‘We Are Stars’ “Intersecting the Solar System between Bowie & Kate Bush” Launch, Videos, Photos, Album Reviews + Experience it Live Once Again in April!
March 27, 2024 § Leave a comment
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An album is like a being,
it wants to tell its story,
it wants to reach out, it wants to tell the world what it has to offer.
An album is like a book, songs are its chapters,
the writers, the music workers
shape them into being
and gently lead them out through recordings
and live performances...
‘WE ARE STARS’ OUT NOW
Raf and O We Are Stars Album Launch, St Mark’s Regent’s Park, 21 October 2023 © Marcus Portée
Raf and O We Are Stars Album Launch, St Mark’s Regent’s Park, 21 October 2023. Captured by David Plaice
We’re immensely proud of this album, you can show your support by getting it HERE! We’re very grateful for such wonderful reviews, thank you to all respective writers and publications and to those who purchased the album; ‘We Are Stars’ launched in the beautiful settings of St Mark’s, Regents Park, thirty-two stars peeking down on us, an intimate show. Many thanks to all who came and captured the event, to dear friend Klarita Kaparte for promoting and hosting, Mal Robinson for filming and Marcus Portée who voyaged from Bruxelles to photograph Raf and O We Are Stars Album Launch. Plus, a BIG thanks as always to the Constellationists.
If you missed the launch or fancy some more ‘We Are Stars’ action, we are performing it live online, in two parts on Tuesday 16 April and 23 April 2024, 8pm UK time, tix + links below.
WE ARE STARS (PART 1)
WE ARE STARS (PART 2)
Working on new songs is now a regular happening, the songwriting container is getting drip fed and our Constellation Club is in full swing – the Constellationists are getting to hear these new songs in the making and of course you could be one too. Yearly membership on our Bandcamp merch page includes a handwritten conceptualised book for all the songs of ‘We Are Stars’, access to on going compositions and original art is in the mix too.
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WATCH ‘Still Sitting In Our Time Machines’ Official Video (premiered on God Is In The TV Zine)
WATCH ‘Andy Under Stars’ filmed Live by Mal Robinson at St Mark’s Regent’s Park. ‘Andy Under Stars’ is the story of a homeless character obsessed with Andy Warhol.
“Intersecting the solar system between Bowie & Kate Bush”
GOD IS IN THE TV ZINE
“Raf and O have been purveyors of effervescent, avant-garde pop since 2008 … from apocalyptic, electronica-hued mini-symphonies to elegant, left-field David Bowie covers. ‘We Are Stars’ brings a sense of playfulness … Mischievous and bewitching”
ELECTRONIC SOUND
“The most exquisite album yet from Raf and O…You may remember ‘Tommy Newton’ as David Bowie’s character in the SF masterpiece ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth – in the song Raf gives the perspective of Newton’s lover Mary-Lou…tapping into not only the film character but evoking Bowie himself…from the soulful glam-swagger of ‘Still Sitting in our Time Machines’, through the indie-folk vocal acrobatics of ‘Andy under Stars’ and torch-song delicacy of the title track, to the frenetic 80s synth onslaught of ‘Every Time It’s Bleak, We Dance’…The gorgeous closer, ‘Waterloo’ has the stately progression of a rock ‘n’ roll era ballad…it’s not as if Raf and O simply sound like either Bowie or Bush. As I said, they’ve long sounded like no-one but themselves. It’s what they take from them in attitude, fearlessness: the way Raf’s voice swoops and soars without apparent boundaries”
ARTMUSELONDON
“We Are Stars is an incredible album. Omnipresent throughout, there’s the angular, shredded and bended guitar of Scary Monsters era Robert Fripp and Carlos Alomar, and the strangely interesting progressions of the arty-pop and dress-up of that album. The titular song itself an alternative, stressful The Man Who Fell To Earth soundtrack, yet recalls the influence of Tricky and Portishead. Lou Reed meets Marianne Faithful, Kate Bush meets Jane Birkin, Lene Lovich meets Latin-flavoured Banshees …. Sublime.”
MONOLITH COCKTAIL
“Pop-xotica? Supernatural Folk? Post Prog Punk? One of 2023’s finest”
THE SOAP COMPANY
Come discover ‘WE ARE STARS’
Out on CD + all digital platforms
+
Look forward to perform for you live on
INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE
Love, Raf and O 🌟✨
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
Raf and O Celebrate The Birth Of Their New Album ’We Are Stars’ With A Launch At St Mark’s Regents Park + Gold And Silver Lines: Trails From Constellation Club + Eyeliner Live Video
September 30, 2023 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O ⓒ 2023
Dear all …
we’re inviting you to a special London show.
After many months of writing and producing, we’re bringing to you the new album, our fifth!
Raf and O Launch
‘We Are Stars’
St Marks Regents Park, Saturday 21 October, 3PM
TICKETS
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We Are Stars Album Launch Poster – Design Klarita Kaparte and Raf and O
Multi-faceted and cinematic in inspiration, reflecting our contemporary society flourishing and struggling simultaneously.
