace would get so excited; “it was like Christmas.” Stand outs for Grace include the submissions from How Airplanes Fly, Flitwick and the Charmers, and Miranda Puffskein.

What are YOUR favorites on the #wrocksampler? What are you planning for the 2017 #wrocksampler? Let us know in the comments below!

4 responses to “Here’s what you missed in #wrock! 2016 Wizard Rock Sampler Edition”

  1. James Mahoney IV Avatar

    I’m happy someone came up with this idea. Hopefully this will help wizard rock musicians, if not grow, at least get their songs out to other fans either. Great job, Grace!

  2. Yari Avatar
    Yari

    How Airplanes Fly and Mudblud were some of my favorites. That entire album was a treasure!

  3. Jule Avatar

    I love this sampler, it has so many great songs! There are so many bands out there who’s songs are hard to find or untraceable. And so many bands have some songs available but not others. I’d love to see more Bella and Le Strangers (songs like Not Blue and Sister), the Luna Lovegoods, The House of Black (who sings a gorgeous song which I cannot find anywhere, “Hedwig Lives”), The Curse Breakers, Siriusly Hazza P’s older songs, and so many other bands!

    Again, thank you Grace for such a great idea and all your work!

  4. Susannah Avatar

    My sister ADORES Wish You Well by Flitwick and the Charmers! I don’t think there was a song I didn’t like, which is awesome. My favourites are She’s a Keeper, Green Eyes, Just Like Viktor Krum, Wanna Be a Weasley, The Pensieve, All is Well, Wolfstar…oh, there are too many to pick from. They’re all so lovely, and I’m looking forward to this year’s sampler. Hopefully more bands will let you put their music on the Wizrocklopedia Archive soon. So much older wrock is hard to find nowadays.

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