Coming out of the dark holes of a Tim Burton-esque world, Johnny Depp's journey into becoming Hollywood's misfit actor was almost destined. Even with Johnny Depp's early days resembling more of a traditional leading role, soon enough he indulged in his eccentricities and chalked out an identity which separated him from the all-square leading men of his days. His aptitude for strange characters and his aversion to normalcy have marked him as a majestic legend in Hollywood.

From his debut to the latest of his exceptionally long film career, Depp worked with a great number of the talented names out there, including Helena Bonham Carter, Marlon Brando, Christian Bale, and Anne Hathaway. His art relations are so much more than the film silver screen. He has been fortunate to have crossed paths with the greats in the music world, from Jeff Beck, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, and Marilyn Manson. As much as the films he did good impressions in win him accolades, Depp has always kept an affinity for music-something he had wanted to do before acting really took off. It was Nicolas Cage who encouraged him to try acting, and with fewer alternatives and increasing financial demands, he reluctantly agreed. What began as a way to provide for himself soon became a lifelong career for Depp, sustaining him for almost three decades and establishing him as one of the most mysterious icons in Hollywood.But in recent years, Depp has drawn himself back into obscurity.

This retreat is partly a fallout from the long legal battles he is having with ex-wife Amber Heard, but driven also by an innate sense of destiny that has been pushing him this far toward exploring different paths—music being one. Inner pulls have always guided Depp's choices, and when the moment is right, he seems compelled to follow where it leads. And while the Hollywood Vampires, Depp's band with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry, were generating some buzz, detractors wondered whether Depp was truly a musician. Critics ripped apart his guitar work, suggesting that his talents were better suited to the big screen rather than the stage. Yet Depp's desire to develop a craft married with his relationships in the music world has cemented his standing within the industry.

Like Cooper and Perry, Depp does not need an introduction to the difficulties associated with life's dark side. The Hollywood Vampires originated from a background of severe alcoholism, and most of their songs talk about death and loneliness. Their music relates the concept of dancing with the devil, understanding that life is too short and miserable in loneliness because many friends are lost to addiction.

Despite the gloominess, Depp does not shy away from the notion that the devil has yielded the best sounds for long. As they say, some of the most powerful sounds emanate from somewhere in the dark. For Depp, though, one person is better than even the works credited to the devil.

According to Depp, Tom Waits is the only artist whose compositions are better than those credited to the devil.

"The devil don't have the best tunes. Tom Waits does," Depp once said. He finds it nearly impossible to choose a favorite recording from Waits' vast discography, since the musician's output has maintained a consistently high standard throughout his career. "Over the years, Waits' continued quality of output has never faltered. His high-water marks are countless. This is merely one among many. For moon lovers and junkyard dogs everywhere." I would say that Depp's obvious adoration for Waits calls for a shared creative mindset both in the men who like authenticity and pursue art that serves a deeper purpose. The free spirit of Waits, his rebellion against mainstream expectations, would resonate well in Depp, himself at times at the edge of Hollywood and society.

It is a bond that tells something more than mutual respect for the respective crafts of Depp and Waits; it emphasizes the fact that real artistry does not come from within the reins of rules but from embracing the unconventional, being different from others, and creating something that will last.