Rudimentary Peni was a band that lurked in the shadows of success of the British anarcho-punk movement, occassionaly venturing into what would become to be known as deathrock. The band's lyrics alternate between witty macabre (written by Nick Blinko) and socio-political lyrics (written by Grant Brand). Lead singer/guitarist, Nick Blinko is popular in the Art Brut scene and wrote an autobiographical novel entitled The Primal Screamer. Blinko's lyrics and novel are both heavily influenced by Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
They are first and foremost a band dedicated to conjuring images of doom and gloom. Nick Blinko has described himself as "dressed entirely in black...on the darker, Gothic side of Romantic", and the band as "gothic". A quick perusal of their lyrics demonstrates this, with such topics as coffins, corpses, suicidal depression, hearses, and death in its various forms. While they did have some song lyrics of a more political nature (yet still juxtaposed with the macabre in most cases), this was largely due to bassist Grant's teenage delvings into the scene, and were not written by Nick, nor endorsed by drummer Jon, who was "not even a vegetarian". So all those thoughts about Peni being a major Anarchist group should be firmly put to rest and buried.
Musicians working in a variety of genres (from thrashcore to death metal to apocalyptic folk) have been influenced by the work of Rudimentary Peni. The legend created by Rudimentary Peni is thanks in part to their evasion of media coverage and the spread of misinformation.
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It is true that Blinko has struggled with mental illness all his life, and this is reflected in his musical and artistic efforts. In fact, "Pope Adrian 37th" was recorded while Blinko recovered from a lengthy illness, and is believed to be the only punk album ever made whilst a band member was being detained under Section 3 of the 1983 Mental Health Act. The subject matter of the album relates to the delusions Blinko was experiencing at the time, particularly the idea that he was the pope referred to in the title, Adrian IV.
Blinko draws intensely dense and detailed compositions of faces, figures and obsessive patterns, which at times also incorporate fragmented phrases. Diagnosed as suffering from Schizoaffective disorder, and in the past hospitalized, Blinko creates his pictures when not taking therapeutic medication that adversely affects his ability to work. His art conjures a nightmarish, anxiety-ridden world where inner demons might be exorcised through repetitive graphic marks. Out of thousands of tiny flecks and dashes emerge elaborate visions of skeletons, mysterious symbols and religious figures. Reminiscent of the macabre images of Goya or James Ensor, Blinko creates a personal iconography that evokes the magic and menace of a rich imagination.
