William Shatner may have accidentally revealed one of Coachella’s first 2027 bookings: himself. The 95-year-old actor recently appeared alongside his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, on CNN with anchor Elex Michaelson. The father-daughter duo co-host the podcast No Time But Now, where they reflect on their experiences surviving stage four cancer–skin cancer in Shatner’s case and breast cancer in Gretsch’s–and the renewed appreciation for life that followed. When Michaelson asked what he was most excited about these days, Shatner didn’t hesitate: “My heavy metal!” he replied, steering the conversation toward his latest creative venture, his upcoming heavy metal album with his newly formed band, The *uckers.
The band, formed earlier this year, features Shatner alongside guitarist and musical director Marcus Nand, bassist Phil Soussan–best known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Idol–guitarist Britt Lightning, and drummer Fred Aching. The group is set to perform material spanning Shatner’s musical catalog while previewing songs from its forthcoming debut album, What the F Is Heavy Metal.
Upcoming Performances
While running through the band’s upcoming schedule, including their live debut at Riot Fest in Chicago on September 20th, Shatner added that they would also be playing “the one in the desert.” Michaelson quickly interjected, “Coachella?” and both Shatner and Gretsch answered in unison, “Coachella,” letting slip a festival booking organizers have yet to announce.
Shatner reflected on his approach to performing with the band, saying, “It isn’t so much, ‘When do I come in?’ but I’ve got to feel the music and then come in with the lyrics,” he said. “It’s all about passion.”
Music Career
As unlikely as a William Shatner metal project may sound, the actor has spent decades boldly carving out a parallel music career alongside his acting résumé. Beginning with his 1968 spoken-word debut The Transformed Man, Shatner has since released a dozen studio albums, collaborating with artists including Ben Folds, Henry Rollins, Joe Jackson, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton, and Iggy Pop. Along with the heavy metal album, Shatner also recently confirmed the release of a new spoken-word project due out in August.
The Coachella mention comes just weeks after Riot Fest unveiled Shatner as one of its most unconventional bookings to date. Festival organizers, who spent years jokingly campaigning to land the actor, accompanied the announcement with an intentionally over-the-top rider that included fire breathers, a DeLorean in place of a golf cart, four feet of Polish sausage, and an assortment of adoptable puppies backstage.
Coachella has not officially announced its 2027 lineup. If his appearance is indeed locked in, the actor will head to Indio in April fresh off his Riot Fest debut. With his upcoming performances and new music releases, William Shatner continues to prove that he is a talented and versatile artist, always looking to push the boundaries of his creativity and entertain his fans.
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