Johnny Depp: ‘Actors making music is sickening’

CEBU, Philippines – In comments that are unlikely to endear him to Russell Crowe and Jared Leto, Johnny Depp took aim at actors who capitalize on their fame to make music, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Speaking at the Berlin premiere of his latest film, “Mortdecai,” Depp didn’t hold back in slamming those of his profession who fancy themselves as musicians. “That whole idea for me is a sickening thing, it always just made me sick,” he said.

Depp himself plays guitar and has played on records by British band Oasis as well as recorded and performed with Marilyn Manson, as he did last November. He also played guitar with supergroup The New Basement Tapes and was featured in the 2014 Showtime documentary “Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued.”

Dabbling with music though is fine, according to the actor. “I’ve been very lucky to play on friends’ records and it’s still going. Music is still part of my life. But you won’t be hearing The Johnny Depp Band. That won’t ever exist.”

Depp was content with being a low-key musician, and expanded his point of people riding their success to push their music. “The kind of luxury now is, anybody with a certain amount of success, if you have a kind of musical being, you can go out and start a band and capitalize on your work in other areas,” he said.

He added: “But I hate the idea, ‘Come see me play the guitar because you’ve seen me in 12 movies.’ It shouldn’t be that way. You want the people who are listening to the music to only be interested in the music.”