Lead singer/guitarist Nick Blinko is notorious for his witty macabre lyrics and dark pen-and-ink artwork, prominently featured on all of Rudimentary Peni's albums. Blinko is also rumored to have written the band's Pope Adrian 37th Psychristiatric album whilst resident in a psychiatric hospital, having suffered from mental illness most of his life, as such, the subject matter of the album relates to the delusions Nick was experiencing at the time, particularly the idea that he was said Pope. Nick's subject matter has been influenced by the work of H.P. Lovecraft who he had studied after having delusions of the macabre element of life and hereafter. Bassist Grant Matthews has also written a number of songs for the band, though his lyrics primarily focus on sociopolitical themes. The band also features drummer Jon Greville.
Very few photos exist of the band, as their albums feature Blinko's drawings, but artist and record label owner Pushead published a few photos of the band in an early edition of his magazine.
The band had early connections with Crass, and released their Farce EP on Crass Records. Though they stopped performing in the 1980s after bassist Grant Matthews was diagnosed with cancer, they continue to record and release material today, though they rarely give interviews. Nick Blinko has also become increasingly popular in the Outsider Art scene, and wrote an autobiographical novel entitled "The Primal Screamer", revered amongst his fans to be a literary masterpiece.
Musicians of a variety of genres (from thrashcore to death metal to apocalyptic folk) have taken influence from the work of Rudimentary Peni. There is even an all-girl high school cover band that does all Rudimentary Peni. The legend created by Rudimentary Peni is part in thanks to their evasion of media coverage and the spread of misinformation.
A new album, No More Pain EP was released on May 5th 2008. Nick Blinko has also finished a new untitled novel, due out sometime in the near future.
Essence
Rudimentary Peni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a lie,
Our essence no more
Than a ghost
Of superstition.
The lyrics to Rudimentary Peni's song "Essence" convey a sense of skepticism towards the concept of an inner essence, the idea that there is a true self or soul that defines a person's identity. The first line ("Being within is a lie") suggests that this inner essence is illusory, a product of human imagination rather than a objective reality. The next line ("Our essence no more than a ghost of superstition") reinforces this idea, claiming that this essence is no more than a ghost, a spectral vestige of ancient and outdated beliefs.
The song seems to be advocating for a more materialist or existentialist perspective, which emphasizes the physicality and contingency of human life rather than any mystical or transcendent essence. It implies that our identity is shaped by our experiences and our interactions with the world around us, rather than by an inherent, unchanging essence. In contrast to the idea of an inner essence, the song seems to celebrate the diversity and unpredictability of human existence, emphasizing our ability to constantly evolve and reinvent ourselves.
Overall, "Essence" is a thought-provoking and ambiguous song that raises important questions about the nature of human identity and the role of belief in shaping our sense of self.
Line by Line Meaning
Being within
Existing inside oneself
Is a lie,
Is not the truth,
Our essence no more
Our core being is not
Than a ghost
Only a faint presence
Of superstition.
Resulting from beliefs with no evidence
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind