The album Johnny Depp called “flawless”
Johnny Depp may have made his name as a Hollywood heartthrob, going on to helm epic franchises, deliver outstanding character performances and become one of the highest-paid actors of all time, but his real love was for music.
Whether it is working in his band The Hollywood Vampires, which has seen him share the stage with both Alice Cooper and the late, great Jeff Beck, or simply his true and unbridled love for some of the best poets of the rock world, including the late Shane MacGowan, Johnny Depp is a bonafide music fan.
In an interview, Depp was once asked to name some of the formative influences on his life as an artist. While he cited the works of filmmakers like Howard Hawks and Tim Burton as well as writers such as Hunter S. Thompson and Charles Baudelaire, Depp maintained that music had inspired him like no other art form.
This is reflected in the list of ‘essential’ pieces of art he selected when speaking with Entertainment Weekly back in 2009. Within his list of movies and LPs, Depp paid tribute to countless rock stars, including Bob Dylan, The Pogues and Vanessa Paradis.
During the conversation, Depp singled out Tom Waits as a chief source of inspiration: “The devil doesn’t have the best tunes. Tom Waits does. It’s almost impossible to single out a particular recording of his. Over the years, Waits’ continued quality of output has never faltered. His high-water marks are countless. This is merely one among many. For moon lovers and junkyard dogs everywhere.”
He also picks out two Rolling Stones albums, a solo record from Keith Richards and labels Patti Smith one of rock’s “true survivors”. It’s an impressive list of records that showcases a true muso in Depp. However, there was one artist for whom the ‘Ed Wood’ actor held a special affection.
Talking about his favourite albums of all time, the actor mentioned Histoire de Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg. He said: “So ahead of its time. So cool. Gainsbourg delivers his masterpiece here, and one which, for me, carries many a happy memory. So much so, my daughter was named in part after this flawless tour de force.”
It’s easy to draw a line between the gnarled charm of Serge Gainsbourg and Johnny Depp. Both possess the nicotine-stained glint in their eyes that labels them as both problematic characters and efficient poets in their own right. Listen to Histoire de Melody Nelson below.
