Cradle of Filth: Our Kind of Scum and Villainy

Captivating crowds of minions with their dark theatrical stage shows showcasing their symphonic death metal sounds, British band Cradle of Filth would easily find their way into Darth Vader's iPod, if he had one. With albums like The Principle of Evil Made Flesh, Vempire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein and Damnation and a Day, Cradle of Filth's music isn't likely to be happily hummed by Ewoks.

Compared to such legendary acts as Iron Maiden and Christian Death, the band consists of Dani Filth (singer), Paul Allender (guitar), Dave Pybus (bass guitar), Martin Skaroupka (drums), Charles Hedger (guitar), Sarah Jezebel Deva (backing vocals) and Rosie Smith (keyboards). Along with their darker influences such as H.P. Lovecraft, John Milton, Clive Barker, "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Bathory, and werewolves (their music found its way on the soundtrack to Ginger Snaps), a few of the band members -- Filth, Hedger and Pybus -- also are die-hard Star Wars fans with impressive toy, comic, book and game collections. All three began their quest as fans at an early age, often daydreaming of Star Destroyers before they could run to the local theater.

"I was into Star Wars before I could walk," Hedger says. "I have no memory of the first time I saw A New Hope or The Empire Strikes Back. I just grew up knowing them."

"I remember my father taking me to see the first film back in 1977 when I was five and being so overawed by the whole thing," Filth says. "I suppose you could say my first memory would've been seeing the seemingly never-ending underneath of an Imperial Star Destroyer!"

Pybus' induction into the Force centered less on the films initially and more on the mysterious merchandise. "Way back in late 1977, just before the first movie was released in the U.K., the collector cards appeared in my local newspaper store," Pybus recalls. "They became popular around school (I was seven at the time) and I managed to save up and buy a few packs. I remember looking through them with my grandfather who unfortunately died before the movie was released a few months or so later. I just remember him being quite interested in the cards with R2-D2 and C-3PO as he'd never seen anything like that before. Saying that, neither had I. Shame he never saw the film. I think he would have liked how it made us kids so happy."

"When the film was finally released in early 1978, I was on a family holiday on the east coast of England," Pybus continues. "My parents would take us to see movies at the cinema if it rained on any particular day. So, obviously being North England, it rained, and my mom said she'd take us to see this new Star Wars film. I was so excited I couldn't sit still. Fifteen minutes into the movie I was mesmerized by what was going on, grabbed my mom by her arm whispering, 'Mom, Mom look!' Only to then notice... she was asleep!"

"The first scene with the Star Destroyer chasing the blockade runner made me a fan," Pybus adds. "From that very first image I was hooked. I mean, that initial visual alone blew everyone away -- the sheer size of the shot. Amazing!"

As with many fans, as soon as the Star Wars bug bit them, their toy boxes began to resemble mini-sets from the saga, filled to the top with ships, bounty hunters, Sith Lords, Jedi, droids and bizarre-looking aliens. "It was a shame I couldn't afford more than I actually acquired at the time, but having three other brothers I couldn't collect too much of one toy line," Pybus says. "Friends and I would try buying different things so we could group all our toys together and play in the garden. My friend had the cardboard Death Star, which I was very jealous of. I wonder where that is today?"

"My favorite toy was the Slave I that I got for my 10th birthday in 1980," Pybus adds. "I loved the weird design. No one at school understood why it was so cool to me. Boba Fett rocked. Simple."

"My favorite toys were the Millennium Falcon, the AT-AT, CAP-2 or the Scout Walker, though I always wanted a full size Imperial Star Destroyer to play with," Filth says. "My favorite figure was either the Biker Scout, TIE Fighter pilot or any of the cantina aliens and Jabba's Palace crew."

"Star Wars toys were pretty much all I played with as a child," Hedger says. "I think my favorite toy was the Rancor or the AT-AT."

Now that the lads are adults, their collecting habits are a bit more sophisticated. "I collect only toys I like," Pybus says. "I don't really go for the slippers and Ewok plushies. My pride is the overall collection I have as I enjoy all of it equally. And it's still growing."

"Recently I bought a bunch of Galactic Heroes mini figures as I thought they were cute," Filth says. "Of course, anything to do with Darth Vader is a must and I am hoping to buy a life-size replica soon. I've just bought a life size black Dalek from the new 'Doctor Who' and I think it needs a chum! However, my pride and joy item would have to be my Darth Vader lightsaber replica."