Inspired by movies, life and stars, tinged in retro futuristic 50s blues, edgy and anxiety ridden, upbeat, thoughtful and metaphoric,
can be summarised as existential arty poetic visual pop for the 21st century.
From the leading single ‘Still Sitting In Our Time Machines’, a funky retro-futuristic track concerned with our human journey, dealing with themes of science fiction crossing over into modern reality to ‘There’s Nothing I Want More’, edgy angular catchy and existential, to the poignant ‘Waterloo’ – “Wherever we are that’s our place” and the spiralling ‘Cheap Champagne‘. From ‘Tommy Newton’, a love song Raf has written from the perspective of Mary-Lou inspired by The Man Who Fell To Earth (the 1976 science fiction film starring David Bowie and Candy Clark) to ‘Eyeliner’, a story of a young star always ready for the show – “A casualty of pleasure”, but he’s also a catalyst for change, “a dandy of the new world”. From ’Andy Under Stars’ depicting a homeless character heavily obsessed with Andy Warhol to ‘Tear The Page’ inspired by Kill Your Darlings a film on the early days of the beat writers and ‘Altered Reality’, indirectly inspired by The Matrix.
‘Tommy Newton’ earned accolades when it came out in 2021 as footage from Raf and O’s first live performance and was described as intoxicating, reflective, artistic and dramatic by God Is In The TV Zine and spellbinding by Monolith Cocktail
Unravel this and more …
THE WHOLE ALBUM WILL BE PERFORMED LIVE,
A UNIQUE CHANCE, A MATTINEE SHOW, 3PM,
IN THE IDYLLIC SETTING OF ST MARK’S, REGENTS PARK,
PROMOTED ONCE AGAIN BY
DEAR FRIEND KLARITA OF KAPARTE,
CATCH THE LAST GLIMPSES OF BRITISH SUMMER TIME,
WITH A FREE GLASS OF WINE,
LIGHT FROM THE BIGGEST STAR
SEEPING THROUGH THE WINDOW,
WHILST EXPERIENCING ‘WE ARE STARS’ LIVE!
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!
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Raf and O perform at Schtumm Box Wiltshire May 2023. Photo by Louie
Trails From Constellation Club
Constellation Club, Raf and O’s new club with bespoke and exclusive items of merch, Raf’s original art and secret songs of the future, was launched last June on Bandcamp as two items of merch – Shine with Raf and O and Dazzle with Raf and O. Our fans who have joined the club so far, have fed back that they are cherishing the handwritten black books of ‘We Are Stars’, that they were unexpected in size and a wonderful thing to have. The books have been conceptualised and adorned in golden and silver ink and they are truly a one off, no book is the same as the next. Visual art is in the mix in the form of portraits and secret songs of the future have been and are flowing into the club, a mix of super early days renditions, behind the scenes updates, new lyrics, names on releases and more. We’re very grateful to the ‘Constellationists’ for supporting this direct to fans approach and we are welcoming new members. A huge thank you to Marcus Portee, Adrian Burns, Adrian Ainsworth and David Plaice.
CONSTELLATION CLUB – SHINE WITH RAF AND O
CONSTELLATION CLUB – DAZZLE WITH RAF AND O
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Above excerpts from ‘Cheap Champagne’ ⓒ Raf and O 2023
So we’re thrilled …
Summer 2023 saw us conceptualising and designing ‘We Are Stars’ album artwork, setting up a photoshoot and making … a new official video that is silently screaming its way towards you, featuring a huge star of the silver screen, we kid you not! Meanwhile, we leave you with a live video performance of ‘Eyeliner’ filmed last May in Box, Wiltshire, many thanks to Schtumm for having us!
God Is In The TV Zine says of Eyeliner: “A mysterious tale of an outsider …It swells into a soaring 50s-tinged chorus that swirls with the atmosphere of a back road Blues club”
See you at the launch!
October 21, 3PM
RAF AND O ALBUM LAUNCH SHOW
Love
Raf and O 🌟✨
Raf and O – ‘Eyeliner’ Live at Schtumm Box Wiltshire 21 May 2023
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Strength Through Hard Times, Constellation Club: All Details, Box Schtumm Show, Spring Inter-Pla-Net-Live and Ashes To Ashes Live Video + LIAVFOS
April 14, 2023 § Leave a comment
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So much has happened since the last blog so this is going to be extensive. Life throws things at you and this time it hit hard. A really tough December and I lost my mum at the start of January. From this profound sadness and though undoubtedly walking the difficult path of grieving for a while yet, life carries on and I’m reaching from within to be able to carry on the journey. Raf and O is the vehicle and the motivation is strong if not stronger. Through hard times strength comes.
