I recently sat down with one of the brains behind the metal monster that is Testament, riff master Eric Peterson. We talked about all things metal -- including gear, practicing, touring and more -- in this two-part interview. Keep your eyes peeled for Testament's upcoming release, The Dark Roots Of Earth.

In love with the instrument from the start, Stefanie Drootin has been unwaveringly focused on all things bass. She was never a guitar player first. She didn’t take on the bass because no one else would. Drootin’s brother took her to see fIREHOSE when she was a lass of 15 and bassist Mike Watt simply blew her away.

Is this the right time to record the rock opera you've been putting off? Should you join that death-metal-bluegrass band that keeps inviting you to sit in? Check in every week with Margaret Santangelo's Rock Stars column.

Iggy Pop's recent proclamation about bands today being a bunch of “cheap drinks” you can find at a supermarket got me thinking. But much like Homer Simpson, when I think of a drink, my brain goes directly to beer. If artists today are a bunch of drinks, what kind of beers are they, exactly?