Johnny Depp enjoys the "freedom" of not being bossed about when he performs with The Hollywood Vampires.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp

The 55-year-old actor - who plays guitar alongside Alice Cooper and Aerosmith's Joe Perry in the legendary supergroup - admits it can be restricting constantly being directed about on movie sets, but when he's on stage he can just have "fun" and be himself.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, he admitted: "My day job is a completely different animal, I suppose

"What do I get from this that I normally don't get? I get me!

"But when I'm up there on stage with these guys, it's that feeling I had as a kid.

"It's freedom. In movies someone is always telling you what to do, but here I have the freedom that my day job doesn't allow. Most important, it's really f**king fun."

The Vampires began on Hollywood's Sunset Strip at the iconic Rainbow Bar & Grill's upstairs bar, and over the years has featured fallen stars including the late John Lennon and The Who's Keith Moon.

The trio released their self-titled LP in 2015, which featured guest appearances from Sir Paul McCartney and Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl.

The group toasts the excesses of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, and the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star admits "luck" plays a big part in who survives the pitfalls of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as being surrounded by loved ones.

He told the publication: "What separates survivors from the guys that die?

"It's just about having the right people around you, people who care about you, at the right time, to save you from yourself. It's not a good thing to face on your own, but some people do. Really, it's just luck."

The Hollywood Vampires kick off their first UK tour at Birmingham's Genting Arena on Saturday (16.06.18), and are currently working on their second album.

Depp said: "I think we really found our sound this time; I think we just had it by the tail on the first record."