We performed in West Kirby Arts Centre last November to an excellent reception. Special thanks to Mal Robinson for filming us on stage and for the realisation of this video. I dedicate it to my mum up in the stars and to my dad who returned to the stars many moons ago … with all my love …
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Raf and O -‘Ashes To Ashes’ (David Bowie Cover) Live at WKAC. Filmed by Mal Robinson
O Richard Smith performs live at West Kirby Arts Centre. Captured by Mal Robinson
Stars On The Horizon
I’ve done a lot of writing recently, so much more than this album that’s coming up … next one has already being conceived, literally …
We saw Moonage daydream, Brett Morgen’s film exploring David Bowie and it was wonderful! Poignant, beautifully, chaotically and creatively edited, Bowie’s music and persona gloriously attacking our senses, his mentoring presence intimately speaking to us through his journey of discovery. I came away from the cinema inspired. And to keep pursuing. Creators must keep going, platforms are increasingly difficult but we’re scratching the surface of a possible way forward, glimpsing through excitement and trepidation (haven’t done this sort of thing before) we have fleshed out what we originally concocted as our Constellation Club. It will soon be a reality.
CONSTELLATION CLUB
a club by Raf and O
where song stars are born
LAUNCHING 12 JUNE – THE DETAILS!
Launching in June ahead of upcoming releases, we really have pondered this throughout and decided that to be able to logistically make it all happen, it could only work as a yearly subscription. Constellation Club tiers will work as two items of Merch on Bandcamp, offering all described below + posts on facebook accessible to those who join the club only – members will be notified by email when posts are up. I will update the links here as soon as we launch!
(NOW UP AND RUNNING HERE! https://rafando.bandcamp.com
Keep reading!
Independent Artists in the 21st Century are increasingly relying on those who believe in the impact of artistic output as a way of enriching all our lives and the inner power that is generated as a result.
We are Raf and O, we create songs, music, art, interpretations, performances, we direct all our projects.
Can you support Raf and O creating and releasing music and more? Would you like to support weekly monthly yearly writing, your name on our album, get to see new lyrics and hear new songs before anybody else, get to own an original unique and bespoke booklet of handwritten lyrics only available to members of Constellation Club? Would you like to become a monthly guardian of a Raf and O song? Would you like to own your own portrait painted by me (Raf that is), whilst you are listening to a Raf and O song? Would you like our utmost gratitude and the knowledge you are supporting proactive and hard working independent artists to keep going?
COME SHINE OR DAZZLE WITH US!
Constellation Club – Shine With Raf and O – £110 pa
LINK – https://rafando.bandcamp.com/merch/constellation-club-shine-with-raf-and-o
We will make specifically for you and send you an original bespoke lovingly realised physical A4 booklet full of hand written lyrics for all the songs of the upcoming Raf and O album ‘We Are Stars’ only available to the members of Constellation Club + one year worth access to: monthly song stars formation posts (far ahead of their official releases to the wider public, we’ll be sharing secrets songs of the future in their formation states) and monthly guardian of a Raf and O song of your choosing – all Constellation Club posts will be via facebook posts for ‘Constellationists’ only + your name will appear in the thanks of our upcoming album + extra surprises along the way!
Constellation Club – Dazzle With Raf and O – £230 pa
LINK – https://rafando.bandcamp.com/merch/constellation-club-dazzle-with-raf-and-o
You will get everything described in Constellation Club – Shine With Raf and O + you will commission an original portrait painted by Raf from a photo of you listening to a Raf and O song which will be sent to you personally when ready! Unique and personal art, personally made and delivered to you, massively discounted only to members of Constellation Club!
SO, IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE A STAR
IN OUR CONSTELLATION CLUB …
IN THE INNER CIRCLE …
YOU WILL HAVE OUR UTMOST GRATITUDE AND THE KNOWLEDGE YOU ARE SUPPORTING PROACTIVE AND HARD WORKING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS TO KEEP GOING
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Raf and O perform live at West Kirby Arts Centre. Captured by Mal Robinson
In the meantime ….
WE ARE STARS – THE ALBUM SEQUENCE
In 2023, ‘We Are Stars’ album will be released and we truly look forward to that! Here’s the album sequencing, many songs were introduced in their early development to our hardcore fans during our online shows and we are now proud to announce them as part of Raf and O’s 5th and upcoming album ‘We Are Stars’.
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SCHTUMM SHOW
’Inextricably linked to David Bowie’! Thank you to the people at Schtumm! On Sunday May 21st Raf and O head over to Wiltshire, precisely to Box near Bath for a special show promoted by Schtumm who are welcoming us in the Steve Hall arena from where we will present the music of Raf and O and David Bowie! We’re very excited and discounted advanced tickets are on sale now right here, a bargain! Spread the word, we’re looking forward to go west and can’t wait to perform for you !
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INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE SHOWS 2023
Excitement running high at INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE SHOWS 2023 glowing with live music warming our hearts through good and bad times. Two have been, two more to go this Spring, we’re live on your screen through your ears and into your consciousness. Huge thank you to our fans who have been to so many shows since 2020, a wonderful bunch. April 29 is our next one. Join us at this link
http://stageit.com/raf-and-o/111239
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Raf and O perform live at INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE
LANGUAGE IS A VIRUS FROM OUTER SPACE FILMED AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL
We leave you with some stunning captures of Raf and O performing ‘Dream Machine’ from the extraordinary film ‘Language Is A Virus From Outer Space’ (LIAVFOS) shot at the Queen Elizabeth Hall for the William S Burroughs centenary and lovingly realised by director Neville Farmer together with Richard Strange who also put together the whole show. An unforgettable event alongside a brilliant bill of artists. The film was screened last Summer at The Wire 40 years celebration and was selected for the Oaxaca filmfest.
