William Shatner to release prog-rock concept album next month

What do William Shatner and David Bowie have in common? They both sing about space, the difference being Shatner’s actually been there. Well, on TV anyway.

If William Shatner’s last release, 2011′s Seeking Major Tom, is any revelation, Shatner takes several (mostly ironic) musical cues from the original Starman. (Hear this to-be-expected cover of ‘Space Oddity.’)

His new release called Ponder the Mystery is out 8 October and features genre-notables like George Duke and Steve Vai (of Frank Zappa), Rick Wakeman (of Yes), Robby Krieger (The Doors), and Zoot Horn Rollo (of Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band).

The Star Trek veteran will also be performing the album live for a few dates in California next month, with the help of prog-rock group Circa, as well as album producer/co-writer Billy Sherwood and Tony Kaye.

Ponder the Mystery‘s main conceit is in how it follows “a man in despair through the setting sun, twilight and finally darkness, and in the process, regains his joy of life.” So in other words, this album is in no way autobiographical.

[via CoS]