A&R executive Tom Zutaut has said that Johnny Depp wasn’t the best guitarist he had ever seen during an audition. However, he also pointed out that Depp had a natural talent for becoming an actor.
In a recent chat on the ‘X5 Podcast,’ Zutaut explained that Depp’s guitar skills were not what made him a ‘good musician,’ but his charisma was. He explained:
“I thought that Johnny Depp wasn’t going to be a rock star… You know, Johnny Depp auditioned for me twice. This is a funny story. I go to a rehearsal, the manager’s a friend of mine, and he goes, ‘I got this band from Jacksonville, they’re great.’ I go see ’em, and they were terrible. Johnny Depp was the worst guitarist I’d ever seen — but his charisma was insane, you know?”
His charisma eventually helped him become a movie star. Zutaut added:
“Afterwards, I look at his manager, and I said, ‘Listen, buddy, he can’t make it, but you should get this kid an agent and put him in TV or on a movie; this kid’s a star. But the songs suck, and musicianship is terrible.’”
What Alice Cooper Thinks Of Depp
Depp has been playing guitar since he was 12, and playing in The Holywood Vampires since 2012 with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.
During another interview on QFM96’s Torg & Elliott Show, Alice Cooper discussed his experience of being in a band with Depp. Although the executive’s words about Depp were more about his charisma, Alice Cooper genuinely believes Depp is a great guitarist. He said:
“Johnny’s great. When he’s with us he’s not a movie star – he’s a guitar player. And he’s a great guitar player. You don’t go out with Jeff Beck unless you can play guitar, and he really is a player.”
You can see the interview below.