Hollywood Vampires is a rock group built around Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry. Its name reaches back to an informal gathering of musicians at Los Angeles’s Rainbow Bar & Grill in 1972; the band formed decades later to revive the gathering’s spirit. Its 2015 debut was conceived as a tribute to musical friends and heroes who had died, while the 2019 album Rise shifted toward original songs.
What does “Hollywood Vampires” refer to?
The name has two related meanings. First, it refers to the gathering Alice Cooper recalled from 1972 at the Rainbow Bar & Grill on Los Angeles’s Sunset Strip. Second, it refers to the later band that Cooper and Johnny Depp set out to create, with Joe Perry joining the recording project. Keeping those meanings separate helps explain why accounts of the original gathering sometimes mention musicians who were never members of the modern band.
Cooper’s account is a recollection of a social scene, not a formal membership list. In an official announcement dated August 5, 2015, he described the gathering as taking place in the Rainbow’s upstairs bar. Rock musicians who lived in or passed through Los Angeles came together there. Cooper recalled encountering John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, Bernie Taupin, Jim Morrison, Mickey Dolenz, and Jimi Hendrix, among others. These names convey the range of people he associated with the scene, but they should not be treated as a complete roster or as evidence that each person belonged to an organized club.
How did the band begin?
From the 1972 gathering to a later musical project
Cooper and Depp conceived the revival as a way to bring back the original gathering’s camaraderie and shared music-making. Cooper wrote that he and Depp wanted the spirit to live again “(minus the drinking).” The parenthetical matters: the later band was not presented as a recreation of the original bar scene in every respect, but as a musical project inspired by it. Cooper described the aim as creating a setting for artists to spend time together and play.
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Cooper’s 2015 announcement says the idea had taken shape about three years earlier. That places the conception around 2012, rather than making 2015 the moment the plan first occurred to the founders. Perry, a friend of both Cooper and Depp, joined them for the recording. The resulting debut was framed as a tribute to the original Vampires and to departed friends and musical heroes.
Why the origin story matters
The group’s name is not simply a theatrical label. It connects the band’s purpose to a remembered community of musicians, and it helps explain the debut’s choice of material. The album’s covers point toward songs and artists associated with that musical lineage; the project’s own songs, including “Raise the Dead” and “My Dead Drunk Friends,” sit alongside them. The concept is therefore part of how the first album was introduced, not just a story attached to the band after the fact.
Who are the members of Hollywood Vampires?
| Person | Role in the project |
|---|---|
| Alice Cooper | Vocalist; connected the band to the original gathering and helped conceive the revival |
| Johnny Depp | Guitarist; helped conceive the revival with Cooper |
| Joe Perry | Joined the recording project; guitarist associated with Aerosmith |
| Tommy Henriksen | Songwriter on Rise and producer of that album with the band |
The central trio is Cooper, Depp, and Perry. Cooper’s 2015 announcement identifies their roles in the recording project and its origin. Henriksen’s importance is clearer in the later album credits: the 2019 announcement names him alongside Cooper, Depp, and Perry as a songwriter on Rise, and says he produced the album with the band. Those credits establish him as a significant collaborator on that record, but they do not by themselves establish a definitive current touring lineup.
Core members are not the same as guest musicians
The debut involved a larger circle of credited contributors. Cooper’s release announcement names producer Bob Ezrin and musicians including Perry Farrell, Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Slash, Robby Krieger, Zak Starkey, Brian Johnson, and Kip Winger. The announcement’s track credits show that different players appear across different songs. Those contributions are part of the album’s history, but they do not make every guest a core member of Hollywood Vampires.
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This distinction is especially useful when reading short descriptions of the group. The trio identifies its central figures; the guest credits describe a broader recording collaboration. Neither category should be mistaken for a complete current live roster. Personnel can differ between a studio album and a performance, and the available official announcements do not provide a definitive current touring list.
What music has Hollywood Vampires released?
The group’s catalogue includes two studio albums and live recordings. The two studio records offer the clearest contrast in the project’s musical direction: the self-titled debut foregrounded tribute, while Rise consisted mainly of original material with three covers. The live releases document performances rather than presenting another studio-song sequence.
| Release | Date listed by the official catalogue | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Vampires | September 11, 2015 | Debut studio album; tribute-focused, with two original songs described in the release announcement |
| Rise | June 21, 2019 | Studio album made up mainly of original material, with three covers |
| Live in Rio | June 2, 2023 | Live recording from 2015, with 14 performances listed |
| At Montreux Jazz Festival | Announced July 22, 2026 | Live album documenting the festival performance |
The self-titled debut: a tribute-led introduction
Hollywood Vampires was released on September 11, 2015. The announcement describes two original songs and a tribute to the original gathering’s heroes. Its tracklist puts familiar songs beside the band’s own titles. Among the listed covers are “My Generation,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “Five to One / Break on Through,” “Come and Get It,” “Cold Turkey,” “Manic Depression,” and “Itchycoo Park.” “School’s Out / Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” appears as a combined track. The catalogue also lists “Raise the Dead” and “My Dead Drunk Friends.”
