William Shatner Debuts Heavy Metal Band at Riot Fest

Heavy Metal Debut in Chicago

The 95-year-old Star Trek icon performed a warmup gig on Saturday, September 19, at Chicago’s Park West. This performance served as a prelude to his official appearance on the Rebel Stage at Douglass Park for Riot Fest the following evening. Shatner was accompanied by his new band, The *uckers, a group composed of veteran rock musicians. The performance marked a significant departure for the actor, who has previously explored genres including spoken word, the blues, country music, Christmas songs, and children’s music.

"I have explored space. I have explored time. Now … I explore distortion."

— William Shatner

The live sets featured a six-song selection that reimagined tracks from throughout Shatner's musical catalog while previewing material from his upcoming rock and Thrash Metal influenced project. The band performed renditions of Ozzy Osbourne’s "Crazy Train," Metallica’s "Enter Sandman," and Motörhead’s "Ace of Spades."

The *uckers and Upcoming Album Details

The performances included three songs from the band’s upcoming album, titled What The F Is Heavy Metal?. Shatner revealed to "The Moynihan Report" that the title originated from his initial reaction when his longtime label, Cleopatra Records, suggested the project. After hearing the Guns N' Roses song "Patience," Shatner and the band wrote a track titled "Impatience" for the record.

The upcoming album features an extensive list of guest appearances by rock royalty, including Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Brian May of Queen, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Dave Lombardo of Slayer, and John Moyer of Disturbed. Shatner described the recording process as an experimental journey driven by curiosity and passion.

"You gotta start with the premise that I really know nothing. I'm inquisitive. Apparently, I'm inquisitive, and I'm reading and looking up all the time, stuff. So I began to experiment. I fastened on to emotions. I thought heavy metal has gotta be about emotions — violent, passionate… Not violent — passionate emotions."

— William Shatner

The *uckers feature an all-star lineup of veteran musicians, including Marcus Nand (who has worked with Mike Tramp and Candice Night) on guitar and as musical director, Phil Soussan on bass, Britt Lightning of Vixen on guitar, and Fred Aching of Kings of Thrash and Dead Groove on drums. Soussan expressed his excitement about the collaboration, noting his history as a fan of the original Star Trek series.

"I'm excited to play with one my childhood heroes. I was a huge 'Star Trek' fan, so this is kind of a bucket list type of event."

— Phil Soussan

Riot Fest Persuasion and Performance Rider

Organizers of Riot Fest reportedly managed to persuade Shatner to join the festival lineup after years of persistent letter writing. Upon agreeing to the performance, Shatner laid out several unique conditions for his appearance via social media. His rider included "many" fire breathers, a Montreal Canadiens hockey sweater signed by John Stamos, four feet of Polish sausage, and an assortment of adoptable puppies sourced from a reputable local animal rescue nonprofit.

"Don't forget my bowl of sauerkraut, if you please!"

— William Shatner

Shatner also spoke about the physical and emotional impact of the genre during an interview with Billboard. He described the experience as a "real-life fervor" that has provided him with a new perspective on music.

"I’m so enlivened. I’m so filled with passion. I’ve come to understand what heavy metal is. It’s an energy that permeates your body and lifts you up. Heavy metal is the rhythm of life. It’s overwhelming, especially if you’ve got earphones in. This afternoon, I’m going to have earbuds that have been made for me and the rest of the group. I’m so excited about what I’m performing. It’s a real-life fervor happening for me."

— William Shatner

Health History and Future Festival Plans

Shatner's musical output dates back to 1968 and includes collaborations with artists such as Ben Folds, Brad Paisley, and Iggy Pop. Outside of music, he is best known for his role as Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series and seven subsequent feature films, one of which he directed.

The actor's recent activity follows a significant health battle. In 2023, Shatner was diagnosed with Stage 4 malignant melanoma, which spread to his lungs and brain. Following two years of surgery and immunotherapy, he is now cancer-free. Looking toward the future, Shatner confirmed during an interview with CNN anchor Elex Michaelson that he is scheduled to perform a 30-minute set at a music festival "in the desert" in spring 2027, which Michaelson confirmed to be Coachella.