Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck have announced details of a collaborative album called 18 as well as sharing its first single. The 13-track LP will be largely comprised a covers, tackling a diverse range of artists spanning from the Beach Boys and Marvin Gaye to Killing Joke and the Velvet Underground. That’s not all though as 18 features a pair original songs written by Depp: “Sad Motherfuckin’ Parade.” and the first single, “This Is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr,” which they debuted on stage, and which Beck stated via Rolling Stone he was “blown away by” going on to say “that song is one of the reasons I asked him to make an album with me.” The pair worked on the new album over the past three years and it is set for release on July 15. Beck said of working with Johnny “When Johnny and I started playing together, it really ignited our youthful spirit and creativity. We would joke about how we felt 18 again, so that just became the album title too.” Depp also added: “It’s an extraordinary honour to play and write music with Jeff, one of the true greats and someone I am now privileged enough to call my brother.”
Depp has been featured in the news recently due to the ongoing defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard but also made headlines last month (May 29) when he was a surprise guest at Beck’s show in Sheffield. The pair performed covers of John Lennon, Marvin Gaye and Jimi Hendrix, and the actor went on to join the legendary rocker on stage at a handful of other gigs whilst still awaiting the verdict of his defamation trial against Heard. Depp played the song “This Is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr,” for the new album and you can hear the new track below.
Johnny first met Beck back in 2016 and the two formed a close friendship; Beck previously appeared on a track by Depp’s classic rock supergroup, the Hollywood Vampires. Ahead of the album’s release, the musician will also kick off another month-long tour throughout Europe starting June 19, reportedly with Depp alongside him.
The actor has also thanked his fans for their support in a message on social media after winning his defamation trial against ex-wife Heard. He won the trial earlier this month, where a jury found that Heard had defamed her ex-husband when she wrote a 2018 op-ed in the Washington Post about being a survivor of domestic violence. Following the ruling Depp was awarded $10million (£8million) in compensatory damages and $5million in punitive damages. Heard was also awarded $2million in compensatory damages for her counterclaim against Depp although the actress plans to appeal the verdict.
