We’ve witnessed superstar drummer Mike Portnoy bashing the hell out of a toy drum kit before, but even he must bow down to Bordeaux’s finest, a three-piece of unlikely superheroes known as The Wackids. Specialising in cover versions of classic songs played on children’s instruments, they’ve taken the internet by the throat and given it a good squeeze with their latest video, a version of Rage Against The Machine’s 1991 smash Killing In The Name.
Following in the joyful footsteps of earlier covers of AC/DC’s Back In Black and Metallica’s Enter Sandman, the band’s version of Killing… replaces the original’s fury about institutional racism and police brutality with something altogether more innocent, with Tom Morello’s distinctive solo replaced by otamatone, a Japanese synthesiser bearing a distinct resemblance to Zippy, puppet star of Thames Television’s long-running kids’ show Rainbow.
“The Wackids are a rock band with strong identity,” say the band. “Three super heroes dressed in red, yellow and blue, reinterpreting universal tunes on children’s instruments. In the same way that Angus Young always plays in school uniform or that Batman’s costume is always black and yellow with a cape, Blowmaster, Speedfnger and Bongostar are always recognisable by their outfits, their personalities, their toy instruments and their super power: preaching the good word of rock to children.”
As the band proudly proclaim: “Mini toys for maxi show!”
