WILLIAM SHATNER: HAS BEEN


I like Star Trek as much as the next guy. But, to be honest, I think The Next Generation was a stronger series than the original. I wouldn't consider myself a William Shatner fan. I don't watch Boston Legal and never saw TJ Hooker. I don't own any Star Trek memorabilia except for the classic Shatner album, The Transformed Man. This is the famous collection of horrible spoken-word covers of Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds and such. The album was released in the 60's and was meant to be a serious piece of art. It's so bad that Shatner has spent the last 30 years laughing along with us.

So now it's 2004 and Bill has released a new CD of spoken word songs. The immediate response is to laugh and say, "Oh great, another campy joke album." Well, I have to say, I was shocked to listen to this album. The music is great. Ben Folds and a few other guest rockers were involved in the musical end of this project. But the words just grab you and stare you right in the eyes. It's mesmerizing. These are not joke songs. (Well, one of them sort-of is). These are personal glimpses into Bill Shatner's soul. That sounds so pretentious, I know, but it's true. These songs delve into his status as a "has-been", his failures as a human being, his relationship with his estranged daughter, and, most brutally, the suicide of his wife.

This is truly a stunning album and an unflinching look into the mind of a human being with a lot to say.