Raul, 23

So what do you do?
I play music. I’ve been playing for a while. I listen to all sorts of stuff — I have a lot of different influences. But for the most part, a lot of grindcore and death metal is what I’m doing now.

You’ve got some way stretchy earlobes, my friend. Do they ever get you into sticky situations?
Jobs were hard to find. I had them really big, about two inches, and I just recently took them out. But yeah, finding a job was difficult. For some reason, people think that if you put gauges in, you’re a masochist. You enjoy pain and you’re like this crazy, tortured person. I’m trying to shrink them right now — I kind of just got over it.

Do they ever get caught in shit?
Yes. We were playing beer pong one day, and my friend actually made the ball through my ear, which was hilarious. I was like, “Fine, you win.” I had to chug all the beer.

What do you have for tattoos?
I’m a big horror fan, so I’ve got an eyeball coming out of a coffin, The Invisible Man over here, and some zombies. I also have Frankenstein’s monster. He kind of represents a lot of what I just talked to you about — being different but not being judged only by what you look like. I have an alien fetus somewhere on my arm... it’s kind of creepy. Some skulls... a lot of dark stuff, I guess.

Do you look for attributes similar to yours when you date someone?
I have dated normal-looking girls, but they’re never as wild as the girls that are a little more out there. I like rough girls, eccentric girls. Girls who aren’t afraid of being themselves and would go on a beer run with me and just go drink at a park, rather than the dinner date. So I’ve tried “normal,” but I always end up going back to the girls who are a little crazier.

Any advice for those people out there struggling with their image?
Just be yourself. That’s the best thing you can say to anybody out there.