After a rough few years, things have finally been on the upswing for Johnny Depp — who was recently featured in a Dior Sauvage primetime commercial spot after a massive win in his highly-publicized lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard — and, now, the actor has officially revived his career, but not on the silver screen.
As many fans know, 59-year-old Depp is not only an accomplished actor, but a talented musician. In fact, in the 1990s, there was nowhere cooler in Los Angeles than the rock’n’roll club The Viper Room. Founded by Johnny Depp and his 21 Jump Street costar Sal Jenco, the space was not only a bastion of incredible rock music — for example, INXS star Michael Hutchence played his last public gig there before committing suicide in 1997 — but was the backdrop for all manner of celebrity parties.
After one particularly raucous night, actor River Phoenix infamously overdosed and died on the sidewalk outside of the club not too long after it opened in 1993.
Deadline recently shared details about some of the iconic acts that performed at the well-known venue over the years:
…Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers [the opening night band], Johnny Cash, Neurotic Outsiders (a supergroup comprised of Duff McKagan, Steve Jones and Iggy Pop), Hole, the Strokes Keanu Reeves’ Dogstar, The Cult, Slash, Julliette (Lewis) and the Licks, Concrete Blonde and Tenacious D crowd onto the small stage.
Although Depp has long since sold his interest in The Viper Room — which is set to close down as part of a new real estate development project — the star remains deeply entrenched in the rock’n’roll world.
Now, his band, the Hollywood Vampires, has announced a new tour for next year. Depp will be hitting the road with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, Alice Cooper, and Tommy Henrikson for six confirmed European shows, seemingly with more tour dates on the way.
This will give some of Depp’s many supporters the chance to see their idol up close.
Per the official Hollywood Vampires Instagram page:
The Hollywood Vampires are BACK!! We’re coming to Germany and Luxembourg Summer 2023!
Depp’s bandmates have been nothing but supportive throughout his legal woes, with Perry taking to his own Instagram account on June 1 to say:
Proud and happy for Johnnys huge win today. We never doubted anything, we always knew the truth, and that the truth would prevail… Congratulations on getting your life back today !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, Depp is set to return to court amid claims he assaulted a movie crew member in 2017. The actor has immense support from both his fans and the film’s production team, however, so it seems that it is likely the verdict will once again be in his favor.
If you haven’t been following the ongoing Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case, in November 2020, Hollywood actor Depp lost his libel lawsuit against U.K. News Group Newspaper publication, The Sun, for their report that he had allegedly engaged in domestic violence — including a reported “hostage” situation during a Pirates of the Caribbean shoot in Australia — against the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actress on multiple occasions.
British Judge Andrew Nicol presided over the original proceedings, and Depp later lost his right to appeal the original ruling in the United Kingdom. The Jack Sparrow actor, for his part, has denied the domestic violence allegations, with even his ex-partners, Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder, speaking out in his defense at various points in time.
Depp has been fired from his two most high-profile parts — his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s Pirates franchise and as Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros. Fantastic Beasts series — as a result of the ongoing situation.
At this time, as noted, Depp recently won the duo’s $50 million U.S. defamation lawsuit. stemming from a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which Heard alleged that the actor had committed acts of domestic violence against her.
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Credit: The Hollywood Vampires Official Website
