BRIAN MAY Says TONY IOMMI Will Also Appear On WILLIAM SHATNER's Upcoming Heavy Metal Album: TONY 'Loves A Challenge'

In a new interview with Zoe Ball of U.K.'s Greatest Hits Radio, QUEEN guitarist Brian May confirmed that he will appear as a special guest on "Star Trek" legend William Shatner's surprise metal album. Speaking about Shatner — who played Captain James T. Kirk in the original "Star Trek" series from 1966 to 1969 — May said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "He wasn't a friend of mine, but he is now. We've met on Zoom. What a great guy. He's 95. And he's full of life and vitality and ambition and anger and all this stuff. He's like a kid. I really enjoyed meeting him, and I insisted that I do 'cause I just worked on his track remotely and I said, 'Look, I gotta play this to Mr. Shatner and see his face when he hears it.' And he loved it, so I'm really pleased."

Brian continued: "Yeah, it's a heavy metal album. Here he is, 95 years old, and he's full of rage, rage against the dying of the light. You'll hear it. I mean, I've worked hard on it. He loves it, and I love the song 'cause you might think William Shatner... I mean, if you don't know 'Star Trek', it doesn't mean anything perhaps, but if you've lived like we did through all those editions of 'Star Trek', he's a hero, and he's, in later life, become a real luminary in the world. He does so much for children, so much for the outreach of science. He's a very active man, and for him to step into... Well, it's not... I don't call it heavy metal; I call it rock, really. But it will probably be a heavy metal album because I think Tony Iommi's [BLACK SABBATH] gonna play on it now as well. Tony's really my best mate, so it's easy for me to pick up the phone to him. And Tony's like me — he loves a challenge."

Earlier this week, Shatner revealed that his upcoming heavy metal album will be called "What The F Is Heavy Metal?" The actor and recording artist told Michael Moynihan of "The Moynihan Report" that the title came directly from his initial reaction when his longtime record label, Cleopatra Records, suggested that he make a heavy metal record.

"Cleopatra, the label that I work with frequently, said to me, 'Why don't you do a heavy metal album?' And I said, 'What the F is heavy metal?' Then I heard 'Patience', the song 'Patience' [by GUNS N' ROSES]. So we write a song called 'Impatience'," Shatner shared.

Shatner went on to say that he approached the making of his heavy metal album from the perspective of a curious newcomer.

"You gotta start with the premise that I really know nothing," he explained. "I'm inquisitive. Apparently, I'm inquisitive, and I'm reading and looking up all the time, stuff. So I began to experiment. I fastened on to emotions. I thought heavy metal has gotta be about emotions — violent, passionate… Not violent — passionate emotions."

Other musicians set to appear on "What The F Is Heavy Metal?" include JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford, DISTURBED bassist John Moyer and former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo.

The 95-year Shatner will take the stage with his newly formed heavy metal band, THE *UCKERS, at the Riot Fest on Sunday, September 20 at Chicago's Douglass Park, marking the group's first-ever live performance.

THE *UCKERS feature an all-star lineup of veteran rock musicians, including Marcus Nand on guitar and as musical director, Phil Soussan on bass, Britt Lightning on guitar and Fred Aching on drums. The performance will reimagine songs from throughout Shatner's musical catalog while also previewing material from "What The F Is Heavy Metal?".

The original "Star Trek" series spawned a feature film franchise where Shatner returned as Captain Kirk in seven of the "Star Trek" movies, one of which he directed.