Johnny Depp hasn’t said much publicly since the verdict was read in the defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. A statement through representatives read “the jury gave me my life back,” “truth never perishes,” and “the best is yet to come.” In his mind, perhaps, “the best” meant a collaboration with the 78-year-old British guitar whiz Jeff Beck. 

As we reported in late May, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor split Northern Virginia for the U.K. as soon as the trial was over, while the jury was still deliberating. He picked up his axe and began making special appearances by singing with Beck, with whom he had recorded some tunes in 2019. A cover of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band’s pandemic-appropriate “Isolation,” with former Prince band member Rhonda Smith on bass and Frank Zappa alum Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, was released in 2020. 

Talk of a full album had been teased for years on Beck’s website, and now the time has come. The Times of London has heard the work, out to the public next week, and, according to reports, the lyrics Depp sings in one song may function as pointed commentary about the affairs of his personal (and legal) life. 

A Johnny Depp original called “Sad Motherfuckin’ Parade,” includes the confrontational line “you’re sitting there like a dog with a seven-year itch.” Another says “if I had a dime, it wouldn’t reach your hand,” and yet another goes “I think you’ve said enough for one motherfucking night.”

A month ago, Beck and Depp released an official video for the power ballad “This is a Song for Miss Hedy Lamarr,” written by Depp and dedicated to the actress and inventor who died in 2000.

The remaining tracks on the album, called 18 (named to describe the age the two men feel they are when they play rock ’n’ roll, according to the Times), are covers from diverse sources, including “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, “Caroline, No” by the Beach Boys, “Venus in Furs” by the Velvet Underground, “Stars” by folk artist Janis Ian, the Irish instrumental “Midnight Walker” by Davy Spillane, “Ooo Baby Baby” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Let it Be Me," popularized by the Everly Brothers, and thrash rock track “The Death and Destruction Show” by Killing Joke, among others.

Beck remains on tour in France, Switzerland, and Italy through the end of July. The guitar legend (ranked fifth of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone) got his start with the British Invasion group The Yardbirds in the mid-1960s, then formed the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart and future Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood. His output in the mid-1970s, specifically the albums Blow by Blow and Wired, are landmarks in jazz-rock fusion. 

Depp won his highly public trial in June, with the jury agreeing that Heard had defamed Depp when she wrote an op-ed describing her experiences with domestic abuse. He was awarded $15 million in damages (which, due to a cap in Virginia on punitive payments, was reduced to $10.35 million.) Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages resulting from statements made by Depp’s lawyer.