"His charisma was insane": Music executive Tom Zutaut who discovered Guns N' Roses comments on Johnny Depp's musical skills

Tom Zutaut, who signed two of history’s biggest heavy metal acts Guns N' Roses and Motley Crue, was reportedly unimpressed with Johnny Depp’s musical chops. In a recent X5 podcast published on April 3, 2024, top music producer Tom Zutaut, said he believed Johnny Depp was not fated to be a rockstar but was destined to become one the biggest actors in the world.

Around the 1 hour 13 min mark of his podcast interview, Zutaut described how he first heard about Depp in the late 1980s when he was invited to attend a band rehearsal. However, Zutaut, who showed up at Depp’s band audition to potentially sign him, told the manager that the Oscar nominee didn’t have “it,” as a musician. Zutaut explained to the X5 crew the band was "terrible," but Depp had charisma. He said:

“I go see ’em, and they were terrible. Johnny Depp was the worst guitarist I’d ever seen — but his charisma was insane, you know?”

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Top music executive says Johnny Depp's band was rejected by several record labels

It’s no secret Johnny Depp, who has gained universal acclaim as an actor for starring in Pirates of the Caribbean, has always held musical aspirations, playing in bands when he was 12 years old. He later joined the band The Kids and Rock City Angels, before launching his acting career with 21 Jump Street in 1987.

In a recent podcast appearance, Tom Zutaut, who was responsible for launching bands like Guns N' Roses and Motley Crue, revealed Depp had auditioned for him as a musician just before he signed the role in 21 Jump Street that would eventually catapult him to stardom.

In the X5 podcast, Tom Zutaut recounted going to asses Johnny Depp’s band at the behest of his friend, who was managing them at the time.

“I go to a rehearsal, the manager’s a friend of mine, and he goes, ‘I got this band from Jacksonville, they’re great,’” Zutaut recalled.

Zutaut said he informed the manager that Depp's musical career was unsustainable but he had immense potential as an actor.

“Afterwards I looked at his manager and said listen buddy I said that ain’t gonna make it. But you should get this kid an agent and put him on TV or in a movie. This Kid’s a star. But the songs suck, and musicianship is terrible.”

Zutaut said a couple of months later he received a call from the manager telling him he got Depp an agent after every record label in the country had passed on the band. Shortly after, the manager informed Zutaut that Jhonny Depp was going to star in 21 Jump Street.

“He goes, you were right and I said I know, the kid ain’t gonna make it in a rock band.” Zataut added: “I said, he’s gonna be one the biggest actors in the whole freaking world.”

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Zutaut's prediction was right on the money as Depp went on to star in several acclaimed movies and became one of the biggest stars in the world. However, Johnny Depp never gave up on his musical aspirations. Throughout his acting career, Depp collaborated with several musicians, including Aerosmith, Marilyn Manson, Iggy Pop, Oasis, and Patti Smith.

According to American Songwriter, Depp co-founded the band The Hollywood Vampires with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry in 2012 and subsequently released two albums in 2015 and 2019.

Johnny Depp also announced a collaboration with Jeff Beck in 2020 and released an album before the late guitarist died in 2023.