and Jeff Beck have revealed the first single from their joint album.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star – who recently won his six-week defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard over an op-ed published by The Washington Post in 2018, while the court upheld one of her countersuit claims – is on a full-length record.
The album is coming this summer (more on that below) and first single, inspired by the early Hollywood starlet, has been unveiled.
Depp and Beck first met in 2016 and the album’s been in the works since 2019, when Depp was also working with Alice Cooper’s supergroup Hollywood Vampires.
In a statement, Depp said: ‘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.’
Here’s everything we know about the album and new single.
What is Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp’s album called?
The 13-track album is called 18 and features two original compositions by Depp alongside a number of classic rock covers.
When it comes to the meaning behind the name, Beck said: ‘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.’
As well as Depp’s two original songs – This Is A Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr and Sad Mother***in’ Parade – the collection will also include covers of the likes of the Velvet Underground’s Venus In Furs, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On and the Everly Brothers’ Let It Be Me, as well as two Beach Boys tracks.
When is Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp’s album due for release?
This as a simple one – the album is dropping on July 15.
What is the first single about?
This Is A Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr is inspired by the Australian-born 1940s film star referenced in the title.
In the track – which has been released with a video showing Beck and Depp performing on stage – the lyrics look into the troubles she faced due to fame.
In the first verse, Johnny sings: ‘Erased by the same world that made her a star. Spun out of beauty, trapped by its web. She’s a perfect cocoon, entwined in gold thread.’
The chorus line sees him belt out: ‘I don’t believe, I can’t believe, I won’t believe humans anymore.’
And the second verse – which again pays tribute to Lamarr directly – references speaking when ‘no one will hear’, as he croons: ‘It’s so hard to talk when no one will hear. And everyone stares as you quiver and fear.’
