Courtesy of Cleopatra RecordsWilliam Shatner recently released his first Christmas album, Shatner Claus, and the 14-track collection includes a version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” featuring a gritty guitar solo by ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons. The long-bearded Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also appears alongside the Star Trek legend in a new video for the tune that’s posted on Cleopatra Records’ YouTube channel.
Gibbons tells ABC Radio that he had fun collaborating with Shatner, noting, “He does what he does, and he let me do what I do. And it was a happy accident, [a] collision made happy.”
As for what Shatner thought about his contribution to the track, Billy says, “He was rather impressed with the fact that we threw some Texas mud into ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.’ This happy little thing, all of a sudden it’s four flat tires on a muddy road.”
The “Rudolph” video starts with Shatner sitting in an ornate chair serenely reciting the song’s lyrics to a group of children gathered around him. Soon, an actor dressed as one of Santa’s elves joins in to sing the chorus. When the verse comes around again, the video and song kick into high gear, with Shatner — now wearing a gold-sequined jacket and sunglasses — suddenly backed by a rock band featuring Gibbons ripping it up on guitar.
Also on hand for the fun are a variety of adults, some dressed in festive costumes, who dance wildly to the song as confetti rains from the ceiling. A couple of live reindeer also are suddenly part of the celebration.
As previously reported, Shatner Claus also features collaborations with Todd Rundgren, ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle, Cars guitarist Elliot Easton, longtime Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, Jethro Tull‘s Ian Anderson and Iggy Pop.
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