We hope you will join our Constellation Club.
Be a star that keeps shining in our universe,
we’ll endeavour to do the same.
Here’s to the power within …
Raf and O ❤ 🌟✨
Raf and O perform Dream Machine in the film ‘Language Is A Virus From Outer Space‘ filmed and realised by Neville Farmer and Richard Strange
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
‘We Are Stars’ Raf And O’s New Album is waiting in the wings, Shows Coming Up, Lyrics and Lab of Ideas, We Are All Stars and It Matters! Let’s Make It Work Together + as we wait, Raf Sings Kate
July 1, 2022 § Leave a comment
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LAB OF IDEAS, WE ARE ALL STARS AND IT MATTERS!
Raf and O live at Paper Dress Vintage 22 09 19. Photo from footage by Mal Robinson
As we’re setting ouselves one thousand and twenty ideas and only sixteen or so daily hours to see us through to the completion of some of those courses, we’re excitedly reaching out and let the rest of the world know about the title for our new album to be ‘We Are Stars’! One course is set for sure, we are all stars and it matters! Our super fans of course already knew, being avid participators of THE TOUR ONLINE and Inter-Pla-Net-live shows, during which we aired many live renditions of our new songs, as well as loving renditions of the songs of David Bowie and Kate Bush, we’re very thankful to them and I think they are our constellation club!!! I want everything to be out now but I’ll try to remain patient as this year advances, it will bring music, word, image and live engagements. Times are testing, the human road is littered with obstacles, set in a galaxy, part of our universe throbbing with storms, it’s so easy to lose one’s way, we can all do that, but let’s keep going…
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Raf and O live on Inter-Pla-Net-Live 15 01 22
Raf and O live on Inter-Pla-Net-Live 06 06 22
CONGRATULATIONS TO KATE BUSH
Congratulations to Kate Bush for her recent chart success, so lovely to hear her interview on the radio the other day. Of course it’s not so long ago that we played several shows celebrating her music, listening back to them, there are many songs I would like all of you to hear, I’m getting a few ideas, so now, as we wait for ‘We Are Stars’, I wish to share with you a couple of Kate’s songs performed by Raf and O Live on The Tour Online during May and June 2021. An excerpt from ‘Misty, a rough diamond as only a second run through but I love this song and ‘In The Warm Room’.
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Raf and O -‘Misty’ live 26 06 21 excerpt (Kate Bush Cover)
Raf and O – ‘In The Warm Room’ live 22 05 21 (Kate Bush Cover)
LET’S MAKE IT WORK TOGETHER
A few months ago I talked about shared air shows, this feels too ominous now – shows in venues feels about right. Truly looking forward to return to West Kirby Arts Centre, 11 11 22, (tickets on the LIVE page) a date now set late in the autumn: the show will see new Raf and O music, the song world of David Bowie with us as Children Of The Bewlay Brothers, on the road! We truly appreciate each one of you who come to our shows, I hope you won’t mind me suggesting, seen how difficult and demanding it is to make it all work, the purchase of early tickets whenever possible, you will not be disappointed and you will help to support independent music and grass root venues – let’s make it work together!
A special London show is finally in the planning stages and others will be announced as we go.
Our pedal boards shimmer in the dark and remind me, we’re on a mission.
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We’re taking bookings for the songs of KATE BUSH, DAVID BOWIE and Raf and O, I now draw / paint portraits (see our previous BLOG) and O and I are both teaching. HERE is one more portrait I did recently of my dear friend Klarita.
Reach us at: info@rafando.com
You can also reach us on social media, at online shows, at venues shows, come say hi, let’s make it work!
Do you want to be a star in our constellation?
We are all stars, they are all around. I want to share a lyric I wrote from the new album
With Love
Raf
and O ❤
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’ inspires Raf and O’s ’Tommy Newton’. The Tour Online is dead, long live The Tour! Constellation Club, Inter-Pla-Net-Live, Shared Air Shows and Art Is Calling
September 18, 2021 § Leave a comment
‘Cause if you think of what it’s all about, you probably find it’s about creating.
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Side One Of This Very Blog
GOODBYE TOUR ONLINE
Mission accomplished. 24 dates and one year later, Raf and O (aka Raf Mantelli and O Richard Smith) with our fans emerge from The Tour Online celebrating. Dependable, journeying together, ‘cause if you think of what it’s all about, you probably find it’s about creating.
