As he further toils away on his upcoming metal album, entertainment kingpin William Shatner has also teamed up with Brad Paisley for a new spoken word album. Spanning 15 tracks, Love & Other Mysteries is due out August 21st via Loaded Goat Records/UMG.
Paisley not only served as the album’s producer, but he teamed with Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith and gospel singer/pianist Gordon Mote to handle musical arrangements. And it makes sense why Shatner would trust Paisley with his latest creative endeavor: the pair have been friends for 20-plus years, and collaborated before on everything from music video cameos (including Paisley’s “Celebrity”) and Shatner’s solo Broadway show, Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It. Paisley also appeared on Shatner’s 2021 spoken word album, BILL.
The pair recently spoke about their friendship and the making of the LP in an extended chat with USA Today. Discussing his potent creative and personal connection with Paisley, Shatner had this to say:
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“This album has my heart, and it also reflects my deep friendship with my writing partner. We’re both very proud of this work, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. Brad has been a source of inspiration for me for a long time. I believe this album reflects the love and soul of everybody who contributed to this beautiful music.”
Our first taste of Love & Other Mysteries comes with the quasi-title track, “The Great Mystery.” The song captures the very essence of the record: with Shatner’s “unmistakable voice [wrapped] in beautifully crafted musical arrangements,” what we get is an “intimate backdrop for reflective, heartfelt, and deeply human stories.” At 95-years-old, few people can move you with a yarn like William Freakin’ Shatner. Listen to it below.
Pre-orders for Love & Other Mysteries are available here.
Shatner’s as-yet-detail-less metal album (to be released via Cleopatra Records) features a cast of all-star contributors. Among the tracks announced for the collection are covers of Judas Priest classics “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” (featuring Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford) and “Living After Midnight” (featuring drummer Mikkey Dee of Motörhead and Scorpions).
Speaking of “Metal Shatner,” he’s set to play Riot Fest on Sunday, September 20th, with his metal backing band The *uckers. (And in true rock star fashion, he’s got one extra ridiculous rider to boot.)
Shatner’s jam-packed schedule comes as he recently recalled a shared cancer diagnosis with his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch. Speaking with People in late July, Shatner said he was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma in June 2023 at the same time that Shatner Gretsch was undergoing chemotherapy for stage 4 breast cancer. (Both have been cancer free since late 2024.) The experience allowed the pair to further connect and bond, and they’ve since used it as the foundation for a newly-launched wellness and longevity podcast, No Time but Now.
Love & Other MysteriesArtwork:
Love & Other Mysteries Tracklist:
01. Music in My Soul
02. Masks
03. Fata Morgana
04. Vulnerable
05. As Long as I Have Venice
06. Being Alive in My Body
07. I Love Tomorrow
08. The Cost of Love
09. Venus and David
10. Last Loves.
11. I Forget Everything but You
12. I Love Life
13. Endless Night
14. I’ll Be with You
15. The Great Mystery