“That would take more space to explain than the audience for this document would probably care to endure,” quips D Madden, sole surviving member of Penal Colony. “A small part of the Reader’s Digest version would be that I suffered a number of health problems, both mental and physical; financial problems, you name it. It took some time to dig my way out of those holes, some of them I’m still working on. Further, I had become disillusioned with the Industrial scene and all of it’s subgenres. For awhile there, things just seemed to be stagnating. As a result, I had all but given up on the idea of making another Penal Colony record. It wasn’t until I heard the Cyberage radio show, and some of the other industrial radio shows on the web, that I got excited about it again.”
And so, with consent from the good graces of fellow founding members Chris Shinkus (Bass) and Jason Hubbard (Drums, Samples, Percussion), Madden forged ahead on his own, and began work on a new collection of songs in early 2001. The fruits of his labor can be heard in the new Penal Colony LP, “UNFINISHED BUSINESS.” Scheduled to drop May of 2003 on DSBP Records. But before jumping forward too far, perhaps we should start from the beginning…
Penal Colony's beginnings go back to the summer of 1992. Three of the original members – Guitarist Andy Shaw, Bassist Chris Shinkus, and Drummer Jason Hubbard – arrived fresh from the corpse of popular Goth-Glam-Punk outfit The Texas Vamps, hailing from California’s Inland Empire. Madden was an Orange County native and Guitarist/Vocalist of L.A. Goth monsters Ex-Voto, exiting in 1991 when the rest of the band relocated to New Orleans. After several months of performing around Hollywood and the Inland Empire, Penal Colony piqued the interest of some record industry types during a show at The Roxy in Hollywood, and after a minor bidding skirmish, was picked up by Cleopatra Records in 1993. The self-described “Punk band with a sampler” saw the release of their debut LP, “PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN” (its title taken from a remark made by Rock n’ Roll legend Chuck Berry in the infamous Chuck Berry “Golden Shower” bootleg) in 1994. Not long after, what began as a 5 song EP evolved into their second long-player in 1995, a remix ECD entitled “5 MAN JOB” that included alternate renditions of their material by the likes of Front Line Assembly, Psychic TV, Spahn Ranch, and Leatherstrip. A national tour was launched in support of “5 MAN JOB”, with Penal Colony as the opening act in a package that included then-labelmates Electric Hellfire Club.
Shaw parted ways with the band shortly after the release of “5 MAN JOB”; Shinkus and Hubbard were unable to be part of the tour, so the audiences for the “5 MAN JOB” tour witnessed an alternate lineup that featured Madden and keyboardist Paris from Roz William’s Shadow Project. Sadly, Penal Colony quickly disintegrated at the end of the tour, plans for a new lineup that would have included Shinkus, Hubbard, Madden, and members of the touring band were scrapped.
Madden relocated to the Northwest in 1998, his ongoing interest in electronica saw the re-formation of pre-Penal Colony project SimStim that year, with an independently released album titled “JACK IN, LOG ON, NOD OUT” dropping in 1999. SimStim played a number of raves and warehouse parties in the Seattle and Portland areas until they dissolved in early 2001.
Another Madden effort that started auspiciously as yet another new side project, Penal Colony's third and latest release, “UNFINISHED BUSINESS”, marks a new era for a 21st century Penal Colony. Drawing equally from Madden’s jungle, drum and bass, and electronica explorations over recent years and the punk/industrial/cold wave power of its days of yore, “UNFINISHED BUSINESS” is an amalgam of styles old and new. From the EBM/Elektro-pumped “Falling Down the Stairs” and “Hypothalamus Now!” to the metallic drill-and-bass onslaught of “Don’t Let them Forget to Tag Your Symptom”, to the old skool Penal Colony hip-hop grind of “Unfinished Business” and the signature mosh-pit-techno pound of “Scion”; “UNFINISHED BUSINESS” simultaneously pulls the sentimental “5 MAN JOB” strings of the listener and challenges with bleeding-edge rhythmic landscapes and textures.
Plans are for “UNFINISHED BUSINESS” to be released both as a CD and Limited Edition CD/"Special Features" DVD release. The DVD will include videos for songs from the record, movie clips on the making of the album, original lyrics and working drafts; and a track-by-track video commentary, with Madden breaking the tracks down into their individual components, and talking about how they came to be.
“I’ve long been a big fan of the ECD medium,” Madden explains, “But one of the things I’ve noticed about it as of late is that no one is really taking it to the level DVD video has taken supplemental content to, and I think that’s sad. Taking this approach to the multimedia content will make it less of an excuse for creating eye candy or a cheap way to drive the listener to the band site, it avoids some of the annoyances attached to listening to a hybrid CD from a computer, and makes it more of a truly immersive experience.”
