THE hit soundtrack includes performances from rock legends Led Zeppelin, The Who and David Bowie.
But stars invited to the London premiere of US box-office smash School of Rock are to be entertained by a band made up of four Edinburgh schoolboys.
In a once in a lifetime chance for the young members of rock band 7 Story Ruin, they have been in
vited to perform in front of a celebrity audience set to include the film’s star Jack Black, pictured, as well as the likes of Oasis, The Charlatans, Ash, Meatloaf and Ryan Adams.
The Leith Academy pupils were spotted by MTV chiefs staying in the Capital during last year’s international music award celebrations in Leith.
Now the teenagers have been invited on an all-expenses paid trip to London to perform a half-hour set at the premiere party for School of Rock after TV bosses saw an opportunity to turn a cinema tale into reality. The film tells the story of a wannabe rock musician who takes a job as a substitute teacher at an elite primary school and ends up forming a band with his young pupils to fulfil his lifetime ambition of winning his local Battle of the Bands competition.
And when MTV events manager George Smart, organiser of the premiere’s aftershow party, was thinking of who should provide the entertainment at the glamorous bash, he remembered the Edinburgh teenagers he had heard while a special guest at a Battle of the Bands competition held in the Capital at the time of the music awards.
Mr Smart said: "The band didn’t win the competition but they just stuck in my mind, I was very impressed. They did a cover of a song by The Darkness which I remembered - they are very talented.
"It tied in well the film’s theme about school pupils who form a rock band."
The amazed band members said they could not believe what they were hearing when their music teacher Dona Easton told them they had been invited to play at the premiere this Wednesday.
Drummer Liam Devlin, 16, said: "It’s a bit of a dream at the moment. We never thought we would get this kind of attention, but we’re definitely trying to make it as a professional band and this is a really good start." Lead guitarist Billy Anderson, 16, added: "Hopefully it’ll turn into something much bigger. I’m not so nervous now, but it’s going to be a really good experience."
The likely lads have lined up a set for the night which includes Thin Lizzy’s The Boys are Back in Town, Back in Black by AC/DC, Since You’ve Been Gone by Rainbow and I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness.
They hope that playing to such an influential audience, which is set to include Nicky Chapman from TV music contest Pop Idol, will boost their chances of success in the music business.
Singer Kenny Dickson, 15, said: "It’s really exciting - the biggest gig the band’s ever had. It’s good for us and it’s good for the school."
Bassist Craig Walker added: "I’m a bit nervous and a bit excited, but hopefully it will get us noticed and people will pick up on us."
Ms Easton, principal teacher of music at Leith Academy, described news of the gig as "absolutely wonderful".
"What a dream come true and it is fantastic the MTV awards have had such a knock-on effect for the young people of Leith."
City education leader Ewan Aitken also congratulated the boys.
He said: "Just occasionally miracles happen and dreams come true.
"People should always believe dreams can come true."
