When Johnny Depp Was Called “Worst Guitarist” By A Music Executive Who Discovered Guns N Roses: “They Were Terrible…”
Before venturing into acting, Johnny Depp dreamed of becoming a rock star. But his terrible skills as a musician prompted a music executive to say he was the worst guitarist he'd ever seen.
Johnny Depp Was Called “Worst Guitarist” By A Music Executive ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Johnny Depp is an award-winning actor who has received universal acclaim for roles like Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” However, long before Johnny Depp morphed into one of the biggest movie stars in the world, he had musical aspirations that were thwarted by a music executive who discovered Guns N Roses.
It’s no secret that the Sweeney Todd star aspired to be a rock star as a kid. Over the years, after finding success as an actor, he has collaborated with musical artists such as Steven Tyler, Patti Smith, and Iggy Pop. He also formed a rock supergroup, Hollywood Vampires, with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, which periodically performed in concerts over the years.
Before venturing into acting, Johnny Depp dreamed of becoming a rock star. But his terrible skills as a musician prompted a music executive to say he was the worst guitarist he’d ever seen.
While Johnny Depp has established himself as an acclaimed actor, he only dreamed of being a rock star as a child. He started playing in bands when he was 12 years old and later joined the bands The Kids and Rock City Angels.
If it hadn’t been for one music executive, Depp would have continued struggling as a musician and never ventured into acting.
Tom Zutaut, the former Geffen Records executive who gave us Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue, is the man responsible for Depp momentarily dropping his musical aspirations and instead venturing into acting as a teen.
Earlier this year, Zutaut recounted the story on the X5 Podcast, where he recounted a teenage Depp’s audition to be a musician. The executive who signed two of history’s biggest heavy metal acts said he was not impressed with the actor’s audition and even went so far as to call Depp the “worst guitarist” he has ever heard.
Zutaut recalled, “I go to a rehearsal, the manager’s a friend of mine, and he goes, ‘I got this band from Jacksonville, they’re great,'” Zutaut said. “I go see ’em, and they were terrible. Johnny Depp was the worst guitarist I’d ever seen.”
Zutaut noted that despite his less-than-desirable musical abilities, Depp had charisma in spades and told his manager he shouldn’t stop chasing the spotlight. Xuatut recalled saying to Depp’s manager, “‘This kid’s a star, ‘But the songs suck, and musicianship is terrible.'”
Several months later, Zutaut reportedly received a call from Johnny Depp’s manager saying he had landed a role at 21 Jump Street.
