Hollywood Vampires (Hollywood Vampires album)

Last updated
Hollywood Vampires
Hollywood Vampires album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2015 (2015-September-11)
Recorded2012–2014
StudioIn Los Angeles
Genre
Length48:28
Label
Producer Bob Ezrin
Hollywood Vampires chronology
Hollywood Vampires
(2015)
Rise
(2019)

Hollywood Vampires is the self-titled debut studio album by American rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires, formed in 2015 by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry to honor the music of the rock stars who died from excess in the 1970s. [2] Released on September 11, 2015 for Republic Records, [3] the album features guest appearances by Paul McCartney, Robby Krieger, Orianthi, Dave Grohl, Christopher Lee, Slash, Brian Johnson, Joe Walsh, Perry Farrell, and Zak Starkey amongst others.

Contents

Content

At his shows, Alice Cooper often performs cover songs as a tribute to his drinking buddies The Hollywood Vampires. For an album of covers based on the latter, Cooper wanted songs specific to their early 70s era. [4] "Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix of course were before the Vampires," he conceded. "But they were, like, early, early-breed Vampires. They would have been there every single night." [5]

The songs duly hail from acts who fit the original group's "lore", [6] with the exception of two new tracks by Cooper and Depp titled "My Dead Drunk Friends" [7] and "Raise the Dead". [3] "My Dead Drunk Friends" is named after Cooper's recent favorite turn of phrase. Of that, Cooper says "'My dead drunk friends', they would have laughed at that. It was their sense of humor." [8]

Of McCartney's appearance, Depp recalled: "We're recording live… Alice looks at me with this befuddled little look and he's mouthing the words, 'Oh my god, that's Paul McCartney!' to me… Then I look over at Joe Perry – one of my guitar heroes from when I was a kid – and he looks at me and he says, mouthing it, 'Jesus – look, man, it's Paul McCartney!' It was great to see those two huge stars being starstruck." [9]

The lead track is a spoken word piece titled "The Last Vampire" voiced by Christopher Lee, in which he recites a passage from Bram Stoker's Dracula . This was Lee's final recording for a musical album before his death in June 2015. [10]

A deluxe digital edition was released on February 12, 2016, and features "I'm a Boy", "Seven and Seven Is" and "As Bad as I Am". [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 69/100 [12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [14]

Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 69, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [15]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Original Artist(s)Length
1."The Last Vampire"Original recording1:35
2."Raise the Dead"
Alice Cooper3:31
3."My Generation" Pete Townshend The Who 2:47
4."Whole Lotta Love" Led Zeppelin 4:13
5."I Got a Line on You" Randy California Spirit 2:48
6."Five to One / Break On Through (To the Other Side)" The Doors 4:17
7."One / Jump into the Fire" Harry Nilsson Harry Nilsson5:07
8."Come and Get It" Paul McCartney Badfinger 2:59
9."Jeepster" Marc Bolan T. Rex 2:43
10."Cold Turkey" John Lennon Plastic Ono Band 3:07
11."Manic Depression" Jimi Hendrix The Jimi Hendrix Experience 2:43
12."Itchycoo Park" Small Faces 2:55
13."School's Out / Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" Alice Cooper / Pink Floyd 5:14
14."My Dead Drunk Friends"
  • Depp
  • Cooper
  • Ezrin
  • Witkin
  • Henriksen
Original recording4:30
Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Original Artist(s)Length
15."I'm a Boy"TownshendThe Who2:38
16."Seven and Seven Is" Arthur Lee Love 3:05
17."As Bad as I Am"
Original recording3:45

Personnel

Main musicians:

The band:

Studio musicians:

Guest vocalists:

Guest musicians:

Charts

Chart (2015–19)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [16] 34
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [17] 48
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [18] 76
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [19] 34
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [20] 47
French Albums (SNEP) [21] 54
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [22] 40
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [23] 59
Scottish Albums (OCC) [24] 25
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [25] 24
UK Albums (OCC) [26] 30
US Billboard 200 [27] 43

Related Research Articles

<i>From the Inside</i> (Alice Cooper album) 1978 studio album by Alice Cooper

From the Inside is the fourth solo studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released in December 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. It is a concept album about Cooper's stay in a New York asylum due to his alcoholism. Each of the characters in the songs were based on actual people Cooper met in the asylum. Among other collaborators, the album features three longtime Elton John associates: lyricist Bernie Taupin, guitarist Davey Johnstone and bassist Dee Murray.

<i>Hey Stoopid</i> 1991 studio album by Alice Cooper

Hey Stoopid is the twelfth solo studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released on July 2, 1991, by Epic Records. After his smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper attempted to continue his success with his follow-up album, which features guest performances from Lance Bulen, Slash, Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars. Hey Stoopid was Cooper's last album to feature bassist Hugh McDonald before he joined Bon Jovi in 1994.