Courageous and strong, varied and long, each show different from the next, The Metro’s newspaper featured Raf and O’s livestream shows among the best online. Punching through to the other side of the screen, interacting with the visuals we created for the shows, there were performances, tensions, drama, release, there were smiles, sounds, lots of sounds, live, smooth, edgy, dynamic. There were a lot of interactions with our fans. Intertwining interpretations of David Bowie songs (TMWSTW live video features on our previous blog) colliding with renditions, at time total revisions of the songs of Kate Bush, riding the collision through to the other side to meet Raf and O songs with a lot of the already released tracks freshly approached for the tour and a lot of the new, unheard and previewed for the eyes and the ears of the eager out there. O and I want to really say: A deep felt THANK YOU, you are the best fans and we are going to bring you more. You can find The Tour Online action shots album here
RAF AND O ‘TOMMY NEWTON’
INSPIRED BY ‘THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH
“Intoxicating, reflective, artistic and dramatic”
God Is In The TV zine
“A spellbinding lamentable love song … sublime”
Monolith Cocktail
Amongst the new Raf and O songs, one in particular is close to our hearts: ‘Tommy Newton’, which will be part of our new album is inspired by ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’, the 1976 science fiction film based on the novel by Walter Davis directed by Nicolas Roeg, starring David Bowie in the role of Thomas Jerome Newton and Candy Clark in the one of Mary-Lou. It’s a love song I’ve written from the perspective of Mary-Lou, she’s talking to Tommy, but it’s really happening in her mind, she’s talking to herself and she’s talking to us. I loved the film all my life, just as I’ve loved Bowie. Performed for the first time ever on The Tour Online, the live video of this performance has been featured by the press and now is part of this blog too!
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Raf and O – ‘Tommy Newton’ Live on The Tour Online 12 June 2021
Side Two Of This Very Blog
Last month I published my stream of consciousness on social media.
“Some time we take our time to figure out where we may want to head out next. There is no clear path set, only the leading light of our imagination to determine our next steps. So, with that in mind, we’re at the end of the tour online and we may yet have to define what has to come up next, under the leading light of stars, some place afar.”
Raf Mantelli (2021)
So we’ve let our imagination flow and time has clearly grown, or has it compressed?
….. On the event horizon
2022
We’re launching two projects
INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE and CONSTELLATION CLUB
INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE
PHASE 1
5 shows
one every 5 weeks
like the points of a star
Starting January 2022
Building on the strength and success of The Tour Online, INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE will see Raf and O presenting new live shows in the ether, accessible from all parts of the world and who knows, the universe perhaps?
Reaching new territories – it’s in the DNA.
plus …..
CONSTELLATION CLUB
Are you a star in our galaxy?
A new club to see the birth of our NEW ALBUM.
Very excited. Details to be announced
plus …..
The return of SHARED AIR SHOWS
We have a new name for those shows in the flesh, you know, the ones where we share the same physical space as the audience. ‘Shared Air Shows’, that’s how we will refer to them from now on. Alongside INTER-PLA-NET-LIVE (our future live online shows) we are testing the atmosphere soon to be leaving the capsule. Yes we will back wherever possible, performing in the flesh too, so look out for Shared Air Shows by Raf and O from soon into the future …
THEATRES, PROMOTERS, FESTIVALS, RAF AND O HAVE THREE EVER EXPANDING LIVE SHOWS TO BRING TO YOU!
THE SONGS OF RAF AND O
(Tommy Newton Live Video)
THE KICK INSIDE – THE SONGS OF KATE BUSH
(Babooshka Live Video)
CHILDREN OF THE BEWLAY BROTHERS
(TO DAVID BOWIE WITH LOVE)
(The Man Who Sold The World Live Video)
For bookings and more info email: info@rafando.com
plus …..
ART IS CALLING
The rekindling of another passion of mine – ART.
After years of making music and writing songs I’m making art again, I see them working like a seesaw. Maintaining a visual connection through album artwork creation, video visions, visuals and performance, this is only a step away, or the gestures of a hand. Below a couple of portraits, you may recognise the subjects.
Watch out for work and it will take different forms, from now into the future …
Commissions are of course welcome – info@rafando.com
plus …..
There is more, but you know… it can wait for now!
2022 will see us busy …. Raf and O ❤
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To be kept up to date with the latest follow us here:
WORDPRESS
BANDCAMP
STAGEIT
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
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This is The Tour Online, now mid voyage, come aboard! Raf and O play Underwater Blue and Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World: live videos
March 22, 2021 § Leave a comment
Six months ago we started The Tour Online and the performances brought in the press. We are very grateful
“Stunning” Pennyblackmusic
“It’s going to haunt my dreams” Joe Muggs
“Greatly strung out on heavens high as always.
Love it” Monolith Cocktail
Untrapping (can we do this?) our way out of this global overhanging shadow, with hope in sight we are still battling. Envisaging new ways to bring live shows to our fans, we embarked on one year long virtual tour, where we launched Children Of The Bewlay Brothers (to David Bowie with Love), a project to bring you renditions and interpretations of ‘the man who sang himself to Earth’ alongside The Kick Inside – The Songs of Kate Bush and the songs of Raf and O. We’ve been visually and sonically bathing in monochrome and colour hues, reticulations, guitars. and atmos, piano and upright strings and lots and lots of vocals down those internet cables, while the light of a century old moon bass drum overlooked unsuspectingly. (Continues below)
Fifteen shows down the line we have been performing live to our fans in front of the camera on the other side of the screen, a big big thank you to them, they have been exploring with us a new way we can perform. Some stills from the virtual tour are HERE , follow us on STAGEIT, the platform we use to perform.
