In my ongoing series on starwars.com of interviews with bands and celebs who dig Star Wars, I chatted with two fans on opposite sides of the music spectrum -- Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and Nickel Creek's Chris Thile.

Chris Thile -- mandolin player and singer for the Grammy-winning progressive folk/bluegrass trio Nickel Creek is not only a big fan, but he also plays the Star Wars customizable card game and reads a lot of the EU books and comics. And if that wasn't enough, he actually serenaded Carrie Fisher on the mandolin playing Princess Leia's Theme!

Sample quote from his interview:

"What happened next is still blurry, but she said something like, 'I wanna hear what you were going to play for me' and though I protested mightily, somehow, I found myself kneeling down in front of her playing 'Princess Leia's Theme,'" Thile fondly recalls. "She had a kind of distant look on her face at first, but after 15 seconds, a smile (of reminiscence, I think) was added. At one point, one of her friends leaned over and asked her what I was playing, to which she responded 'It's my theme!' I finished and launched into another round of apologetic prostration, but she silenced me by thanking me and -- oh, how I'll cherish this memory for the rest of my life -- feeding me a piece of bread. 'Nobody's ever done that for me before,' she said. Ms. Fisher, should you ever read this, I can now die happy."

Check out the full interview here:
Nickel Creek Serenades Princess Leia

While Thile plays sweet music for the princess, Benante keeps a beat drumming for the iconic metal legends Anthrax -- sometimes while wearing a Darth Vader helmet!

Of course, Vader isn't the only character he admires...

Sample quote from this interview:

"I identify the most with Nien Nunb," Benante smiles. "I sometimes mumble in the morning and it sounds like I'm speaking Sullustan. And it continues to sound that way until I have my coffee."

You can read the rest of it here:
Faster, More Intense: Anthrax on Star Wars

Next up on deck: Fallout Boy, Aqualung, Viva Voce and Snow Patrol!