Folds Puts His Career On Hold To Concentrate On Shatner Project

William Shatner's pop career has been given a boost - former Ben Folds FIVE star BEN FOLDS has shelved his own solo album to work with the Star Trek actor.

Folds has written most of the tracks on Shatner's comeback album and agreed to produce the project, HAS BEEN, and he's so impressed with the actor's efforts that he has agreed to put his own career on ice to help get his pal back in the charts.

Folds says, "It is a great record and it is really worth going out and doing some shows in major cities (with Shatner).

"He is not a musician at all... but he is still part of the music. I've never heard a record quite like it."

Shatner, who scored a novelty hit in the 1970s with a spokenword version of THE BEATLES' LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS, previously guested on Folds' 1998 solo album FEAR OF POP.

Has Been also features collaborations with Los Angeles punk icon HENRY ROLLINS and Joe Jackson, who teams up with the actor on a cover of Pulp hit COMMON PEOPLE.