Hollywood Vampires – “People Who Died”: A Loud, Loving Roll Call of the Lost
In 2019, Hollywood Vampires — the supergroup featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry — released their own version of “People Who Died” on their album Rise. Originally written and recorded in 1980 by punk poet Jim Carroll, the song is a breathless, brutal list of friends lost too soon. In the hands of the Hollywood Vampires, it becomes a cathartic cannon blast: fast, furious, and deeply personal.
This cover isn’t just a rehash — it’s a reclamation, with each band member contributing to a raw, loud, and emotionally gut-punching performance.
The Sound: Punk Meets Hard Rock Fury
Hollywood Vampires’ version of “People Who Died” takes the punk ethos of the original and amps it up with arena-sized distortion and ferocity. The track features:
- A searing wall of guitars, led by Joe Perry’s snarling tone
- Johnny Depp on vocals, delivering lines with gritty punk realism
- Alice Cooper’s signature snarl, adding menace and bite to each verse
- Tight, driving drums that keep the song galloping at breakneck speed
Unlike the relatively stripped-down production of the Jim Carroll Band’s original, this version explodes with heavy-rock aggression, without losing the urgency of the source material.
The Lyrics: Grief at Full Volume
“Teddy sniffing glue, he was twelve years old / Fell from the roof on East Two-nine…”
The lyrics, almost journalistic in style, list a series of friends who died in tragic, often shocking ways — drug overdoses, accidents, illness, suicide. It reads like a punk eulogy, unflinching and raw.
But within the bluntness is an ache that’s unmistakable. It’s not morbid — it’s mournful. Angry. Human. And in the Hollywood Vampires’ version, that emotion is amplified by experience. These are musicians who have lived long enough to bury many friends, from Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix to Lemmy and David Bowie.
Their version expands the roll call into something even broader — a tribute to the entire generation of rockers, punks, and outcasts lost to excess, illness, and the passage of time.
Why It Matters: A Fitting Tribute from the Ultimate Tribute Band
The very existence of the Hollywood Vampires is rooted in loss. The band’s name itself is taken from the infamous ’70s drinking club that Alice Cooper once shared with the likes of John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, and other now-gone rock icons. Their mission? To celebrate and honor the dead, while keeping the fire of rock and roll alive.
“People Who Died” fits this ethos perfectly. It’s a list, a scream, and a tribute, all rolled into one. In choosing to cover this song, the Vampires weren’t just being nostalgic — they were adding their voices to the chorus of survivors who still remember.
Performance Energy: Controlled Chaos
Live performances of “People Who Died” have become a highlight of Hollywood Vampires’ sets — full of sweat, fury, and reverence. Watching aging rock legends tear through this punk classic with such commitment is proof that rock isn’t about age — it’s about attitude.
Each band member takes a verse, and each name called out becomes a punch to the gut, a tear in the voice, a name that matters. It’s loud. It’s chaotic. It’s exactly how these stories should be told.
Final Thoughts
Hollywood Vampires’ “People Who Died” isn’t just a cover — it’s a funeral procession set to guitar riffs, a loud and loving middle finger to the reaper. It’s raw and real, a reminder that behind the glam, the hair, and the amps, these are men who’ve watched too many friends fall.
It’s not just a punk anthem anymore.
It’s a rock and roll obituary, sung by those who are still standing — for now.
Facebook Comments