Some of Johnny Depp’s fans may be less familiar with his music career, having dreamed of becoming a rock star after dropping out of high school at 16. In fact, he originally moved to Los Angeles to pursue a record deal with his band Six Gun Method. But after they split in 1984, Nicolas Cage introduced the future Hollywood legend to acting.
Of course, Depp’s rock n’ roll yearnings always remained, being embodied in his Captain Jack Sparrow character, who was based on Keith Richards. And it wasn’t long before the Rolling Stones’ legend played his father in two of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, before Paul McCartney portrayed his uncle in the latest. It was only inevitable, then, that in 2012 he formed a rock supergroup with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry.
The Hollywood Vampires are named after Cooper’s celebrity drinking club from the 1970s, which included long-dead stars like John Lennon and Keith Moon. Much of the band’s vintage horror cemetery aesthetics, including several of their songs like People Who Died, pays tribute to the rock legends who are no longer with us. The band last performed at London’s The O2 three years ago, and now that Depp’s wrapped on his upcoming turn as Ebenezer Scrooge, they’re back on a European tour that kicked off at the same venue last night, at which I was present.
Playing through an energetic 22-song set with songs from their two studio albums, led by Cooper’s vocalist, the shy Depp’s low tones led a couple of tracks, including The Death and Resurrection Show. He famously penned the latter with his late pal Jeff Beck, who received a tribute segment in the show before Depp’s cover of David Bowie’s Heroes. The satisfying rock fest then concluded with the encore surprise of Ronnie Wood joining the band on stage for Train Kept Rollin’, Brown Sugar and Hi Ho Silver Lining, just as he did three years prior.
