This summer, a Welsh punk rock covers band that performs Disney songs will play at the Belladrum Tartan Heart music festival in the Highlands.
Peej Edwards, singer and guitarist for the Cwmbran-based Punk Rock Factory, explains that the group's 2014 beginnings were merely playful.
"When we were younger, all of us had previously played in bands that were either punk or heavier rock. ".
According to Peej, Punk Rock Factory "fizzled out a little" after performing punk rock and punk pop covers for about a year.
In 2019, "we picked things up again and released an album, a mixture of tracks," he claims.
To be completely honest with you, "It didn't really do much, but there was one song on it that kind of went wild - I Just Can't Wait To Be King from The Lion King. ".
In 2020, during the first Covid lockdown, the band posted the song to TikTok.
According to Peej, "it turned out that everyone loves Disney stuff done in a punk rock style.".
Everyone was cooped up at home, unable to do anything, and in need of activities for their children. The song provided enjoyable entertainment. ".
He continues, "Since then, everything has gotten worse. Our tours include the UK and Europe. ".
Punk Rock Factory has racked up more than five million likes on TikTok and hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube thanks to songs like I Just Can't Wait To Be King and other Disney covers like Let It Go from Frozen and You're Welcome from Moana.
Belladrum, a town close to Beauly, will be on the band's tour schedule this summer.
The largest music festival in the Highlands has been going on since 2004, and this year's headliners include Travis, Bastille, Sigrid, and Sam Ryder.
Punk Rock Factory is scheduled to perform at the festival, according to Peej.
We have a great time performing, and the crowds can kind of tell," he says.
The majority of the songs on our set list are Disney songs because that is what the audience prefers to hear. ".
We have a new album that includes musicals as well, so we will be playing some of that in addition to the TV theme tune material we do, he continues.
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