In what’s a cross between a tribute to departed musical friends and an ad hoc supergroup, Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry have spent the last three years creating an album inspired by a crew of rock star drinking pals. Titled Hollywood Vampires, the recording slated for release on September 11th features Cooper, Depp and Perry along with a Who’s Who of guest singers and players: Perry Farrell, Dave Grohl, Sir Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Slash, Robbie Krieger, Zak Starkey, Brian Johnson and Kip Winger, to name some but hardly all. They offer takes on songs associated with their fallen pals and musical heroes sandwiched between new original tunes that explain the Hollywood Vampires legend.
The original Vampires were a loose crew of classic rockers who hung out in the second floor lounge of the notorious Rainbow Bar & Grill on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. Among them were such now late figures as John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson, John Bonham and others. The album honors them with takes on such songs, respectively, as “Cold Turkey,” “Five to One/Break On Through,” “My Generation,” “One/Jump Into The Fire” and “Whole Lotta Love” as well as other numbers by dead rock stars or bands that have lost members.
Cooper, Depp and Perry will also be performing material from the album under the Hollywood Vampires banner, joined by former Guns N’ Roses members Matt Sorum on drums and Duff McKagan on bass. Two nights at The Roxy on Sunset Strip (September 16th & 17th), just next door to The Rainbow, have already sold out. The act will also perform at Rock in Rio in Brazil on September 24.
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