A band website – www.thepenalcolony.com – was launched January 2003.
How does Madden feel about this new rush of activity for Penal Colony? “It does feel a little scary to have a go of this thing all by myself,” Madden continues, “but I feel good about the new material, and I feel like UNFINISHED BUSINESS is the Penal Colony journey – or incarceration – that I had always wanted to take people on."
Third Life
Penal Colony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Isn't that the way to do it
Wanted to be "free"
Like Tommy falling through the window
Upchuck: thrown against the wall
Braided arms swallowed my troughs
Heard the hypocrites all sing
"You're no better, none the wiser"
Lookout
I've got a third life, a third life
I've got a third life, a third life
Bile ducks the fermentation
Slams the door on children waiting
Selective deafness hastens
Cameras flash and steal my life
Dragged out into the car
Skinheads whistle from afar
I want to see them pick me clean
Crack the ribs and pop the spleen
I've got a third life
Lookout
Wanted to be naked
In front of them to boost the ratings
Wanted to be naked
Regret is here, now I can't see
Now I've got a third life, a third life
I've got a third life, a third life
Responsibility
Don't want a third life, a third life
My kids and me
Don't want a third life
A third life
A third life, a third life
The lyrics of "Third Life" by Penal Colony delve into themes of disillusionment, desperation, and a desire for escape. The opening lines of "Roadkill fascination, Isn't that the way to do it, Wanted to be 'free' like Tommy falling through the window" suggest a sense of morbidity and the desire to escape from a situation that feels oppressive. The singer then refers to being thrown against the wall, with "braided arms" suggestively alluding to restraints, while "swallowed my troughs" suggests the rejection of nourishment. The line "You're no better, none the wiser" can be interpreted as a response to judgment from others, with the singer asserting his independence and freedom in the face of criticism.
The chorus consisting of the repetition of "I've got a third life, a third life" confirms this sense of defiance and determination to escape. The second verse has more violent and graphic imagery, with bile and fermentation slamming doors on children waiting. The line "Cameras flash and steal my life" suggests a sense of victimhood and loss of autonomy, possibly referring to the paparazzi or tabloid culture. The final lines of the verse reveal a desire for self-harm, with the singer inviting the skinheads to "pick me clean" and "crack the ribs and pop the spleen". The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the significance of this "third life" that the singer has found.
The final passage of the song continues the themes of disillusionment and regret, revealing a sense of responsibility towards the singer's children. The assertion "Don't want a third life, a third life" could imply a desire to break this cycle of desperation, while "My kids and me, Don't want a third life" suggest a new source of motivation to break free from these oppressive circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Roadkill fascination
Finding something fascinating even though it is dead like roadkill
Isn't that the way to do it
Questioning if that is really the right way to live
Wanted to be "free"
Desiring to have freedom or liberty
Like Tommy falling through the window
Falling down as if you have lost control, like Tommy (from the rock opera Tommy) falling through a window
Upchuck: thrown against the wall
Nauseated to the point of vomiting (upchuck) and then thrown against the wall
Braided arms swallowed my troughs
Feeling like you are suffocating and unable to breathe properly
Heard the hypocrites all sing
Listening to people who are being insincere or two-faced
"You're no better, none the wiser"
Being told that you are not any better than other people and don't really know much either
I've got a third life
Feeling like you have a new chance at life or that you have survived something that could have killed you
Lookout
Warning others to be cautious or vigilant
Bile ducks the fermentation
Experiencing a physical reaction to stress or anxiety
Slams the door on children waiting
Ignoring or rejecting the needs of others, particularly children who are waiting for help or attention
Selective deafness hastens
Choosing not to hear or respond to certain things in order to avoid confronting them
Cameras flash and steal my life
Feeling like you are losing control over your own life or identity as the media takes over
Dragged out into the car
Being forced or coerced into something, particularly against your will
Skinheads whistle from afar
Hearing or seeing people who are intimidating or threatening
I want to see them pick me clean
Finding a sense of relief or release in the idea of being destroyed or consumed by others
Crack the ribs and pop the spleen
Experiencing physical pain or harm, possibly to the point of internal injury or damage
Responsibility
Acknowledging the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions
Don't want a third life, a third life
Not wanting to have to endure another traumatic or life-threatening experience
My kids and me
Recognizing the importance of protecting and caring for loved ones
Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.