R. K. Cook's video: Going On A Star Trek Musical Tribute

A tongue-in-cheek musical tribute to STAR TREK: The Original Series. Inspired by the beloved series and William Shatner's classic experimental LP from 1968, "The Transformed Man." For optimum aural enjoyment, please listen with headphones. (In other words, the music needs all the help it can get. I'm working with stone knives and bear skins!) Like many folks in the metro Atlanta area, I became a STAR TREK fan in the early 1970s through reruns on WTCG-Channel 17, the UHF forerunner to Ted Turner's Superstation. In 1973, at the age of thirteen, I began publishing a fan magazine, or fanzine, called "The Star Trek Scene." TSTS ran for five issues. The swan song was an ambitious 94-page Annual, published in 1975, and featuring two cool pinups which are rarely found today. I was amazed at the high volume of contributions of artwork and articles that poured in from all over the world. The writers were smart people who recognized STAR TREK as both quality sci-fi entertainment and as an optimistic vision of mankind's distant future. Several TSTS artists, including Bob Smith, Dennis Fujitake and Brent Anderson, went on to careers in the comic book industry. Arkansan John Price was arguably the most prolific and versatile artist, and served as associate editor for the final issue; he frequently worked with another gifted illustrator, David Coffman. Andrew Duckett, an artist from Stone Mountain, Georgia, also had talent to burn and contributed many fine illustrations to the Annual. California artist Greg Vander Leun had a most unique and recognizable style. His superb Mr. Spock portrait graced the cover of Issue 1. Hilariously, I paid him a whole quarter for that drawing, which prompted a sarcastically funny thank you note. Sadly, the work of Mark Robinson, an exceptional artist from Savannah, Georgia, never saw print in TSTS, which folded abruptly when I developed other interests — girls, guitars and The Beatles. Some of his Trek art, however, is represented in this video, along with exceptional pieces from some of TSTS's regular contributors. Through TSTS, I got to rub elbows (sort of) with Trek royalty. STAR TREK creator Gene Roddenberry wrote to thank me for sending him the first issue — what a thrill getting an autographed letter from the Great Bird of the Galaxy himself. Equally thrilling, I was lucky enough in 2015 to obtain two copies of TSTS from the personal collection of Mr. Roddenberry and his wife, Majel Barrett. I corresponded with "The Trouble With Tribbles" writer David Gerrold, who playfully scolded me for the inane questions I asked him for a proposed interview. Publishing TSTS was a family affair. My sister Kay served as typesetter, printing coordinator and my biggest cheerleader. My brother Ken, a budding cartoonist and poet, contributed a lighthearted poem titled "Going On A Star Trek" to Issue 2. That poem — with a few minor alterations by me, his little brother — became the lyrics for this musical Trek salute. It was my brother Keith's job to make good-natured fun of the whole … enterprise. They're all gone now, which makes looking back on TSTS extremely bittersweet for me. Since I failed to keep many copies of TSTS for myself, I'm always snatching them up on eBay, where they turn up regularly. It's gratifying to know something I produced as a chubby, pimply teenager has become a minor collectible. And in 2011, TSTS was referenced in a scholarly article, "Pragmatism and Meaning: Assessing the Message of Star Trek: The Original Series," by two Stephen F. Austin State University professors. Well, that certainly made me feel good! I had tremendous fun putting this video together, writing and recording the music and "singing" in William Shatner's wonderfully original style. I love The Shat! If you're a STAR TREK fan, and you've never listened to "The Transformed Man," you owe it to yourself to do so. Also recommended, the compilation CD "Spaced Out: The Very Best of Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner," a showcase of the duo's questionable musical talent. (I know, I'm one to talk!) Available on Amazon, it's a hysterical hoot. I'd LOVE to hear from anyone and everyone who contributed to "The Star Trek Scene" and find out what y'all have been up to for the past — DAMN! — 40+ years. What have I been up to? Making YouTube videos like this one that nobody watches, that's what! (Message me here on YouTube. I don't do Facebook or any other social media. Always was a bit of a curmudgeonly recluse.) Happy Birthday, STAR TREK! And many, many more. MUSIC RIGHTS NOTICE: "Going On A Star Trek," words and music, is copyright 2016 by Richard Kevin Cook. All Rights Reserved. May not be used for any unauthorized purposes. So there. Special thanks to Joe Cepeda, guru of the delightful "STAR TREK Natures Hunger" web series and an all-around great guy, for his enthusiasm and encouragement.