They Come Out at Night

For a multitude of listeners, the allure of rock ‘n roll lies in the legends behind the songs. Stories of larger-than-life characters and their triumphs, misadventures, whirlwind days, and long nights. Insatiable fans around the world revel in learning all there is to know about the artists and circumstances behind the soundtrack to their lives. It is these stories that humanize titans of pop-culture and keep their work accessible, relatable, and fresh for listeners across the generations.

On Friday night, local music lovers packed the Boch Center Wang Theatre for the world premiere of Unleashed Spirits- The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires. Directed by rock documentarian Dan Catullo III, the film chronicles the career of the acclaimed supergroup bound by rock history and a genuine passion for the music they love. The band, consisting of legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper, his multi-instrumentalist Tommy Henrikson, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, keyboardist Buck Johnson, bassist Chris Wyse and drummer Glen Sobel, has celebrated the ghosts of rock n’ roll past and kept the flame burning for the future since 2012.

The entire band, minus Depp who is abroad promoting his artwork, was present at the Boch Center for the premiere. Catullo along with producers Leslie Atkins, David Kernan, Steve Moss, Paul Geary, and Ernie Boch Jr. graced the red carpet before the band’s arrival. Barry Goudreau of Boston and Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford were also in attendance as contributors to the Vampires and local rock icons.  A fan dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow provided a reasonable facsimile of Depp for the occasion.

At quarter past seven, the film began and for an hour and forty-five minutes, viewers were drawn into the Hollywood Vampires world of rock stardom, camaraderie, and pure, unadulterated fun. The first stop on the journey was the Rainbow Club in Los Angeles circa 1973, the halcyon days of rock ‘n roll excess. Cooper and longtime producer Bob Ezrin recounted the misadventures of rock’s most prolific cohort of drinking buddies. Keith Moon, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Mickey Dolenz and Cooper himself met regularly at the Rainbow to imbibe, party, prank, and swap stories of the road. They briefly formed a softball team, playing both the Playboy Bunnies and the LAPD. One night, a waitress at the Rainbow noted that she only saw the crew at night, comparing them to vampires. The legend of the Hollywood Vampires was born, enshrined with a hand-carved plaque at their booth dubbed “The Lair of the Hollywood Vampires”.

Fast forward to 2011, Alice Cooper was filming a cameo in a film revival of Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp. The two multi-generational stars hit it off, and soon after their meeting, Depp sat in with Cooper’s band on guitar at the 100 club in London. Cheers erupted from the crowd when Depp appeared on screen in performance footage and interviews. His musical journey started when his brother loaned him a copy of Van Morrison’s essential LP Astral Weeks. He took up the electric guitar soon after and played in bands as a teen and young adult. Depp turned to acting only when gig opportunities dried up. Although he became one of Hollywood’s most venerated stars, he never forgot his passion for music. When Cooper told him stories of the Hollywood Vampires of the seventies, they joined forces to pay tribute to the members who have since passed and the excitement of that bygone era.

A supergroup can never have too many guitarists. Tommy Henrikson of Alice Cooper’s band and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry joined the group with enthusiasm for a new musical outlet. Aerosmith was in the middle of a fallow period and Henrikson and Cooper felt liberated from the theatrical spectacle of an Alice Cooper show. Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses filled out the first version of the Vampire’s rhythm section before    Glen Sobel and Chris Wyse joined in 2018. Much like the group of revelers who inspired the band, the lineup has been loosely structured and focused on connection as well as creation.

The freewheeling, anything goes approach attracted a veritable who’s who of rock history into the new lair of the Hollywood Vampires. Dave Grohl, Robbie Krieger, Brian Johnson, Joe Walsh, and Perry Farrell appeared on camera jamming and mingling with the band, captured on Henriksons warmly shot iPhone footage. At a 2014 session, Paul McCartney became an honorary Vampire and recorded a new version of “Come and Get It” a song he wrote for Badfinger in 1969. The band recalled feeling pleasantly star struck and at ease jamming with McCartney. “Out of all the bands, The Beatles never forgot where they came from, they were always working-class guys.” Cooper recalled. The film repeatedly emphasized the binding power of music as a greater force than star power alone.

A poignant moment in the film explored the bands and particularly Depp’s friendship with late guitar great Jeff Beck. Beck joined the Vampires onstage and in the studio before his death in 2023. Depp, Cooper, Perry, and Henrikson spoke of his contributions to the band and his support of Depp during turbulent times in the public eye. After Beck’s passing, the Vampires paid tribute to their fallen comrade in concert with Perry playing becks iconic white Fender Stratocaster.

Another sobering scene took place on a sweltering night in New Jersey when Joe Perry suffered a cardiac event on stage. For a fleeting period, he showed no signs of life until his wife Billie (also in attendance) administered CPR until an ambulance arrived. Perry survived and received treatment for underlying heart and lung issues which allowed him to return to the stage sooner than expected. It should be noted that he told Cooper he was ready to return much earlier, but the concerned frontman advised him to hold off a bit longer and tend to his health. For all their history of rock ‘n roll debauchery, one got the impression that this crew genuinely cares for one another and are friends as well as bandmates.

While on tour in Europe, Depp’s frequent collaborator and director Tim Burton joined the band for a tour of Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. Although he will always be known as a Hollywood luminary, Depp’s devotion to music and the band was apparent throughout the film. His near constant communication and collaboration with Henrikson on lyrics and musical ideas proved that this was not a vanity project or novelty gig for Depp. Those in the crowd seeing him play for the first time were amazed at his guitar prowess and earnest dedication to the band. His vocal stylings on a cover of David Bowie’s heroes exemplified his reverence for the material expressive capabilities.

Much to the delight of the hometown crowd, a sizable portion of the documentary was filmed at the Boch Center. Many of the interviews were conducted in the century old theater’s majestic lobby. Concert footage from their 2023 gig at the hall bookended the film in a masterful way. According to director Cotullo, the entire concert will be released after the documentary’s wide release in late winter or early spring.

After the film’s conclusion, Cooper, Henrikson, Perry and Cotullo engaged in a short Q and A session moderated by Sirus XM host Eddie Trunk. Topics ranged from the Vampire’s marveling at McCartney’s Hofner violin bass to Boston’s stature as a prominent rock n’ roll city. Perry noted that he doubted he would have sustained his lifestyle if Aerosmith did not keep Boston as their home base. One audience member inquired about a future Hollywood Vampires tour with a stop in Boston. Cooper noted that they will likely start a new record soon, but tours take over a year of planning due to the members’ numerous other commitments. He did add that whenever they make a record, a tour usually follows, which filled the crowd with anticipatory spirit. Everyone one who exited the theatre that night left anticipating more from the Hollywood Vampires and their authentic embrace of the wild catharsis integral to the rock ‘n roll mythos.