Jerry Impini – “Been Bad For Me” – pioneering the “Dueling Piano Rock” sound!
The term ‘rock’ is such a broad term, it makes it hard for artists in the genre to get any special recognition for what they do within that style. So, how does a new artist from the genre stick out at all? You add piano, of course! Not once, but twice! How? Simple, you invent and pioneer your own sub-genre, calling it “Dueling Piano Rock”. So what we have is a double-handed rhythm piano stem, plus a double-handed lead piano stem, both playing simultaneously on the same track. This apparently, has never been done before, thus stands as the first original song recording of its kind in rock n’ roll history, as far as we’re led to understand. This is what Dallas, Texas, classically trained musician, Jerry Impini did, and the result is “Been Bad For Me” – a track filled with nonstop high-energy catchiness, which has been raking in the accolades from fans, the media, and critics alike.
First off, let’s just cut to the chase; this track would not be half the track it is without the piano. It’s clear that Jerry Impini has structured his music behind the keyboards, in a way that few have done before. The pianos are the true heart and soul of this song – they are the motor and driving core of “Been Bad For Me”. And they are firing on all cylinders here.
The other instruments do a good job of complimenting the pianos, but for the most part they serve as backups to the stars of the show, which are the keyboards themselves, and Jerry’s lead vocal, which ultimately carries the high rising tune to where it needs to go.
Jerry Impini stays within the realms of piano driven rock n’ roll here, which some dimwitted hipsters may write off as mainstream or generic Americana based music, but his blunt honesty and pure love for crafting his music will melt the hearts of any naysayers and “Been Bad For Me” does exactly that.
This is a song that not only defines Jerry Impini as a pioneer in the “Dueling Piano Rock” scene, but also reinforces the notion that he knows how to rock. Jerry really had a handle on what he wanted to do here, because it came out exceedingly well.
Lyrically, the theme is centered on a love gone bad: “What’s in it for me, It’s how I’m feelin’, and Who do ya think are you cheatin’. I wanna say something to you, I know what you’re all about. Way out of line, make a mistake. Ya rip up and throw me away, Yeh, Yeh.”
Straightforward and to the point, Jerry Impini doesn’t waste time with cryptic messages and pretty prose, as he gets the weight off his chest in the quickest time possible. “Ya Been Bad For Me. So clear to see,” exclaims Jerry, leaving no doubt or misunderstanding of his thoughts.
Instead of emulating the actual sounds or styles of his musical influences, Jerry Impini focuses on integrating his own emotion, energy, songwriting and performance skills into his songs. And that really proves to listeners that he is conscious of the quality of the music he wants to produce.
In a time when many artists and bands struggle to maintain their own identity and unique sound, amid the monotony of many other pop-rock acts, Jerry Impini is flourishing on his own terms. “I played all the individual parts myself using one particular keyboard and one particular multi-track recorder,” explains Jerry, while speaking of “Been Bad For Me”. “I also used the same cheap $40 microphone I pretty much use in all of my recordings.”
If that’s not the mark of an unpretentious, uncompromising and truly confident artist, then please tell me what is.
