Hollywood Vampires: The All-Star Rock & Roll Drinking Club
Hollywood Vampires is a blues rock supergroup formed in 2015 by an iconic trio of rock legends. The band, featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry, was born from a shared love of classic rock and the spirit of a fabled 1970s celebrity drinking club of the same name. Their music serves as both a raucous tribute to fallen friends and a celebration of raw, guitar-driven rock and roll.
Early career
The concept for the Hollywood Vampires originated with Alice Cooper and actor-musician Johnny Depp, who envisioned a band that paid homage to the original Hollywood Vampires drinking club, which included members like Cooper, John Lennon, and Keith Moon. They were joined by Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, solidifying a core lineup of seasoned performers. The project quickly evolved from jam sessions into a proper recording and touring act, debuting with a self-titled album in 2015.
Breakthrough
The band's breakthrough came with the release of their 2015 debut album, "Hollywood Vampires," on Universal Music Enterprises. The record was primarily a covers album, featuring raucous versions of songs by members of the original drinking club and other rock heroes lost in the "great drunk in the sky," as Cooper described it. The album featured an astonishing roster of guest musicians including Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, and Slash, immediately garnering significant attention in the rock world and charting in several countries.
Key tracks
My Dead Drunk Friends - This original song, co-written by Cooper, Depp, and Tommy Henriksen, serves as the band's mission statement, a toast to the hard-living musicians who inspired the group.
Whole Lotta Love - The Vampires' blistering cover of the Led Zeppelin classic, featuring Perry's searing guitar work, became a live staple and showcased their ability to reinvent iconic rock anthems.
I Want My Now - A standout original track from their second album, "Rise," it demonstrated the band's evolution beyond pure covers into crafting their own brand of swaggering, modern hard rock.
The Jack - Their cover of the AC/DC blues-rock staple highlights the band's gritty, blues rock foundation and features gritty vocal trade-offs between Cooper and Depp.
The band followed their debut with 2019's "Rise," an album that featured more original material while maintaining their tribute spirit. This record showed the Hollywood Vampires maturing as a collaborative songwriting unit, tackling social and political themes alongside their trademark rock bravado. The supergroup continues to be a periodic touring attraction, known for its unpredictable setlists and the palpable camaraderie between its famous members.
Fans of the Hollywood Vampires' brand of celebratory, star-studded blues rock may also appreciate the work of Alice Cooper for his theatrical shock rock. The guitar-heavy style connects with Aerosmith and their blues-based hard rock. The collaborative, jam-oriented spirit is echoed in projects like The Dirty Mac, another all-star assembly. For the classic rock tribute aspect, listeners might explore The New Power Generation or similar acts that honor musical legacies.
