When it comes to talking about his new album, William Shatner is like a kid on Christmas morning.
鈥淚鈥檓 scared, I鈥檓 frightened, by how good I think the album is,鈥� says the 87-year-old TV icon.
Shatner made the comments last August when he was in Toronto guest starring on the Jason Priestley/Cindy Sampson detective drama 鈥淧rivate Eyes.鈥� He reprises a role he previously played on the Global series as a rival private investigator. The episode will air next year.
The new Christmas CD, 鈥淪hatner Claus,鈥� features mainly holiday standards such as 鈥淛ingle Bells,鈥� 鈥淟ittle Drummer Boy鈥� and 鈥淲hite Christmas.鈥� Earlier this year, he released a country album 鈥� 鈥淲hy Not Me?鈥� 鈥� a collaboration with Alabama鈥檚 Jeff Cook.
Two albums in one year? Not bad for a guy who admits he can鈥檛 really sing.
What the Montreal native does is interpret song lyrics as if they were poetry, wringing out meaning while surrounded by talented musicians and singers who carry the melodies. In the case of 鈥淲hat About Me?鈥� it is a blend of Shatner鈥檚 urgent, spoken-word style, infused with Cook鈥檚 country twang.
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.It鈥檚 an experiment in music that began in 1968. That鈥檚 when Shatner, then rocketing to fame as the captain of the starship Enterprise on the original 鈥淪tar Trek,鈥� recorded 鈥淭he Transformed Man.鈥� To reviewers at the time, his halting, high-volume take on Bob Dylan鈥檚 鈥淢r. Tambourine Man鈥� and The Beatles鈥� 鈥淟ucy in the Sky with Diamonds鈥� sounded like bad trips.
Shatner wasn鈥檛 the only 鈥淪tar Trek鈥� actor to release what would later be considered a camp classic. His cast mates Leonard Nimoy (who took a wild whack at 鈥淚f I Had a Hammer鈥�) and Nichelle Nichols also recorded albums.
It was 36 years before Shatner tried again. His collaboration with producer Ben Folds on 2004鈥檚 鈥淗as Been,鈥� however, was warmly received by many critics. That was four albums ago, as the actor continues to boldly go on a musical mission that has lasted 50 years and counting.
If anything, Shatner鈥檚 voice sounds better with age, or, as one reviewer put it, 鈥渁s soothing as a warm cup of eggnog.鈥� On the new album, Shatner says he鈥檚 tried to 鈥渂end the Christmas music a little bit, give it a little slant that an actor might give it.鈥�
That includes teaming with Iggy Pop on a not-so 鈥淪ilent Night,鈥� amplified on a robust punk rock reprise of the same tune with actor/singer/commentator Henry Rollins.
Giving punk rock spins to Christmas classics might not be on everyone鈥檚 Christmas list. Some might prefer listening to Judy Collins take over on vocals on 鈥淲hite Christmas.鈥� Shatner also gets festive with ZZ Top鈥檚 Billy Gibbons on 鈥淩udolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer鈥� and does jingle jam sessions with keyboardist Rick Wakeman (from Yes), guitarist Todd Rundgren, flutist Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) and singer Brad Paisley on a countrified 鈥淏lue Christmas.鈥�
The all-star collaborators are as eclectic and unique as snowflakes. 鈥淲e get into rock and roll,鈥� says Shatner, 鈥渁nd I have these great artists, working with me, great musicians working on each song.鈥�
The actor is most proud of one song that came about through a random charity connection. Shatner, who breeds and shows American Saddlebreds and Quarter horses on his Kentucky ranch, met a former marine at The Hollywood Charity Horse Show.
鈥淭his guy wrote incredibly beautiful poetry,鈥� says Shatner, 鈥渂ut they were all about how ugly battle is and how fearful it is.鈥�
Shatner asked the soldier if he could write something for a Christmas album. He did, and Shatner took the poem to his producers at Cleopatra Records. He said to the orchestrator, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a military thing here, and then, he has sadness and there鈥檚 a battle鈥︹�� The result is the album鈥檚 sole original track, 鈥淥ne for You, One for Me.鈥�
And that is how, says Shatner, 鈥渢here is embedded in this Christmas album, an epic poem.鈥�
Throw a captain鈥檚 log on the fire and listen.
Bill Brioux, The Canadian Press
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