Iq 32 fanzine text version

IQ32 - Issue 1 - Dec 1982

Rudimentary Peni are a three piece band from Kings Langley in Hertfordshire. They were first brought to my attention last October when I heard Jello Biafra raving about their first EP on Outer Himalayan Records. This debut release was indeed a classic as was the follow up on Crass. The band specialise in short, sharp 100 mph blasts ( the two EP’s contain 23 songs between them ) sounding like a cross between Crass and the Dead kennedys.
Q. Usual rubbish, when and why did you form and who influences you ?
A. Formed June 1980, boredom the only reason. We like Crass, Discharge, Gang Green, Necros, Saccharine Trust, Minor Threat, Neos, DK’s, Poisons, and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. Don’t know how much they influence us tho’.
Q. Did you find it hard to put out your own EP and did you get any help from anyone ?
A. Although we got a bit of bread off benevolent buddies, putting out your own EP is fucking murder. All those de-pressing plants rip you off especially if you have the minimum of records pressed up-500. We also got badly ripped off in shitty studios.
Q. How did you get in touch with Crass for the second EP ?
A. Grant went with Don of Stage 1 ‘ zine to interview Crass and they knew of the EP. Grant had one and they liked it and they offered us a record with them which was really good; thanks to Crass. We were pleased with this EP but John doesn’t like the vocals and many people have said they prefer the first EP.
Q. Do you play many gigs ?
A. About 1 a month.
Q. Your songs are all very short-do you play a short set or a normal length one with millions of dead short songs ?
A. We play about 25 minutes with about 16 songs. Playing live is a pain in the arse, who needs it ?
Q. Do you class yourselves as part of the ‘punk scene’ and do you have anything in common with bands like GBH, Business,
Exploited, etc.
A. Inevitably we are part of the ‘punk scene’ but I’m not sure these other bands are. In some ways there are sparse moments during their music tee-hee!. Bands like these suck on the life blood of the punk scene. No doubt they’d say that about us if they ever saw what we fucking look like Ha-Ha !
Q. Are you anarchists – do you think it would ever work ?
A. We are not anarchists but I think anarchy will come about. If it doesn’t happen quickly of course there’s more chance of them destroying the world.
Q. Any future plans – what about gigs up north ?
A. We played the Midlands – Nottingham which wasn’t much fun – we got heckled etc. It’s a pain in the arse I wish we’d stop it.
We’re at work on a 12 “ 45 for Crass who have kindly offered us the opportunity to record on Corpus Christi. At the moment it’s called “Death Church“. Tracks are “ ¼ dead”, “Dutchmen”, “Inside”, “Nothing but a Nightmare”, “Blasphemy Squad”. We hope for 15 minutes a side but we only have about 7 minutes of new material at the moment.

Words to “ ¼ dead”

¾ of the world are starving
The rest are dead
Overdosed on insensitivity
Nail vanished to crosses.

Q. What do you think of Bushell etc ?.
A. He keeps trying to track us down by sending his minions after that tell-tale photo to bury the hatchet in our brains. We wouldn’t do a feature unless they did it without photos. Oi is run by Bushell for his own means.
Q. How did you get the name Rudimentary Peni ?
A. Grant thought of it. So many people hated it we just had to use it.

Thanks to Nick blinko for this interview.