Beck discovered a kindred spirit in Johnny Depp in 2016, when the two met. The majority of their time together was spent attempting to make each other laugh. At the same time, Beck's respect for Depp's genuine compositional abilities and musical sensibility grew. Beck reportedly was so convinced by their talent and camaraderie that he thought they should record an album together.
Depp agreed, and work began in 2019.
Over the course of the next three years, they recorded a variety of Depp originals and cover songs, ranging from "Celtic and Motown" to "Beach Boys" and "Killing Joke." In 2020, amid the pandemic, they introduced their cooperation with a well-timed cover of "Isolation" by John Lennon.
The duo's 13-track album, dubbed "18", will arrive on July 15. Beck explains the album title as something the two of them agreed upon because of their childhood.
"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," he explained.
On September 30, a 180-gram black vinyl version of "18" will be released.
Currently, "18" is available on CD and digitally, and a black vinyl version will be released on September 30. Beck's wife Sandra drew and developed the artwork of Beck and Depp as 18-year-olds that appears on the album cover. All formats are accessible for pre-save/pre-add.
Beck has embarked on a European tour with Depp as special guest, which will finish on July 25 at L'Olympia in Paris, preceding the release of "18."
Depp has recorded and toured with the Hollywood Vampires, a band he co-founded with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry, for the past 12 years.
The supergroup has released two studio albums featuring Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, and Joe Walsh, three of rock's biggest stars. The list also includes Beck, who performed guitar on "Welcome To Bushwackers," a track from the VAMPIRES' 2019 sophomore album "Rise."
Soon after, Depp invited Beck to play lead on "This Is A Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr," the album's first hit and a tribute to the actress/inventress. It was the impetus for the collaboration, and one of Beck's favorite tracks on the new album. "I was blown away by it," he shared. "That song is one of the reasons I asked him to make an album with me." The track is available today digitally. There's a music video too!
Depp himself said it was an honor to play and write music with Jeff, and shared that he felt blessed to be able to call him his brother.
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