Shatner

SHATNER started in 2oo3. It got its name because we thought Captain Kirk was a role model; slightly too old and overweight, but he still got to drive a spaceship and snog green alien women.

The original line up was me (guitar/vocals/songs), my brother Rick (bass), Chris Minz (keyboards and a few songs) and Dick Sharp (drums). We made the album ‘Energise’ quickly and cheaply, apart from the drums the whole thing was recorded in a bedroom. We didn’t expect to get much attention from it, so we were taken aback by the glowing reviews it got, and how it opened doors into the local music scene. It was a great time for Leeds music, and a great time for me to be suddenly plugged into a network of young musicians, many of whom wanted me to go to gigs and drink beer with them.

We added backing vocalists Sarah Niven and Claire Gibbons and embarked on a much more professional recording project with producer Will Jackson. This became “Thirteen O’Clock,” which is arguably the best album of my ‘career.’ It will forever remind me of those heady mid-noughties days.

In 2009 we went dormant, but around 2013 me and Rick decided to give it another go. We borrowed Gareth Chaplin from our friends The Scaramanga Six to drum on the album ‘Wow Signals’ in 2014. Gareth wasn’t the only crossover between our bands; their main guitarist and writer Paul Morricone came on board on lead guitar and later persuaded Ant Sargeant  – a former Scaras drummer – to join.

I’ll remember the line up of me, Rick, Paul, Ant and Sarah as possibly the most ‘kick ass’ live band I’ve ever played in. We made the album ‘Enlightenmental” in 2018.

Shatner is now dormant again. Will it ever pick up the zimmer frame, put its teeth in and boldly go once more? Never say never.