Below, a couple of live videos showing a glimpse of The Tour Online, a peep hole, a key that you can turn, to come inside you must come on board or continue the journey with us. Each performance lasts almost an hour, always new surprises, the audience interact live with us through the power of the written word aka live chat, we, on the other hand interact with the spoken word and live sound & vision. You can find our remaining dates on our LIVE page. We are waiting for you!
Tickets are now on sale for the following shows:
Mar 27 – The Kick Inside The Songs Of Kate Bush – TICKETS
Apr 10 – The Songs Of Raf and O – TICKETS
Apr 24 – The Kick Inside The Songs Of Kate Bush – TICKETS
May 08 – Children Of The Bewlay Brothers – TICKETS
(to David Bowie with Love)
We have also relaunched our sisters FB and TWITTER pages as Raf and O play Bush & Bowie: The Kick Inside and Children Of The Bewlay Brothers. Give them a like and a follow and of course our main social media pages have journaled all stages of our tour so far – you can catch all updates HERE and HERE! See you soon on The Tour Online, in fact we’re back this Saturday with The Kick Inside – The Songs Of Kate Bush at this link. Totally looking forward to unleash some more surprises. https://stageit.com/raf-and-o/95673
With love and renewed energy
Raf and O XxX
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
In Chaos, In Line, We Tour Online, We Are Raf and O, We Are The Kick Inside, We Are Children Of The Bewlay Brothers
June 24, 2020 § Leave a comment
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No other time that I’ve lived through has ever felt as sobering. We can’t be near … the underlining fear … we’re through … we’re not … in chaos yet in line … the strangest times.
Testing our sanity, a world living with coronavirus had affected everyone’s lives beyond recognition. The world had slowed down.
At Raf and O headquarters, what could have been initially perceived as a quashed creative flow, has in fact reversed its black hole effect. Engaging again, yes challenged by the events, but responding to them in different ways.
Having had to stop our physical engagements just after coming back from a show near Liverpool at West Kirby Arts Centre, a show with a thoroughly warm reception and vibe, was a sudden blow, but the gravity of the global situation was far more harrowing. Like for many other artists and musicians, performances stopped, ongoing workshops were replaced in part by online teaching and the day to day worry dampened our spirits for a while. Have things since eased a bit? Maybe, too early to say. We are though adjusting and within that, finding a renewed sense of creative energy flowing through us, helping to replenish an unattended soul garden.
So, come with us on this journey, yes, countered to this subdued introduction, I would like you to know that we are very excited, we are going on virtual tour!
Announcing:
THE TOUR ONLINE 2020 – 2021
tickets available HERE
A year-long tour, two Saturdays each month, two shows each Saturdays to allow for different time zones, the whole world is invited, we transport ourselves live into wherever you are and perform.
Check dates below, times and tickets will be announced on our social media channels and updates on this website
We are The Kick Inside – The Songs of Kate Bush
Raf and O acoustic take (vocal, piano and double bass) celebrating early Kate Bush. For info, videos and more check THE KICK INSIDE PAGE
now hosted within the Raf and O website
We are Raf and O
Four acclaimed albums to date and currently penning a new one, yes, this is happening too!! Check our releases on
RAF AND O’S BANDCAMP
We are Children Of The Bewlay Brothers
Having released interpretations of David Bowie Songs featured on three Raf and O albums, celebrated the man live on wonderful and prestigious occasions, as documented on several of these blogs and having dedicated an original song to him ‘A BOW TO BOWIE’ on latest album ‘THE SPACE BETWEEN NOTHING AND DESIRE’ , the time has come to widen the circle. Raf and O as Children Of The Bewlay Brothers take on Raf and O interpretations together with extra renditions of the man who ‘sang himself to earth’ exploring his work through a Raf and O approach and beyond! Come and discover. Launching on Saturday 14th November!
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A Special Surprise Every Show
RAF AND O AS THE KICK INSIDE – THE SONGS OF KATE BUSH (TKI)
26 September 2020
24 October 2020
28 November 2020
26 December 2020
23 January 2021
27 February 2021
27 March 2021
24 April 2021
22 May 2021
26 June 2021
24 July 2021
28 August 2021
RAF AND O
10 October 2020
12 December 2020
13 February 2021
10 April 2021
12 June 2021
14 August 2021
RAF AND O AS CHILDREN OF THE BEWLAY BROTHERS (COTBB)
14 November 2020
09 January 2021
13 March 2021
08 May 2021
10 July 2021
12 September 2021
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We made a couple of videos from the performance at Paper Dress Vintage hosted by the wonderful Mally Harpaz, multi-instrumentalist with Anna Calvi, it was a thorough pleasure to be part of that event, which now, after the whole series of events, feels like a lifetime ago! Videos were also sent in from the performances at West Kirby Arts Centre, again it was a great pleasure to join folks up there.
I’m including a couple down here. Thanks again to Mal Robinson and Margaret Stevie Baker for the footage. Enjoy!
We truly can’t wait to re-engage with you all live again and in our world of screen technology, we should all have a splendid time on THE TOUR ONLINE, details coming soon, please come join us on tour and follow us on our social media pages too, spread the word, we really need you right now!!
