Featured Image Credit: HEMSWELL ANTIQUES CENTRE
Harley Young
How far would you go for a guitar? Probably not as far as Hollywood actor-turned-musician Johnny Depp, who recently took a helicopter trip to the UK just so he could peruse guitars in an antique store.
Staff at the Hemswell Antique Centre in Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire got the shock of their lives as the award-winning actor made an appearance at the store on Friday afternoon.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star decided to drop in unannounced via helicopter, as to not be noticed by the public, so he could have a relaxed browse of what the store had to offer.
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The actor's surprise visit had been arranged by the store and the famous Pinewood Studios, who have a working relationship together for props and set items. Pinewood Studios are known for their part in producing well-known film series Harry Potter as well as the James Bond franchises.
Hemswell Antique Centre, known to be the largest antique centre in Europe, was greeted by Depp at 4:30pm on Friday, with the store owner Robert Miller describing him as 'down-to-earth'. Miller's team of staff had been notified that a special guest would be visiting the store, but they had no idea who.
Mr Miller noted that Depp tried out several different guitars during his visit and spoke about English guitarist Jeff Beck, whom he had collaborated with for his album '18', which came out last year. The pair have played together multiple times over the years.
Johnny Depp has his own band of Hollywood legends, known as the Hollywood Vampires. The band now consists of Depp, Joe Perry, Alice Cooper and Tommy Henriksen. Hollywood Vampires formed in 2012 and are set to embark on another tour, starting in Europe in June and their first UK date being at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre on 5 July.
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Mr Miller recalled the afternoon, saying that Depp: "just bought a lot of very quirky items. A desk chair, three guitars, paint sets, easels, a few pictures, posters, just a whole range of things for decorative items for his own personal property."
“He chose a vase with a skull on it. Guitars obviously. He was very friendly with, best friends with Jeff Beck, he sat and played a few tunes on this guitar I think just for old times' sake really and then decided to buy three of the guitars that were there."