See Johnny Depp, Gene Simmons Play Kiss Classics for Charity
Johnny Depp joined a cadre of heavy metal heroes including Gene Simmons, former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and Mr. Big drummer Matt Starr at a recent charity concert for performances of two Kiss classics, “Deuce” and “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
No stranger to the six-string, Depp gamely kept pace with Clarke on “Deuce,” swapping leads and throwing in some flourishes during the second verse. While Clarke handled the majority of the pure shredding on, Depp helped close out the track with some able traipsing of his own up and down the fretboard.
Depp was also one of a handful of guitarists to take the stage for closer, “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Although the actor hung back for much of the performance, he stepped up to the mic at Simmons’ cajoling and helped howl the track’s famous refrain before before unleashing the final descending riff.
Both fan shot clips come courtesy of YouTube user Heavy Metal Hill and were filmed at Lucky Strike in Hollywood on Sunday, August 16th. Proceeds from the gig went to Mending Kids, an organization that helps provide free transformational surgeries to children.
The concert also boasted a reunion of Eighties rock outfit Extreme, with Gary Cherone and Nuno Bettencourt performing their hit, “More Than Words,” per an Associated Press report of the gig. The lineup also included Bryce Soderberg of Lifehouse, Sean McNabb of Dokken and touring keyboardist Steve Ferlazzo who’s currently on the road with Avril Lavigne.
Depp also reportedly took the stage for a performance of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out,” a fitting choice as the actor, Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry recently formed the new supergroup, Hollywood Vampires. The trio have scheduled a handful of live dates, starting with two nights, September 16th and 17th, at the Roxy on Sunset Strip; they’ll be joined by former Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum, who are both also members of the supergroup Velvet Revolver.
Hollywood Vampires — an homage to the loose collective of Seventies drinking buddies that included Cooper, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon — are also set to release an LP, the proceeds of which will be donated to MusiCares. The album features a few original tracks, but primarily covers. It also boasts a number of high-profile guests as well, including Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Slash, Joe Walsh, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, the Doors’ Robby Krieger and late horror acting icon Christopher Lee.