Rudimentary Peni (1980 - present) emerged from the anarcho-punk scene in th… Read Full Bio ↴Rudimentary Peni (1980 - present) emerged from the anarcho-punk scene in the UK in the early eighties as one of the most novel and recognizable acts of the era.

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.

Play
Rudimentary Peni Lyrics

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(Rock and Roll beast is dead, but your hunger must be fed)

Come on everybody join your hands
Come in everybrain clap new bands
Come in everybody clap your hands
Come on everybrain join new bands

We all play the same old chords

We all tread the same old boards

Come on everybody join your hands
Come in everybrain clap new bands

Come in everybody clap your hands
Come on everybrain join new bands

Overall Meaning

"Play" by Rudimentary Peni appears to be an invitation to people to embrace new and exciting music, the antithesis of rock and roll music, which is described as being "dead". The opening line "Rock and Roll beast is dead, but your hunger must be fed" is the first reference to rock music being dead, which in the context of the song is a metaphor for the monotony of mainstream rock music.

The repetition of the phrase "come on everybody" and "come in everybrain" suggest that there is an urgency and immediacy to discover new music. The power to discover new music lies within everyone's mind, but it is only possible if people are willing to expand their horizons and leave behind the same familiar and predictable songs that the music industry continues to churn out.

The lines "We all play the same old chords, We all tread the same old boards" emphasise the repetitive nature of rock music and the need to break free from the established conventions of the genre. The use of the word "boards" also suggests the idea of a theatrical performance, where musicians are expected to follow a script or a setlist in this case, which is limiting and lacks creativity.

Overall, "Play" by Rudimentary Peni encourages listeners to explore new music and to break free from the confines of mainstream rock and roll.

Line by Line Meaning

Come on everybody join your hands
Let's come together as a group

Come in everybrain clap new bands
Introduce us to new music, stimulate our brains

Come in everybody clap your hands
Let's show appreciation for the music

Come on everybrain join new bands
Open your mind to discover new bands

We all play the same old chords
We keep repeating the same kind of music

We all tread the same old boards
We keep performing in similar venues

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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