Much, much love from Raf and O X
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Raf and O – Your Gazing Stare Live at Paper Dress Vintage
Raf and O as The Kick Inside – The Songs Of Kate Bush – The Man With The Child In His Eyes Live at West Kirby Arts Centre
“Haunting And Compelling” Raf And O Review & Interview on Pennyblackmusic + London Live Show with Mally Harpaz and with TKI At West Kirby Arts Centre
September 18, 2019 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O Live t The Union Chapel, photo by Angelique Le Marchand at 3-Song Rule
Greetings! We have some exciting live news to announce and the latest from planet Raf and O!
Aside or probably more accurately orbiting around all current madness we’re seeking refuge in our music havens!
Raf and O are delighted to join Mally Harpaz on Tuesday September 24, an event presented by Blind Dog Studio at Paper Dress Vintage in London with Echo Wants Her Voice Back. There will also be some special guests.
Mally, multi instrumentalist with Anna Calvi, will be performing songs from her new album, Raf and O will perform songs from the new album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ and on the bill also singer songwriter Echo. Looking forward to this very special concert! Not to be missed!
Get your TICKETS HERE!
FB EVENT
On Friday, November 8, we are heading to the northwest, precisely to West Kirby Arts Centre, where we’ll be presenting both a long set by The Kick Inside with lots of beautiful early songs by Kate Bush and a specially selected Raf and O set.
TICKETS on sale now!
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Raf and O Live at The Union Chapel, photo by Angelique Le Marchand at 3-Song Rule
The Kick Inside – The Songs of Kate Bush at The Penny Theatre, photo by Phill Morgan
Since the release of our new album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ which garnered some fantastic reviews, (see our previous blog) we were reviewed and interviewed in Pennyblackmusic Magazine, where both O and I talked to John Clarkson about our new album, the influence of David Bowie, The Kick Inside and Kate Bush, Scott Walker, Raf and O live, where are we from? And a few other things.
Read the whole interview here
“Raf and O are a defiantly original act, one which one can listen to time over and still find something new, and with ‘The Space Between Nothing and Desire’ they have created an album that is as daring as it is compelling”
PENNYBLACKMUSIC
This year marks 50 years of the Moon landing, 50 years of Space Oddity and 50 years since David Bowie performed at the Growth Beckenham Free Festival on the bandstand that has just received its Grade II Listing, the same bandstand appearing on the cover of our second album Time Machine and where we recorded ‘Echoes’ live (featuring on our ‘Portal’ album) at MOAFF in 2014. Proud to have played this festival three times since the remake back in 2013 and of course we celebrated in our own way, by releasing ‘A Bow To Bowie’ our song dedicated to David featuring on the new album and receiving wonderful support from the likes of Electronic Sound, God Is In The TV Zine, Joe Muggs, Monolith Cocktail, Pennyblackmusic and Adrian Specs, a big thank you! And thanks to the Soap Company for inclusion on their best albums.
Don’t miss the upcoming concerts!
Spread the news!
With love
Raf and O X
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“From the poignant to the provocative to the playful” Electronic Sound and More Reviews for Raf and O’s New Album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Out Now! ‘A Bow To Bowie’ Official Video + Live Video from the Launch
June 5, 2019 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O’s New Album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ (CD/Digital) is out now!! Watch ‘A Bow To Bowie’ Official Video above, which was premiered on God Is In The TV Zine and a Live Video from the Launch! Reviews keep coming and are just incredible, a big thank you to all, excited to let the album out into the world! Spread the word and get it here!
The two covers are included on our CD, iTunes and other digital stores.
Buy Digital Album on iTunes
Buy CD Album on Bandcamp
“From the poignant to the provocative to the playful ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ is wonderfully theatrical and, unless you’re made of stone, quite irresistible .. It begins with ‘A Bow To Bowie’ an enthralling tribute to one of Raf & O’s main inspirations .. The intensity is off the scale”
ELECTRONIC SOUND
“Stark and otherworldly, a haunting ode, subtle swelling bricolage of ghostly synths, tumbling acoustic notes and a bass drum that thuds like a heartbeat throughout. While Raf’s almost otherworldly almost jazz-like vocals spiral across the upper register with echoes of Kate Bush at her most avant-garde”
GOD IS IN THE TV ZINE
“This is a strange and luscious album”
JOE MUGGS
“Sublime in execution, subtle but with a real depth and levity, TSBNAD is an astonishing piece of new romantic, avant-theater pop and electronica that dares to unlock the mind and fathom emotion, a masterclass of pulchritude magnificence. Imbued by both the musicality and spirit of David Bowie, Scott Walker, David Sylvian (both as a solo artist and with the fey romantics Japan), Kate Bush and in their most avant-garde mode, Bjork, the South London based duo of Raf (Raf Mantelli) and O (Richard Smith) occupy the perimeters of alternative art-rock and experimental electronica as the true inheritors of those cerebral inspirations”
MONOLITH COCKTAIL
An audio voyage that seems to bridge the gap between cosmos and earth as the record develops. ’A Bow to Bowie’ gazes explicitly heavenward, combining respectful, open sincerity with sheer intelligence and wit, absorbing musical and lyrical references to the song’s subject into a structure all their own. The title track is almost a battery-operated torch song, Raf’s sensual, almost swinging vocal conjuring up a kind of electronic chanson.”
