In 2007, Johnny Depp said of Bruce Witkin: “This guy is someone I’ve known for 30 years. He’s a brother. We worked in bands together, we were on the road together, we lived together.”
One of those bands was The Kids, which Bruce started in Florida back in 1978, and with whom he and Johnny would move out to L.A. with seeking fame and fortune. Cut to almost 40 years later and Bruce and Johnny are in another band together, a little rock supergroup called the Hollywood Vampires, featuring Joe Perry, Matt Sorum, and Alice Cooper.
In between The Kids and The Vampires, Bruce has worked with everyone from Paul McCartney to Marilyn Manson, as well as producing movie soundtracks like The Lone Ranger, The Rum Diary, and Sweeney Todd, for which he was nominated for a Grammy.
He’s one of the baddest musicians in L.A. and a pretty mean poker player. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this (very smokey) After Hours conversation with Mr. Bruce Witkin.
Bruce Witkin Discusses:
- Leaving the Bronx for Miami
- Playing in The Kids with Johnny Depp
- Playing in the Hollywood Vampires
- Touring with Adam Ant and Vanessa Paradis
- Working with Paul McCartney
- Working with Marilyn Manson
- Working on Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
- Working on Sweeney Todd
- The Glam Skanks
- Sheila Witkin
- The South Florida music scene of the ‘70s and ‘80s
- Being nominated—and playing—The Grammys
- Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan
- Living on Nicolas Cage’s yacht with Johnny Depp
- Flux
- Unison Music
- Johnny Depp’s band “P”
- Hollywood Vampires’s new album
- Post traumatic tour depression
- Looking back
- College
- Tighty Whities band
Gallery
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- Working with Paul
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- Vampires
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- The Kids
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- The Kids – Rehearsal
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- The Kids – Early Promo
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- Scarlet Bugle, Miami
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- Scarlet Bugle, Miami
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- Hollywood Vampires
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- Happy Birthday
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- Vampire’s Jet
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- Backstage
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- Sweeney Todd
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- Bruce and Friends
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- Grammys Backstage
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- ’90s Viper Room
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- Flux
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- Vanessa Paradis
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- Joe Perry & Jack Douglas
Links
The Kids – Live at the Agora Ballroom, 1982 – YouTube
Another Night at the Agora Trailer – YouTube
Hollywood Vampires – Official Site
Joe Perry Health Scare – Billboard
“You’re So Vain,” Marilyn Manson Cover – YouTube
Sweeney Todd Soundtrack – YouTube
Sheila Witkin Memorial Concert, 2008 – YouTube