The Hidden History of the Original Hollywood Vampires, Which Included Alice Cooper, John Lennon, and Keith Moon

The Hollywood Vampires wasn’t a band, but members of some of the biggest bands in the world were included. It was a celebrity drinking club in the 1970s, located in the loft above Rainbow Bar and Grill. The spot was in West Hollywood, and as in many clubs, there was an initiation process. You had to outdrink all the members to be included.

The key members of the club included Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson, and Mickey Dolenz. There is a plaque hanging in the loft that states “Lair of the Hollywood Vampires.” It also states that the president was Alice Cooper, with Keith Moon as vice president. Members listed on the plaque include John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, and Mickey Dolenz, though many more were associated with the group. Others who hung out around the group included John Belushi, Marc Bolan, Mal Evans, Bernie Taupin, Keith Allison, Klaus Voormann, Brian Wilson, and Iggy Pop.

In the 1991 documentary, Alice Cooper: Prime Cuts, Cooper stated, “It was that crowd, every night those same people. Every once in a while, John Lennon would come into town, or Keith Emerson, and they would be honorable members of the night.” It’s still a mystery what the club would do beyond drinking together, as former members have been notably secretive. There’s still hidden history behind the original Hollywood Vampires.

In 2012, Alice Cooper Turned the Hollywood Vampires Into a Supergroup With Johnny Depp and Joe Perry

The supergroup, The Hollywood Vampires, was formed in 2012 by Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp. What was once a drinking club turned into a sober supergroup paying tribute to the original members. The group covers classics from former members, as well as classic rock songs in general. They released an album of mostly covers in 2015, featuring guest appearances such as Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Dave Grohl, Brian Johnson, Perry Ferrell, Robby Krieger, Orianthi, Slash, Christopher, and Zak Starkey.

Touring members of The Hollywood Vampires have included Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses, Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots, and Alice Cooper drummer Glen Sobel. In 2019, The Hollywood Vampires released their second album, Rise, featuring mostly original material. This album mostly focused on contributions from key members Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Joe Perry. Rise contained 13 original songs, along with 3 covers. It also featured guitarist Jeff Beck on the song “Welcome To Bushwackers”.