When we covered the debut single from anarcha-femme punk Peni Parker almost a year ago to the day, we knew something wicked this way came. Even still, nothing could have prepared us for her cut-throat new tune ‘Not For Nuns’, which sees Parker wielding the blunt-force power of punk rock, smashing it into the face of institutionally sanctioned abuse with all the grace of a sledgehammer.
Gracious enough to allow us two beats of forewarning, ‘Not For Nuns’ shoulder-barges through the pleasantries, barrelling through to an uppercut of a chorus that will be ringing in your head for some time to come. ‘Not For Nuns’ is a jagged and cutting punk rock trip with a modern edge, a timeless urgency, and above all else, an important purpose.
Explaining the single, Parker shared: “I somehow ended up working with retired nuns during the pandemic in a healthcare setting (living that secret double life) and the stories I heard absolutely broke me…From the church’s large-scale sexual abuse to not reporting well-founded allegations to the police and their blatant inability to reform. Guilty priests were never excommunicated and rarely dismissed, often just shifted to other parishes to inflict harm on another community. Look up the code of canon law…it’s all terrifying – legislation actually preventing bishops and clergy from reporting any allegations.”
“I wanted to almost make a mockery of how fake it all is, preaching kindness but behind closed doors protecting predators…It’s all so self-serving and has ruined the lives of thousands of children.. yet somehow they still hold their titles and maintain power.”
Abrasive and convincing, punk rock has proven to be an effective foe to regressive institutions for decades. Indeed for some time now, punks have been on the frontlines of change. “Punk has always resonated with me,” Parker tells BLUNT. “I love the fierceness of it all, the energy, the look, it doesn’t matter who you are.. to me, it’s about inclusivity and a mutual thirst for creating a better way. You’re actually saying something, standing for something…it’s bigger than the individual experience. A collective hatred for injustice, bigots and blindly following authority. What better weapon to educate people about topics that need more attention?”
Essentially, when artists like Peni Parker begin to plot against you, it’s never a good thing.