That mixture gives listeners a practical way into the album: the covers make its connections to earlier music immediately visible, while the original tracks express the band’s own contribution to the tribute concept. The album should not be reduced to a guest-star collection, either. The range of contributors is notable, but the central idea is the band’s effort to honor an earlier musical community and its heroes through a shared recording project.
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Rise: more original songs, with three covers
Released June 21, 2019, Rise leaned more heavily on original material. Its three covers are David Bowie’s “Heroes,” the Jim Carroll Band’s “People Who Died,” and Johnny Thunders’s “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory.” The official catalogue lists 16 tracks, including “I Want My Now,” “Who’s Laughing Now,” “The Boogieman Surprise,” and “Mr. Spider.”
The change in balance is the clearest way to compare the studio albums without making unsupported claims about which is better. The debut’s tribute framework is central to its identity; Rise retains selected tributes but gives most of its tracklist to original songs. Cooper’s 2019 announcement said the album was issued by earMUSIC as a CD Digipak, 2LP plus download, and digital release. Those were the formats specified at release, not a guarantee that every format remains in stock now.
Live recordings
The official catalogue lists Live in Rio as a live recording from 2015 and dates its release June 2, 2023. Its 14 listed performances include “Raise the Dead,” “My Generation,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “School’s Out,” and “Brown Sugar.” A live recording offers a different view of the repertoire from a studio album: it documents performances and their song choices rather than the studio records’ original sequencing and production.
The official music area also lists At Montreux Jazz Festival. A July 22, 2026 news item announced the live album as documenting the festival performance. The announcement establishes the project’s existence, but format and purchase information may change; consult the official listing for current details rather than assuming that a particular edition or retail option is available.
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How should a new listener choose a starting point?
Choose according to what you want to hear, rather than relying on an unsourced ranking of the albums. If the appeal is the story of the original gathering and its musical heroes, start with the self-titled 2015 album: its cover choices make that tribute purpose most apparent. If you want to hear the band’s own songwriting take a larger share of the record, begin with Rise. If you want performances rather than another studio album, the catalogue’s live titles are the relevant releases.
- For the tribute concept: start with Hollywood Vampires and its covers of songs such as “My Generation” and “Cold Turkey.”
- For a more original-song-heavy studio record: choose Rise, while noting its three covers.
- For a live set: look at Live in Rio or the official listing for At Montreux Jazz Festival.
This is a way to navigate the catalogue, not a claim about sales, audience popularity, or critical consensus. No named sales, audience, or membership statistic is established in the official sources used here, so release dates and track information are more reliable points of comparison than numerical claims about the group’s reach.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the band now?
The band’s official homepage carried an August 25, 2026 announcement for the music documentary Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires. That dated announcement is a concrete recent development, but it does not answer every question about current activity. Touring personnel, particular dates, ticket availability, and physical retail stock can change. For a current concert lineup or ticket details, use the band’s official tour information and the relevant venue’s page; for formats and availability of recordings, check the official music listing at the time you plan to buy.
It is also useful to keep the evidence for each kind of claim in its proper scope. Cooper’s 2015 statement is the source for his recollection of the original gathering and the band’s initial concept. The album announcements support the release descriptions and credits. The official catalogue supports the listed recordings and dates. These materials identify the band’s central trio and important collaborators on specific records, but they do not establish a complete current touring roster.
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Where to check releases and tickets
If you want to buy a recording or attend a show, distinguish a catalogue listing from current availability. The official music catalogue is the starting point for the listed albums and tracks, but a past format announcement—such as the CD Digipak, 2LP plus download, and digital options for Rise at release—does not confirm current stock. Check the official release listing and retailer details before choosing an edition. Similarly, the band’s tour navigation can point you toward dates, but confirm the date, venue, and ticket status with the official band and venue pages. The sources reviewed do not confirm a merchandise store or an affiliate program, so neither should be assumed from album or ticket links.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the members of Hollywood Vampires?
The central trio is Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry. Tommy Henriksen is credited as a songwriter on Rise and co-produced that album with the band, but those credits do not establish a definitive current touring lineup.
Were John Lennon, Jim Morrison, and the other named musicians members of the band?
No. Cooper named them while recalling the informal 1972 gathering at the Rainbow Bar & Grill. His recollection is not a formal roster for the later band, whose central trio is Cooper, Depp, and Perry.
Is Rise an all-original album?
No. It is mainly original material, but includes three covers: David Bowie’s “Heroes,” the Jim Carroll Band’s “People Who Died,” and Johnny Thunders’s “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory.”
What is the difference between the debut and Rise?
The 2015 self-titled debut was organized as a tribute to the original Vampires’ musical heroes and included two original songs. The 2019 Rise is mostly original material, with three covers.
What live releases are listed, and where can I check availability?
The official catalogue lists Live in Rio, a 2015 performance released in 2023, and At Montreux Jazz Festival, announced as a live album in July 2026. Check the official music listing for current format and purchase information.
The Bottom Line
Hollywood Vampires began as a revival of the spirit of Alice Cooper’s remembered 1972 Rainbow Bar & Grill gathering. The modern band’s central trio is Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry. Its self-titled 2015 debut leans into tribute, while 2019’s Rise is mainly original material; the live releases document performances. Treat guest credits and historical format announcements separately from claims about today’s lineup or availability, and check official listings for current details.
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