See Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry Jam With Rock Royalty
The star-studded debut album by Hollywood Vampires – the mega-rock triumvirate of Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper and Joe Perry – now has a release date. The self-titled record, which features appearances by Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Slash, Joe Walsh, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, late horror acting icon Christopher Lee and Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, among others, will be released on September 11th. The group created a video, streaming below, showing them working in the studio with many of the album’s famous faces.
The record consists mainly of covers by Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Harry Nilsson, Led Zeppelin, the Who and others, though the group did pen a few original tracks. Depp, Cooper and producer Bob Ezrin co-wrote “Raise the Dead” and “Dead Drunk Friends,” while “The Last Vampire” features narration by Lee recorded shortly before his death. All artist proceeds from the album will be donated to MusiCares.
The group made the album over the course of two years, beginning in 2012, and named it in the spirit of a loose club at Sunset Strip rock Mecca the Rainbow with a distinctive membership. “To join the club, one simply had to out-drink all of the members,” Cooper, a founding member of the Vampires, said in a statement. “I would walk in on a typical night and John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon — who would usually be in a costume like a maid or a chauffeur — Bernie Taupin, Jim Morrison and Mickey Dolenz would be there.”
The difference between this version of the Hollywood Vampires and the original was that this group did not drink. Other guests who stopped by to join the club during the making of the album included Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, Zak Starkey and Kip Winger.
After the record, which is available for preorder, was made, clothing designer John Varvatos designed the album’s antique-book-like packaging, and Taupin – an original Hollywood Vampire – wrote the album’s liner notes. “I’m not completely sure what constituted bad behavior back then, but in this lair it existed in a bubble, a hermetically sealed dome of fun,” Taupin wrote. “It may not have been the round table at the Algonquin, but these were witty, intelligent guys who often got raucous and loud, but rest assured there were no bystanders or animals hurt in the making of the Hollywood Vampires.”
Hollywood Vampires Track List:
1. “The Last Vampire”
Narration: Sir Christopher Lee
Keyboards and Sound Design: Johnny Depp, Bob Ezrin and Justin Cortelyou
2. “Raise the Dead”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen, Bruce Witkin
Drums: Glenn Sobel
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Background Vocals: Alice Cooper, Tommy Henriksen, Bob Ezrin
3. “My Generation”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Drums: Zak Starkey
Background Vocals: Tommy Henriksen
4. “Whole Lotta Love”
Vocals: Brian Johnson, Alice Cooper
Guitars: Joe Walsh, Johnny Depp,
Orianthi, Tommy Henriksen, Bruce Witkin
Harmonica: Alice Cooper
Drums: Zak Starkey
Bass: Kip Winger
Programming: Tommy Henriksen
Backing Vocals: Alice Cooper, Tommy Henriksen
5. “I Got A Line”
Vocals: Alice Cooper, Perry Farrell
Guitars: Joe Walsh, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen, Bruce Witkin
Drums: Abe Laboriel Jr.
Bass: Kip Winger
Background Vocals: Perry Farrell, Tommy Henriksen, Bob Ezrin
6. “Five to One”/”Break On Through”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Robby Krieger, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen
Drums: Abe Laboriel Jr.
Farfisa: Charlie Judge
Bass: Bruce Witkin
7. “One”/”Jump Into the Fire”
Vocals: Alice Cooper, Perry Farrell
Guitars: Robby Krieger, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen, Bruce Witkin
Drums: Dave Grohl
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Keyboard: Bob Ezrin, Bruce Witkin
Programming: Tommy Henriksen
8. “Come and Get It”
Vocals: Paul McCartney, Alice Cooper
Guitars: Joe Perry, Johnny Depp
Piano: Paul McCartney
Drums: Abe Laboriel Jr.
Bass: Paul McCartney
Background Vocals: Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Abe Laboriel Jr., Bob Ezrin
9. “Jeepster”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen
Drums: Glenn Sobel
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Programming: Tommy Henriksen
Background Vocals: Bob Ezrin
10. “Cold Turkey”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen
Drums: Glenn Sobel
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Programming: Tommy Henriksen
Background Vocals: Alice Cooper, Tommy Henriksen
11. “Manic Depression”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Joe Walsh, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen
Drums: Zak Starkey
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Piano: Bob Ezrin
12. “Itchycoo Park”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen
Drums: Glenn Sobel
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Programming: Tommy Henriksen
Background Vocals: Alice Cooper, Tommy Henriksen, Bob Ezrin
13. “School’s Out”/”Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2”
Vocals: Alice Cooper, Brian Johnson
Guitar: Slash, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen, Bruce Witkin
Drums: Neal Smith
Bass: Dennis Dunaway
Background Vocals: Kip Winger, Bob Ezrin
14. “Dead Drunk Friends”
Vocals: Alice Cooper
Guitars: Johnny Depp, Bruce Witkin,
Drums: Glenn Sobel
Programming: Tommy Henriksen
Bass: Bruce Witkin
Piano: Bruce Witkin, Bob Ezrin
Background Vocals: Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Tommy Henriksen, Bruce Witkin, Bob Ezrin