Quick & Dirty: Internal Bleeding Guitarist Chris Pervelis Discusses Cigars, Red Twizzlers, North Korea, and Robert De Niro

Forged in Long Island, New York circa 1991, Internal Bleeding has come a very long way in the past 20+ years. A staple in the death metal scene, the group is once again preparing to pummel their fans with new content. Due out today, September 30, 2014, via Unique Leader records, Internal Bleeding presents their latest masterpiece, Imperium. We wanted to celebrate the album in a fun way, so we grabbed guitarist Chris Pervelis and asked him some random questions!

Favourite Drink and Food?
Pervelis: My favorite non-alcoholic drink is Diet Coke—it’s like liquid crack to me, and my favorite adult beverage is Pappy Van Winkle 20-year Old Family Reserve Bourbon which is impossible to get, but worth the time and money to track it down.

What Internet Search Engine do you use?
Pervelis: I mostly use Google, but sometimes I use Yahoo.

Beer, Wine or Liquor?
Pervelis: Liquor—Bourbon—coupled with a good cigar, it’s a way of life.

Must-have non-musical item when you’re on tour?
Pervelis: I have to have my laptop so I can run my business while on the road.

What 3 things would you have to have in your bag on a road trip?
Pervelis: Other than any music-related items, I always have my portable humidor, baby wipes, and nose spray (Afrin).

What’s the theme song to your life and why?
Pervelis: Black Sabbath’s “Wheels of Confusion” because I always find myself in some kind of situation that completely bewilders me. I always end up asking myself “how the fuck did this happen?”

If your life were a book or movie, what would the title be?
Pervelis: “Headstrong”.

Cats or Dogs?
Pervelis: Cats. I love them. They don’t give a fuck about you, because they run the show. Best of all they know how to go to the bathroom without being taken for a walk.

What are 3 words that describe you?
Pervelis: Ambitious, stubborn and sarcastic.

What quote would you put on your Tombstone?
Pervelis: “My work has just begun.”

What is the Best Movie ever?
Pervelis: That’s a tough one, but I think I would say the first ‘Alien’.

If you could have anything as a pet, what would it be?
Pervelis: A Brontosaurus for sure.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Pervelis: Red Twizzlers.

Top 3 songs of all time?
Pervelis: Black Sabbath “Lord of this World,” Frank Zappa “Montana” and Al Dimeola “Alien Chase on Arabian Desert.”

If you could hang out with a famous person (dead or alive) for one day, who would it be?
Pervelis: Winston Churchill. I just know he would be so much fun to hang out with.

If you could be a cartoon character who would you be?
Pervelis: The Road Runner!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would play the lead role as you?
Pervelis: Ideally Robert De Niro, but, knowing the way things go in my life they’d end up using Scott Biao or Jaleel White, the dude who played Erkel in Family Matters.

You just won a game show and your prize is a dream vacation! Where are you headed?
Pervelis: North Korea, baby! I’ve always been fascinated with that place. Would love to do a show for ‘dear leader’ Kim Jon Un.

How do you drink your coffee?
Pervelis: Milk and sugar, with a cigar.

Favorite book of all time?
Pervelis: The Vision of the Anointed by Thomas Sowell — an Incredibly deep and insightful book — one that opened my eyes to a lot of things.

Name a big guilty pleasure of yours.
Pervelis: Getting in my 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S 340 and beating the daylights out of it, polluting the atmosphere and wasting tons of gas. Come to think about, I don’t feel guilty at all about it, but it’s something I really love to do when I find any free time.

What’s the best venue you have ever played and why?
Pervelis: I don’t remember the name of the venue, but it was in Amqui, Canada in 1994. It was a hockey arena. The place was completely mobbed and we ended up playing our set twice because the crowd couldn’t get enough.

If you could have dinner with any musician (dead or alive) who would it be?
Pervelis: Tony Iommi.

What were you doing in the ’80s?
Pervelis: I was in high school, and it was a great time to be a teenager. I spent my time street racing, going to see bands like Slayer, Motorhead, PIL, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Kennedys and a host of other incredible groups from that age. Oh yeah, I actually did my homework and applied myself in school.

Favourite childhood musical memory?
Pervelis: December 1972 (four years old) — hearing Black Sabbath for the first time (thanks to my sister). It completely changed my life.

What’s your secret to great metal hair?
Pervelis: Cut it off, goddammit!

Check out the song “The Pageantry of Savagery”