THE KIDS

Johnny was a member of The Kids from late 1980 until their breakup in the summer of 1984. He and his bandmates have reunited a number of times, most recently in 2008.

The Kids is the main band that Johnny belonged to in the early 80's.  It is the one that moved from South Florida to LA in search of fame and fortune.

The Kids started out as The Kydz, in mid 1978

     An early lineup consisted of:

• Bruce Witkin - bass, keyboards and lead vocals
• Bill "Beano" Hanti - drums
• Mitch Brownstein (aka Perry) - keyboards, guitar and some lead vocals
• Gio (George) Ardizzola - lead guitar and some lead vocals

Mitch Perry reminisces briefly about the early days of The Kids (before Johnny joined) in a 1986 Guitar Magazine article and an undated Metal Mania article.

Later incarnations of the band included guitarists (in rough chronological order) Marco Cocchiaro (who replaced Mitch), Joey Malone (who remained with the band for the duration), Cosmo, and George Mazzola, and keyboard player Larry Dermer.  Cocchiaro, Cosmo, Mazzola, and Dermer were no longer in the band by the time Johnny joined.  

   

By 1980, the Kids were an established band, making a big name for themselves in the South Florida music scene.  Johnny's ambition was to become a member.  In a radio interview with Steve Jones on Jonesy’s Jukebox on June 27, 2016, Johnny divulged that after auditioning for The Kids, he became their lighting guy "for about a week." As he explained, this gave him a chance to learn the songs, after which he joined as lead guitarist in late 1980.  The lineup at this time was the most stable and successful incarnation of the band:

• Bruce Witkin - bass and lead vocals
• Johnny Depp - lead guitar
• Joey Malone - guitar and background vocals
• Bill "Beano" Hanti - drums

Johnny is said to have written the following Kids songs, according to Randi Reisfeld's 1989 biography:

• Everything I Need
• Nothin' For Nothin'
• Backdoor Girl

Johnny and Bruce did a little bit of modeling for the Ft. Lauderdale music magazine, the Scarlet Bugle, in 1981.  In particular, they would model clothes for the boutique Tres Chic, often along with store owner GiGi Fredy.  Here are some cool photo spreads from July, August, and October of 1981.  Thanks to Scarlet Bugle publisher Lauri Sims-Alaimo!

July 1981

August 1981

October 1981

 

On Dec. 1, 1983, the band moved to LA on the advice of promoter Don Ray, and had some modest success under the name Six Gun Method.  But competition was fierce, and between Johnny’s first acting role in A Nightmare On Elm Street, and other band members leaving LA, the band split up by July of 1984.

The Kids reunited in 1996, during Donnie Brasco filming in South Florida, and again in 2002, in LA.
On January 28, 2007, Bruce, Joey, Beano and Johnny reunited once again for a special performance at the Sheila Witkin Memorial Reunion Concert in Pompano Beach, Florida.  Sheila Witkin was a manager and driving force behind a number of the major bands that were playing in South Florida in the 70's and 80's.  Sheila passed away in 2006, and this concert was in tribute to her and also to raise money for charitable causes near and dear to Sheila's heart.  A young local band called Blank Tape began the proceedings, performing a great set, joined by Bruce Witkin's daughter Veronica.