When The Crystal Method's Scott Kirkland first saw A New Hope as a small child in a packed theater one summer evening in 1977, he discovered a fantastical galaxy full of droids, stormtroopers and cantina aliens that would forever change how he gazed upon the night sky.

"No memory is as powerful as the first time I saw Star Wars," Kirkland says. "My parents took me to see it on my seventh birthday. It was amazing; I remember being hypnotized by the screen. The themes of good and evil strike to the core of every human being and the characters George Lucas created stay with you. For me Star Wars fed my imagination. The night I walked out of the movie theater in the summer of 1977, I looked at the stars in a very different way. The minute it was over I begged my parents to bring me back. I think I saw it about ten times that summer."

Kirkland became obsessed with the film and the endless collectibles associated with the characters and vehicles seen on the big screen. "I had all the action figures, toys, cards, sheets and everything else Star Wars," Kirkland continues. "I just wish I would have taken better care of it all. But, I had fun with it all at the time. I did start collecting again when the original series was re-released and continued to collect from the prequels. It was like visiting the child in me that could not wait to go to the toy store and find the new action figures. Unfortunately for my wallet, the Internet made finding Star Wars toys so much easier."

Kirkland also has fond memories of many a Halloween spent trick or treating as either the Dark Lord of the Sith or his son. "Of course, I dressed up on Halloween," Kirkland smiles. "Every kid wanted to be Vader with his lightsaber, and I think I dressed up as Luke one year."

But of all the characters in the films, he appreciates the unlikely heroes most. "Han Solo is one of my favorites," Kirkland admits. "He's the sarcastic unwilling hero of the first three films, and I always wished I could fly the Falcon. Of course, R2-D2 is really the hero of the series. He seems to save everybody in every picture."

After seeing the original trilogy, Kirkland says he felt inspired to let his dreams influence his future as a budding musician, so much so that years later he made sure to thank filmmaker George Lucas in his liner notes. "Episodes IV-VI are how I got hooked," Kirkland says. "Seeing A New Hope ignited my imagination. I realized at an early age to expand my thought and dreams beyond that little movie theater in Las Vegas. That's why I thanked George Lucas on our first album Vegas."

Kirkland and his music partner Ken Jordan started The Crystal Method (their band name refers to a crush they both had on a girl named Crystal) in the mid-1990s, specializing in the breakbeat style of techno music. Their debut single, "Keep Hope Alive" -- which implored ravers and club kids to continue supporting the local dance party scene -- was a huge hit and anthem for their rapidly growing audience of fans. Due to the duo's extensive live performances in clubs and their catchy tracks finding their way on the playlists of rather hard-to-impress radio jocks, The Crystal Method soon signed with Geffen's Outpost Recordings in 1996. A year later they released their debut record Vegas featuring dance-worthy rock, big beat and hip-hop tracks. The duo followed up four years later with Tweekend, as well as various mix albums called Community Service I and II. Legion of Boom was released in 2004.

The Crystal Method's infectious beats soon found their way onto popular movie soundtracks including Bones, Blade II, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Lost in Space, Spawn, Zoolander, XXX, The Replacement Killers and London, as well as TV episodes of "Dark Angel," "Alias," and their hit song "Keep Hope Alive" was used as the theme to "Third Watch." The electronica band also scored music for such video games as "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell," "Donkey Konga 2," "Need for Speed: Underground" and "N2O: Nitrous Oxide."

Even with The Crystal Method's busy recording and touring schedule, Kirkland made a point to continue the tradition of seeing the latest Star Wars film by also supporting a good cause at the same time. "The band was on tour, and we were playing in Baltimore," Kirkland remembers. "My wife and I drove into D.C. to attend the special charity premiere -- having attended the two previous premieres in Los Angeles."

As he watched Anakin's emotional descent to the dark side, Kirkland says he was more than impressed with actor Ian McDiarmid's portrayal of the Emperor. "I loved Revenge of the Sith!" Kirkland says. "I think Lucas did an amazing job of telling the back story to one on the most incredible adventures ever to appear on the big screen. Even though many fans were nit-picking every detail, I just think it wrapped up perfectly. All the scenes between Palpatine and Anakin moved me. Ian McDiarmid should have been nominated for a supporting Oscar for his role."

As with all Star Wars films, the music plays an important element to the story's emotional scenes, and Kirkland was quick to point out the score's impact on the audience. "John Williams captured the audience in the opening scroll of the first Star Wars," Kirkland says. "A soundtrack can really affect the mood and tone of a picture. Williams allows the movie audience to close their eyes and follow along to the action and emotion on the screen. Every time I hear the Star Wars theme, I remember back to when I was a little kid sitting in my living room playing the double disc vinyl score."

Kirkland's appreciation also extends to the actual props used in the films, so much so that he made sure he was one of many who attended the first official gathering of Star Wars fans in 1999. "I went to the first Celebration in Denver for the release of Episode I," Kirkland recalls. "That was enough for me. I loved looking at all the props from the movies."

Now that Kirkland is a new father, he's excited to share his fandom with the next generation. "The day I'm truly looking forward to is introducing the Star Wars saga to my son," Kirkland smiles. "I can't wait until he is old enough to watch Episodes I-VI in order. That will be awesome!"

To find out more about The Crystal Method, visit the official band site here. Also check The Crystal Method MySpace profile here to listen to new tracks.

Stay tuned to Star Wars Rocks for more interviews from some of your favorite bands and celebrities.