ADRIAN SPECS
Thank you to Joe Muggs for featuring us on his radio show “The Wonderful Raf and O”! Thank you to Dexter Bentley for continued support, thank you to Bowie Wonderworld and thank you to all who made the Launch at Servant Jazz Quarters, it felt like an intimate and very special party. Hosted by dear friend Klarita from Kaparte Promotions, the event was filmed by Mal Robinson (watch the live video above) and photographed by Junko Rathmell (featured photo below) capturing the spirit of the night! Meanwhile The Kick Inside, our side project as interpretations of early Kate Bush, went down a storm in Birmingham, you can read about it on social media, keep in touch with the latest live appearances on The Kick Inside FB page and of course Raf and O ‘s page! We’re also on Instagram, twitter, youtube, you name it!
The space between nothing and desire is already evolving … lots of new ideas are flourishing but for now, we are so proud to unleash into the world…
The new album!
Come and get it we truly value your support!
More images below.
Love
Raf and O X
Back to RAF AND O’S BLOG/ NEWS PAGE
Raf and O ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Album Launch. Photo © Junko Rathmell
Still from the Album Launch live footage by Mal Robinson.
Review of Raf and O’s New Album ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ in Electronic Sound
‘A Bow To Bowie’ Is Here and ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Launches 26052019 + More Live Outings
April 2, 2019 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O – A Bow To Bowie
He sang himself to Earth…
A Bow To Bowie Is here!
Truly excited to share this with you!
‘A Bow To Bowie’ and ‘A Mechanical Ride’ are available now together with pre-orders of The Space Between Nothing And Desire on Telephone Records.
Pre-Order Digital Album on iTunes
Pre-Order CD Album on Bandcamp
The Album Launch will be on Sunday 26th May in the intimate and elegant space of SJQ, Servant Jazz Quarters, London, promoted by long time dear friend Klarita from Kaparte Promotions. We’re incredibly excited to be able to bring ’The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ live to you!
Tickets are on sale now!
Facebook Event
Over the years Raf and O have expressed their affinity with Bowie and took on the task to reinterpret some of his songs, including ‘The London Boys’ which is part of the new album.
September saw the announcement of ABTB and on January 8th it was revealed to be ‘A Bow To Bowie’, written in December 2016.
“I really wanted to write a song for David after his passing, but it took me a few months before I felt I could tackle it” Raf Mantelli
With ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’ Raf and O go in search of a new quest: where, or, what is the space between nothing and desire? The primal concept that makes the world go round, desire, is abstract and yet so tangible, juxtaposed to nothing, equally as baffling, as to truly imagine it, it is impossible. With these parameters forming their chart, the latest album captures the duo navigating a journey into the senses, into the longing and the belonging.
Below the album tracklist:
1. A Bow To Bowie
2. The Space Between Nothing And Desire
3. Underwater Blue
4. Anger
5. Your Gazing Stare
6. A Mechanical Ride
7. Such A Small Love
8. With Fatzer
9. The Windmill
10. The London Boys
11. Haunted
‘Such A Small Love’ is a cover of Scott Walker recorded in September 2016.
Raf and O paid tribute to Walker last week as the news broke of his departure. Read here
Lovingly mastered at Trace. Big thanks to Mark Beazley.
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Raf and O live, Pennyblackmusic 20th anniversary at The Water Rats. Photo © Peter Tainsh
In February we were celebrating the latest live achievements which saw Raf and O in the latter part of 2018 alongside our other selves The Kick Inside, performing selective shows along the East Coast of England and surroundings including Manor House and theatre shows, as well as live appearances at the Klinker, Bethnal Green Working Mens Club and at the mighty PennyblackMusic 20th Anniversary held in the Water Rats quarters; the latter was John Clarkson’ s favourite show of 2018 whilst Raf and O as The Kick Inside – The Songs Of Kate Bush is in Adrian Ainsworth round-up of favourite live music of 2018.
“…An entrancing set of slanted, left-field songs that work their hazy magic on a drunken summer day. Comparisons to Broadcast, Stereolab, and even – yes – Kate Bush might help, but in reality Raf and O exist in their own, idiosyncratic universe, with a deeply unique sound that everyone should fall into for a while” Dominic Simpson, Pennyblackmusic.
UPCOMING
7th April – Birmingham, Fletchers Bar – TICKETS
18th May – West Kirby, The Wirral, West Kirby Arts Centre – TICKETS
26th May – London, Servant Jazz Quarters – TICKETS
Live performances will also bring us to Birmingham on 7th April at Fletchers Bar with TKI and at West Kirby Arts Centre where we will perform both as TKI and Raf and O on Saturday 18th May. More info and events on Raf and O and The Kick Inside FB pages.
Join us for the launch, it will be a very special night in London!
‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’… don’t miss!
Love
Raf and O xx
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Raf and O 
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