<i>The Last Temptation</i> (Alice Cooper album) 1994 studio album by Alice Cooper

The Last Temptation is the thirteenth solo studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released on July 12, 1994, by Epic Records. It centers on a boy named Steven, and a mysterious showman. The showman, with apparent supernatural abilities, attempts with the use of twisted versions of morality plays to persuade Steven to join his traveling show, "The Theater of the Real - The Grand-est Guignol!", where he would "never grow up".

<i>Dragontown</i> 2001 studio album by Alice Cooper

Dragontown is the fifteenth solo album by American rock musician Alice Cooper. It was released in 2001 on Spitfire Records. Like Brutal Planet, the album displays a heavier metal style than many of his previous releases. It peaked on Billboard's "Top Independent Albums" Chart at #12, and the Billboard 200 at #197, his lowest album chart performance since 1983’s DaDa, which did not chart at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hollywood Vampires</span> Celebrity drinking club formed by Alice Cooper

The Hollywood Vampires was a celebrity drinking club formed by Alice Cooper in the 1970s. The hazing to get into the club was to outdrink all the members. According to Cooper in the documentary Prime Cuts: "The Speakeasy and Tramps were the place to be in London. There was a little loft at the Rainbow Bar and Grill in LA, they only had that for the club."

<i>Along Came a Spider</i> (album) 2008 studio album by Alice Cooper

Along Came a Spider is the eighteenth solo studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released in July 2008 by Steamhammer/SPV. A hard rock/heavy metal concept album, it chronicles the activities of a psychopathic serial killer known as 'Spider' and the eventual undoing of his plans. A commercial success, it ended up becoming Cooper's highest-charting studio effort in the United States since Hey Stoopid (1991).

<i>Live at Wembley Stadium</i> (Foo Fighters video) 2008 video by Foo Fighters

Live at Wembley Stadium is a live video by the Foo Fighters, filmed during the band's two sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium on Friday June 6 and Saturday June 7, 2008. The video features a combination of footage from both nights, including the second night's collaboration with special guests John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page (guitar), formerly members of Led Zeppelin.

<i>Machine II Machine</i> 1995 studio album by Doro

Machine II Machine is the fifth studio album by the German female hard rock singer Doro Pesch. The album was released in March 1995 and mixed by Kevin Shirley and Greg Smith. It is the most mainstream oriented album of the German singer to date, thanks to the production of Jack Ponti (Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper, Baton Rouge) and the collaboration of musicians and authors coming from pop, country and even Latin music. The lyrics break new ground for Doro, as many of the songs deal with erotic themes. The last track is a remix done by members of the German industrial metal band Die Krupps, who worked with Doro on her next albums. The limited edition of the album contains the bonus track "Tie Me Up ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Henriksen</span> American musician (born 1964)

Tommy Henriksen is an American musician from Port Jefferson Station, New York, best known for his work as a guitarist, bassist and songwriter with Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires, Crossbone Skully and German metal band Warlock. He has also fronted punk rockers P.O.L. and released several albums as a solo artist. In addition, Henriksen is a songwriter, arranger, producer and mixer who has worked with artists such as Lady Gaga, Meat Loaf, Lou Reed, Halestorm, Kesha, and Daughtry. Henriksen is currently based out of Zurich, Switzerland where he lives with his family.

<i>Welcome 2 My Nightmare</i> 2011 studio album by Alice Cooper

Welcome 2 My Nightmare is the nineteenth solo album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released on September 13, 2011 by UME. It is a sequel to his 1975 album Welcome to My Nightmare. Peaking at No. 22 in the Billboard 200, it is Cooper's highest-charting album in the US since 1989's Trash.

<i>Music from Another Dimension!</i> 2012 studio album by Aerosmith

Music from Another Dimension! is the fifteenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on November 6, 2012, by Columbia Records. Their first studio album since 2004's Honkin' on Bobo, as well as the first to feature all-new material since 2001's Just Push Play, its release marks the longest gap between Aerosmith's studio albums. The album was released in a single CD edition, along with a deluxe version. It is the last album in Aerosmith's recording contract with Sony/Columbia Records and was produced by Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Marti Frederiksen. It is also their longest studio album with total track time of nearly 68 minutes.

<i>The Manhattan Blues Project</i> 2013 studio album by Steve Hunter

The Manhattan Blues Project is the fifth studio album by guitarist Steve Hunter. Released in 2013, the blues guitar album features instrumental interpretations of New York City. It is particularly notable for its all-star lineup of guest musicians: Phil Aaberg, 2Cellos, actor/musician Johnny Depp, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Tommy Henriksen, Tony Levin, Joe Perry, and Joe Satriani. The album also includes a composition by Jason Becker, co-founder of Cacophony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Vampires (band)</span> American rock band

Hollywood Vampires is an American rock supergroup formed in 2012 by Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry. The band name derives from The Hollywood Vampires, a celebrity drinking club formed by Cooper in the 1970s which included but was not limited to: John Lennon and Ringo Starr of the Beatles, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon of the Who, and Micky Dolenz of the Monkees. Touring members include or have included Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum of Guns N' Roses fame, as well as Robert DeLeo from Stone Temple Pilots.

