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.
Vampire State Building
Rudimentary Peni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over there in a
Wheelchair, Wheelchair
Stifled in a Straitjacket
Self inflicted Safety pin Wounds, wounds, wounds
is it Punkoid? Devoid? Schizoid? Mumbling?
Vampire state building is crumbling Crumbling Crumbling.
The lyrics of "Vampire State Building" by Rudimentary Peni describe a grotesque person in a wheelchair, stifled in a straitjacket, and covered in self-inflicted safety pin wounds. The singer questions the person's identity, wondering if they are punkoid, devoid, schizoid, or simply mumbling. The overall tone of the song suggests a sense of decay and collapse, as the personification of the titular Vampire State Building seems to crumble and fall apart.
One interpretation of these lyrics is that they criticize the oppressive and dehumanizing nature of society, as represented by the state and its institutions. The person in the wheelchair can be seen as a symbol of the marginalized and the dispossessed, who are trapped and immobilized by the system. The safety pin wounds can be seen as a form of rebellion, a way of resisting the conformity and uniformity imposed by the state. The crumbling of the Vampire State Building can be seen as a metaphor for the collapse of the system itself, as it fails to accommodate the diversity and complexity of human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
What's that festering Grotesque
Who or what is that disgusting and horrifying entity?
Over there in a
Located in a distance or direction from the singer
Wheelchair, Wheelchair
Sitting in a wheelchair, perhaps due to physical or mental impairments
Stifled in a Straitjacket
Restricted and limited by a tight garment that prevents movement and expression
Self inflicted Safety pin Wounds, wounds, wounds
Self-harm injuries caused by using a safety pin, reflecting a state of emotional distress or mental illness
is it Punkoid? Devoid? Schizoid? Mumbling?
Questioning the identity or state of the person in the wheelchair, suggesting possible diagnoses or characteristics
Vampire state building is crumbling Crumbling Crumbling.
Metaphorically describing a deteriorating and corrupt system or society that is on the verge of collapse
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric M
Me & a buddy fried on acid back in 1986 while listening to the Death Church album. Believe me, you definitely don't want to hear this when you're having a bad trip. This song in particular freaked me out. ;-)
Necessarydef
Death church the best punk album ever - i saw them in welwyn gdn city - people just didnt get it - it was fuckin sad -
DroogMonkey
My mind is blown. Im more of an "eps of rp" fan, but this song is a trip and a half, nice upload. Nice to see a RP fan here on youtube. 5 stars mate
Gavin Von Em
Peni is just something else entirely. Farce and Death Church have so much goddamn music packed into them -- with songs under a minute long that feel complete and make you almost exhausted. But then you want to hear them again.
Bob Kacmar
I need to get this CD or buy a record player. I still have the album I bought back in the 80's but no way to listen to it now. The album cover is amazing! It actually folds out to an amazing Blinko poster. This band is what really got me interested in punk.
Stefan Swanson
BEST FUCKING BAND EVER. THIS IS REAL PUNK. UNDERGROUND PUNK. ACTUAL PUNK.
M.C. O'Neill
'Primal Screamer" is a remarkable novel. Can't believe he wrote it.
CosmeticPlague104
Death Church is amazing. =)
erick s
I must learn this on my bass!!!!
nuttytexture
this song means so much to me.