The story behind Johnny Depp’s music video debut
Johnny Depp, a prominent movie star since the 1980s, harbours a deep-seated passion for music that surpasses his love for cinema. While his musical prowess may not be as widely recognised as his acting, it’s a well-known fact among his devoted fan base. Over the years, Depp has engaged in musical collaborations with several artists, including the legendary Tom Petty and his band, The Heartbreakers.
During the ‘80s, Depp secured various roles that propelled him to Hollywood heartthrob status, notably in films and shows like A Nightmare On Elm Street and 21 Jump Street. Seeking to shed this image, he took on the lead role in Edward Scissorhands. Then, in 1991, while working on the set of Arizona Dream, Depp was approached by Petty with an invitation to appear in the music video for his upcoming release, ‘Into The Great Wide Open’.
The story that unfolds during the music video is a rollercoaster, and we follow the charismatic Eddie Rebel, played by Depp, whose journey goes from meteoric rise to tragic downfall under the clutches of drugs and alcohol. “‘Into The Great Wide Open’ had a lot of dark humour,” Petty told Mojo in 2009.
Starting with Petty opening a book to reveal the story, the video oscillates between Petty narrating the story and unfolding clips of Depp’s Rebel. Rebel’s downfall begins when he gets a record deal and a hit single but faces the pressure of the upkeep of success, quickly realising the sky is no longer the limit. Even his A&R person expresses that industry cliché, “I don’t hear a single”.
Towards the end, his fame fades, his girlfriend leaves him, and the heart tattoo that he had at the beginning disappears. Then, in the end, Eddie returns to the tattoo parlour only to discover a new person getting the same heart ink from a new artist. Petty’s sardonic conclusive words mirror the tropes of a classic fairy tale where “they all lived happily ever after”.
Alongside Depp, the video also features Faye Dunaway as Rebel’s manager, Gabrielle Anwar, with accompanying appearances by Matt LeBlanc, Terence Trent D’Arby and Chynna Phillips. Petty also appears in the video, playing the roadie, the tattoo artist, and the reporter.
At the time, Depp was a huge deal. As his first venture into the realm of music videos, one of the things that immediately struck Petty was the grandiosity of Depp’s reputation. “I never met so many women in my life as when we had Johnny Depp in this video,” he remarked.
Although Depp went on to star in more big blockbuster hits, his crossover into the music realm extended well beyond his involvement in Petty’s video. He’s showcased his musical versatility by playing guitar, drums, and contributing background vocals in collaborations with notable bands like Oasis, Iggy Pop, and Aerosmith. Additionally, he made a notable appearance on Marilyn Manson’s cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’, along with other videos for Avril Lavigne and Paul McCartney.
In 2015, Depp officially made his musical dreams a reality by initiating the formation of the band Hollywood Vampires alongside Alice Cooper and Joe Perry, a project that has also seen various other musicians join their ranks over the past six years.
