Aerosmith Getting A&R Advice from Johnny Depp on New Album

With Aerosmith reportedly close to wrapping up their highly anticipated new album, inspiration and feedback has been coming from not only album producer Jack Douglas, but also 'Edward Scissorhands,' er, Johnny Depp, who knows a thing or three about a good riff.

Depp recently jammed with both Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Alice Cooper at a party celebrating ‘Dark Shadows,’ the actor's latest collaboration with Tim Burton, his longtime brother in creepy film work.

As Tyler tells Fox News, Aerosmith has actually been holed up in Burton’s old Swinghouse recording studio working on the new album and apparently, Depp still has a set of keys, because he drops by occasionally to check in on the band’s progress.

As Tyler explains, “When we are done recording, I go up to Johnny’s house and I play him stuff and I ask if it is any good. He gives me [honest feedback].” According to the singer, Depp has the goods and is qualified to weigh in on the subject. “Johnny is a great musician and many people don't know that, he plays piano, guitar, he knows his music.”

One thing that Tyler is quite sure about, is that ‘Legendary Child,’ Aerosmith’s contribution to the upcoming ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ movie is awesome and the spirit of the film lines up quite well with the band’s own experiences.

'''G.I. Joe' [is] about deep space and 'let's go fight the foe.' And then I thought about where the band came from, and going [into] the music business. If there ever... was a foe, the music business was. So to be successful you had to learn how to climb ladders, jump through hoops and live through burning houses.''

Tyler says the band recently spent 12 hours filming a video for the song and he gives high praise to his longtime mate Perry, who he says was “on fire” when the band was recording the song.

Aerosmith will premiere an as yet undisclosed new song on the season finale of ‘American Idol.’