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.
“Somebody pointed out to me there’s all these photos with Johnny, but when there’s one with me and him in it, he has a different smile on his face.”
-Bruce Witkin
Bruce Witkin Discusses:
00:00 - Nicolas Cage’s yacht
00:39 - Zach’s intro
01:32 - Bruce’s backstory
01:53 - The Kids
04:34 - Hollywood Vampires
07:44 - Bruce’s touring history
07:57 - Bruce Witkin the producer
08:48 - Working with Paul McCartney
09:55 - Working with Marilyn Manson
11:12 - Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
11:48 - Sweeney Todd
12:03 - Glam Skanks
12:29 - Bruce’s mom
13:57 - Johnny Depp
14:52 - Zach sober
15:13 - Playing Miami in the ‘80s
16:02 - The Grammys
16:36 - Alice Cooper
17:01 - Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan
18:32 - Hollywood Vampires L.A. shows
18:49 - Living on Nicolas Cage’s yacht with Johnny Depp
20:32 - Zach’s wife
20:56 - Flux
22:37 - Bruce in the studio
23:17 - Johnny Depp’s band “P”
24:28 - Unison Music
24:54 - Hollywood Vampires new album
25:13 - Post traumatic tour depression
25:40 - Looking back
26:26 - College
26:52 - Photos (bit.ly/2mDXkJw)
27:22 - Tighty Whities
28:16 - Zach’s outro
Full Show Notes: bit.ly/2mDXkJw
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