As the pioneers of "wizard rock" (indie rock that draws most, if not all, of its inspiration from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series),
Harry and the Potters quickly became stars among readers and rockers alike after forming in Massachusetts in 2002. The group's genesis was improvised by brothers
Paul DeGeorge and
Joe DeGeorge at a casual backyard concert hosted by
Paul, who had intended to showcase some of the bands on his independent label, Eskimo Laboratories. When the bands all canceled,
Paul quickly wrote some Potter-related songs and recruited
Joe to perform them with him. The act was an unexpected hit, and the
DeGeorge brothers decided to soldier on with the quirky project. They developed on-stage personas -- in keeping with their respective ages,
Paul portrayed Harry Potter in Year 7, while
Joe depicted Harry during Year 4 -- and began dressing in the manner of Hogwart's students with crew-neck sweaters, ties, and glasses.
Confined initially to local and regional performances,
Harry and the Potters released their self-titled debut album in 2003. They embarked on a tour of the United States and Canada the following year, as well as releasing a second album, Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock. In 2005,
Paul and
Joe traveled to the U.K. to play a number of dates; a third album, Harry and the Potters and the Power of Love, debuted a year later. In addition to their musical aspirations, the brothers also co-founded the Harry Potter Alliance, an organization of wizard rock bands that supported a number of charities and encouraged fans to participate in social activism.
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Katherine Fulton, Rovi