At 95, William Shatner is boldly going where few entertainment icons have gone before — the stage of a punk-and-metal festival. The Star Trek legend will bring his newly built rock production to Riot Fest 2026, slotting into one of the event’s most stacked lineups alongside Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Alanis Morissette, Rise Against and more.
Shatner, who has spent six decades happily defying what audiences expect of him, is turning both his older and newer recordings into a full-scale live rock experience. The backing band is no novelty pickup group, either. Anchored by Nuclear Messiah and a roster of Cleopatra Records collaborators, it features guitarist and musical director Marcus Nand (Mike Tramp, Candice Night), bassist Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, and the writer of Ozzy‘s “Shot In The Dark“), guitarist Britt Lightning (Vixen) and drummer Fred Aching (Kings Of Thrash, Dead Groove, Fraxures).
“I’ve always believed that music, like space, is about exploration,” Shatner said. “Riot Fest is exactly the kind of place where anything can happen. We’re bringing volume, intensity, and a few surprises. With this incredible band behind me, I expect nothing less than lift-off. I can’t wait to share this experience with the fans.”
Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera was quick to stress that this is the real deal. “William Shatner has spent a lifetime redefining expectations. This isn’t a novelty performance — it’s a real rock show featuring world-class musicians behind one of entertainment’s greatest icons. Riot Fest is the perfect stage for this next chapter, and we’re going to deliver a performance worthy of the festival’s incredible legacy.”
The festival set is really the opening salvo for something far bigger: Shatner‘s most audacious record yet, a full-blown heavy metal album stacked with an almost absurd cast of genre heavyweights. The latest name to sign on is Mikkey Dee, the drummer who powered Motörhead for 23 years before joining Scorpions. Dee recently laid down drums for Shatner‘s take on the Judas Priest classic “Living After Midnight“.
“I needed pounding beats to make the music feel the way I feel it,” Shatner said. “The drums drive the emotion. They create the urgency, the excitement, the danger. Heavy metal should hit you in the chest and move your soul at the same time.”
The drum chair alone reads like a hall-of-fame ballot. Other sticksmen on the project include Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Misfits), Chris Adler (Megadeth, Lamb of God), Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus), Kenny Aronoff (Steve Vai, John Mellencamp), Simon Wright (AC/DC, UFO), Bobby Rondinelli (Blue Öyster Cult, Quiet Riot), Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Joe Lynn Turner) and Steve Zing (Danzig, Samhain). And that’s just the drummers — Shatner has also revealed that Judas Priest‘s Rob Halford, Disturbed bassist John Moyer, Zakk Wylde and guitar legend Ritchie Blackmore are among the contributors.
Behind the boards, the album is being steered by a heavyweight team led by Adam Hamilton (L.A. Guns, Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Perera, with additional production from Derek Hughes, Nand and Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps.
Shatner insists this is no gimmick but a genuine artistic swing — a bid to unite an all-time cast of rock and metal names on a single record built on ambition and real chemistry. It’s the latest left turn in a wildly unpredictable recording career that already includes 2004’s Has Been, the space-themed Seeking Major Tom, a Christmas album, and 2020’s The Blues. The metal record remains untitled for now, with its release date and remaining guest artists still to be revealed.
