Has Been - William Shatner

...dodgy wigs and hammy acting has finally reached that age where he no longer takes himself quite so seriously and this album shows. An epic work that is quite unlike anything else you're ever likely to hear unless you have a stash of very strange beat-poet albums I've not seen before.

Shatner is no stranger to releasing albums and has been responsible for a few over the years, mostly pretty dire, it has to be said - badly read Shakespear ...
...one of a kind and has much to offer.

Produced by Ben Folds of the Ben Folds Five and featuring a dizzying array of other talent such as Joe Jackson, Adrian Belew, Henry Rollins and more, Has Been is a collection of thoughtful, inspiring and downright strange, often self-deprecating songs that firmly lay to rest the idea of Shatner being a bit stuck up his own fundement. I'm just sad he hasn't released anything since.

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There is already an excellent review of this CD c/o Champ666 who alas seems to have departed Ciao. Still, I thought I'd add my own slant on this fine album that is either a work of genius or utter tosh and even now, I'm not entirely sure which although based on the amount of play it gets around here, I'm leaning on the former.

William Shatner, yes, he of Star Trek, dodgy wigs and hammy acting has finally reached that age where he no longer takes himself quite so seriously and this album shows. An epic work that is quite unlike anything else you're ever likely to hear unless you have a stash of very strange beat-poet albums I've not seen before.

Shatner is no stranger to releasing albums and has been responsible for a few over the years, mostly pretty dire, it has to be said - badly read Shakespear through to bizarre covers. His version of Mr Tamborine Man is legendary with Shatner literally screaming like a crazed maniac by the end. Not quite the version The Byrd's did.

Released in 2004, this CD got a surprising amount of critical acclaim but didn't really enter most people's radars. A pity as it truly is a one of a kind and has much to offer.

Produced by Ben Folds of the Ben Folds Five and featuring a dizzying array of other talent such as Joe Jackson, Adrian Belew, Henry Rollins and more, Has Been is a collection of thoughtful, inspiring and downright strange, often self-deprecating songs that firmly lay to rest the idea of Shatner being a bit stuck up his own fundement. I'm just sad he hasn't released anything since.

Tracks

A fairly sensible start with "Common People", a cover of the Pulp hit from a few years back. Pretty much like the original except for Shatner's deep smooth voice talking the lyrics and Joe Jackson providing the chorus. Shatner specialises in odd intonation which works really well in this case. I love the way he delivers the line 'Are You Sure?', sounding like pure Captain Kirk or maybe TJ Hooker - you can picture his expression and stance perfectly.

"It Hasn't Happened Yet" is a slow meloncholic song of a man, alone and lonely at Christmas musing over his lack of success and how disappointing he is to his family and how he looks forward to being someone one day. The delivery is flawless, the words poignent. Just wonderful.

"You'll have Time" opens in a sort of gospel stylee with the line 'Live Life, Live Life Like You're gonna Die. Because you're Gonna'. Piano noodling, hammond organs and slow jazzy drum work add to the feel. Later on it muses 'Why did I waste it, why didn't I taste it?' A song about getting on with things because you never know what's around the corner. Witty words and a perfectly balanced musical backing make this another classic.

"That's me Trying' Is another bittersweet song about lost relationships and failed attempts at reconcilliation - a sort of letter from a father to his daughter. The same Shatner spoken delivery with a bit of help on the chorus as he discusses his failings and suggestions for rebuilding things. Beautiful and filled with raw longing and regret in turns.

"What Have You Done" is a short poem about death and a girl in the water he tried to save. Written by Shatner, this is another moving and insightful track. No instruments, just words and all the better for it.

"Together" is a collaberation with Lemon Jelly with words by Shatner again. Beautiful plucked guitar and slow droning backing before a nice simple drum beat arrives to carry the rest of the tune. Fairly vague lyrically but captivating nonetheless.

"Familiar Love" matches a basic bluesey backing track with Shatner talking about his loved one and how familiar it all is but in a good way "I know just how to hold her, and just how much". Anyone who has been in a long term relationship where the raw passion has moved on to a warm closeness will appreciate the message here.

"Ideal Woman" takes a different tack "I want you to be you" before listing different aspects he loves, every now and then finding one he actually hates and needs to be dropped. The humour being his repeated plea of not wanting to change them even though the song mentions one change after another. More perfection in the vocal delivery department.

"Has Been" sounds like the theme to a cowboy film and open "You talking to me, You talking to me? You calling me "Has Been?"" before introducing the three oddball characters (with silly voices) he's conversing with as they criticise his has-been status "We laugh at others failure, though we have not done sh*t". Some people don't like this one but I think it's great, makes me smile every time.

"I Can't Get Behind This" bursts open like the theme to Hawaii 5-0 with Shatner and Henry Rollins sparring over things that annoy them - delays in delivery, global warming, leaf blowers, vengeful Gods who can't get along and so on. A crazy drum beat runs throughout with the two of them getting more and more angry culminating in Shatner saying he can't stand people who can't carry a tune and get paid for talking on a record (i.e. him) then adds, "well, maybe I can get behind that" before Shatner says he "can't get behind a fat ass!" - something else Shatner has.

"Real" finishes things off with a lament that people keep asking him to help with a variety of disasters under the misunderstanding that he's only an actor, not a real hero. "I'm flattered, but I'm not the one to call' but also notes that while he is so much more than people realise, he is also lacking in so many ways and wishes he could be what people want him to be. A wonderful song with an upbeat backing track to finish things off nicely.

If you've got this far, your probably thinking 'uh-hu, Captain Kirk mumbles through a bunch of wierd tracks' and in some ways you'd be right but you'd also be missing out on a slice of the more unusual side of life and a collection of fine songs which both move and amuse in turns. I borrowed this CD and could have copied it but it was so good I shot out and paid for my own, just to own my very own copy of 'Has Been', quite possibly the finest CD to be released by an ex starship captain. After the seriously 'out there' releases he is known and rightly lambasted for for, with this he is forgiven, and then some. 

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