<i>Paranormal</i> (Alice Cooper album) 2017 studio album by Alice Cooper

Paranormal is the twentieth solo and twenty-seventh overall studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released on July 28, 2017. It features three tracks performed by the "classic" line-up of the Alice Cooper band plus Larry Mullen Jr. from U2, Roger Glover from Deep Purple, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, Swedish songwriter and session guitarist Tommy Denander, Alice Cooper bandmate Tommy Henriksen, Steve Hunter. "Holy Water" is a cover of the Villebillies song.

<i>Give More Love</i> 2017 studio album by Ringo Starr

Give More Love is the nineteenth studio album by English musician Ringo Starr. It was recorded primarily in Starr's home studio in Los Angeles and was released on 15 September 2017 by UMe. The album features Starr's frequent collaborators such as Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart, Gary Nicholson and Bob Malone, members of his All-Starr Band, and guest appearances by Starr's former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buck Johnson (musician)</span> American musician

Burleigh "Buck" Johnson is an American musician performing as keyboardist, backing vocalist and acoustic guitarist with the rock band Aerosmith, Hollywood Vampires, Steven Tyler, The Joe Perry Project, Brother Cane and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. He was co-vocalist, co-guitarist and keyboardist for the country music group Whiskey Falls. Johnson released his self produced album "Tongue And Groove" September 20, 2024 on Rosepony Records - https://onerpm.link/907678431986 He has had songs placed in television, film and recorded by other artists including "Just Feel Better" by Carlos Santana, featuring Steven Tyler on lead vocals.

<i>Rise</i> (Hollywood Vampires album) 2019 studio album by Hollywood Vampires

Rise is the second studio album by American supergroup Hollywood Vampires, consisting of Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry. It was released on June 21, 2019, on EarMusic.

<i>Detroit Stories</i> 2021 studio album by Alice Cooper

Detroit Stories is the twenty-first solo and twenty-eighth overall studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper. The album was released on February 26, 2021, by Earmusic. It crowned Billboard's Top Album Sales chart debuting at No. 1 and was the first chart-topper for Cooper in the 29-year history of the Top Album Sales chart. The album was produced by Bob Ezrin, who also added various instruments. As a solo album, it incorporates a variety of artists contributing on a number of instruments.

<i>18</i> (Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp album) 2022 studio album by Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp

18 is a collaborative studio album by musicians Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp. Released on 15 July 2022 on Rhino Records, it is Beck's final studio album released before his death in January 2023.

References

  1. Grow, Kory (September 11, 2015). "Hollywood Vampires". Rolling Stone .
  2. "Faith No More and Hollywood Vampires at Rock in Rio Brazil". Rock in Rio.
  3. 1 2 "ALICE COOPER, JOHNNY DEPP, DAVE GROHL, BRIAN JOHNSON, SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY, SLASH Appear On HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES Debut". Blabbermouth.net. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  4. Steve Baltin (13 March 2013). "Q&A: Alice Cooper Plans Classic Rock Covers Album". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  5. Murphy, Kevin: "The vampire diaries"; Classic Rock #216, November 2015, p36
  6. Kathy McCabe (19 September 2015). "Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp resurrect their dead drunk friends on Hollywood Vampires record". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  7. Gary, Graff (April 20, 2015). "Alice Cooper Talks Collaborating With Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl (and Even Johnny Depp) on New Album". Billboard.com.
  8. Kory Grow (9 September 2015). "Alice Cooper and Joe Perry on Hollywood Vampires' Drunk History". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 September 2015.[ dead link ]
  9. Murphy, Kevin: "The vampire diaries"; Classic Rock #216, November 2015, p34
  10. Lewis Corner (6 August 2015). "Alice Cooper interview: 'New bands don't give themselves time to get good'". Hearst Magazines UK.
  11. "Hollywood Vampires Deluxe Album with Brand New Track Coming Feb. 12th - Hollywood Vampires". Archived from the original on 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  12. "Metacritic Review". Metacritic . Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  13. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic . Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  14. Grow, Kory (June 21, 2019). "Hollywood Vampires Rolling Stone Review". Rolling Stone . Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  15. Hollywood Vampires by Hollywood Vampires , retrieved 2023-06-12
  16. "Australiancharts.com – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  17. "Austriancharts.at – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  18. "Ultratop.be – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  21. "Lescharts.com – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  22. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2019. 26. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  23. "Offiziellecharts.de – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  24. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  25. "Swisscharts.com – Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  26. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  27. "Hollywood Vampires Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2015.