I listen to a lot of music. A lot of it is really good music. When I’m lucky though I find great music, like “Bad Man,” the latest single from Sydney-based Benny Nelson. This track is next level. It starts out as a gentle, introspective ditty before building into an explosive anthem of defiance.
He says it’s “a reflection on decisions and actions I’ve made that I’m not too proud of. Some actions have consequences, and sometimes I felt like I deserved the worst, and it’s been really hard for me to not think that when bad things would happen to me.”
There’s such a spontaneous energy about this single, perhaps because it was recorded in just one day. And if you hear a bit of pain in the vocals, it might not just be a reflection of those personal lyrics. Benny had a toothache, but pushed through to make sure “Bad Man” came out sounding just right.
“I decided to wait until I had recorded the single before getting my tooth pulled the next day in case it interfered with my voice, so that was a painful but memorable experience,” he admitted.
We are pretty lucky we can hear Benny play this track and others live, as his musical career was almost cut short after recording “Bad Man.” He tripped up some stairs while holding a glass, which sliced through the nerves in his hand. Now eight months after the doctors told him his loss of movement and feeling may be permanent, he’s back to doing what he loves. He’s got one last show for 2018. Catch him at Keppel Vibes II, on Great Keppel Island on December 29, with Busby Marou, Christine Anu, and a bunch of other talented acts.
Image used with permission from Footstomp Music