Special guest Johnny Depp set for Classic Rock Awards Tokyo

A picture of Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp (Image credit: Getty)

Hollywood Vampires guitarist Johnny Depp has been confirmed as a special guest for the 2016 Classic Rock Roll Of Honour in Tokyo.

The musician and movie star joins a cast of rock icons that also includes Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Cheap Trick, Richie Sambora, Orianthi, Slot Machine, Sarah Geronimo and Bamboo.

The awards show takes place at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, on November 11 – the first time the event has been held in Japan.

TeamRock has joined forces with KLab Entertainment and Parallel Contemporary Music for the event.

TeamRock Chief Executive Billy Anderson says: “TeamRock are delighted and honoured to have Johnny Depp joining us for what promises to be an unforgettable night.

“Johnny is a committed rock’n’roll fan and performer in his own right – to have him join such an amazing line-up of stars at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium is going to make this a truly special Classic Rock Roll Of Honour.”

Depp will appear at the show as part of an all-star band. As well as his work with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry in supergroup Hollywood Vampires, Depp has appeared on recordings by Oasis, Shane MacGowan and Marilyn Manson.

His award-winning acting CV includes roles in Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Donnie Brasco, Public Enemies, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas and the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise.

He was the writer and director of 1997 movie The Brave, in which he co-starred with Marlon Brando. His production company Infinitum Nihil produced The Rum Diary, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo and Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton.

Jeff Beck will be given the highest honours on the night and he has announced that he will be assembling his own special band of musicians for the event. Beck’s band includes an all­-star cast featuring the brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots on guitar and bass.

He will also be joined by guitarist Tommy Henriksen, of US-based supergroup Hollywood Vampires, and Korn drummer Ray Luzier.

It has also been confirmed today that, for personal reasons, Joe Walsh will unfortunately be unable to attend this year’s Classic Rock Awards.

Tickets for the event are available now.

Classic Rock Awards heading to Japan in 2016

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.