‘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
Gazing Ahead to The Space Between Nothing And Desire + Celebrating Kate Bush with The Kick Inside Launch and a Live Session on the DeXter Bentley Show
February 11, 2018 § Leave a comment
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It’s 2018 and we’re kicking off with live activities again!
Kate Bush has given music lovers something to treasure: a great musician and producer, a brilliant composer and an amazing most unique voice. This year and month marks the 40th anniversary of Kate and her debut album. Adopting their name from this album,TKI or The Kick Inside, a tribute to Kate Bush by Raf and O (see previous blog), perform tracks from her early albums fully live, elegantly and stylishly capturing the energy, excitement and fragility of Kate’s music on vocals, piano and double bass. Celebrating Kate, The Kick Inside Launch, promoted by the always excellent Kaparte, is in London at Bar & Co, the club on a boat, Temple Pier, on Sunday 25th February. It is also O Richard’s birthday and Raf, will keep celebration on hold till then.
‘We’ll be playing a full show of Kate’s beautiful songs from the early part of her career. Triple celebration. Come!’
The launch is also featured on Kate Bush News and TKI has been described as:
’Strikingly individual’ Kate Bush News
And to kick start it all off, The Kick Inside will be playing live in session on the mighty deXter Bentley Show on London’s Resonance 104.4 FM, Saturday 17th February, 12pm which is the date marking Kate’s debut album 40 years ago!
We’re now gazing ahead to … and we’re very excited to introduce ‘The Space Between Nothing And Desire’. That is the title of Raf and O’s new album and it’s set to be released later this year!
A slice from the album was aired yesterday for the very first time on the deXter Bentley Show: an edit preview of a brand new Raf and O song, ‘Your Gazing Stare’. The album will also include our version of David Bowie’s ’The London Boys’. We can’t say too much more at this stage, but keep your ears and eyes peeled, social media is always the quicker way to get fresh news!
Last November we even got to say thank you in person for the support Mike Garson had given to our version of Bowie’s Lady Grinning Soul back in 2013 after he played a magical show at the Camden Underworld!
Raf and O are now on Instagram too and we have unveiled a new logo, a moon-light reworking from our previous. Come and follow our new Instagram page here and here
See you down at THE KICK INSIDE LAUNCH. Come!
Raf and O Xx
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The Kick Inside – Kate Bush Tribute Live Outfit and Raf and O Tour in the pipeline
July 10, 2017 § Leave a comment
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The Kick Inside – Kate Bush Tribute (TKI)
Promo Shot and Still from Video – ‘Wuthering Heights’ ‘Wow’ & Teasers Live in the Warm Room
July greetings from Raf and O!
This year we’ve been very busy getting a new project off the ground:
The Kick Inside (TKI)!
This is an entirely separate music outfit, named after Kate Bush’s first album and it’s a tribute to the artist herself!
We’ve also been busy with Raf and O and you can read more on the latter part of this blog.
I’ve been doing a lot of piano playing recently on the latest and beautiful addition to the instrument roster: a lovingly converted piano keyboard by O featuring f holes!
Last May we announced it on our facebook page – As well as cracking on with writing material for our 4th album, and reinterpreting favourite artists, mainly David Bowie interpretations, I’m starting a tribute to the music of Kate Bush, where I will sing and play piano extensively, focusing on the early part of Kate’s career and this time, keeping faithful to the original pieces.
Since then we’ve got a new TKI page up and running and just over a week ago we released our very first video, recorded live in The Warm Room, which received a great reception.
Monolith Cocktail writes:
“Raf Mantelli one half of our favourite avant-garde and frayed experimentalist duo Raf and O adds her idiosyncratic, enchanting signature to the music of Kate Bush on her latest project, The Kick Inside. Concentrating on Bush’s early career, the focus being on her ‘core essence as a pianist singer songwriter’, The Kick Inside tribute band will soon be announcing dates for a number of performances. In the meantime, here’s a teaser” Monolith Cocktail
The Kick Inside, as well as the solo show, will also perform as a duo and here, O will be alongside me but in a role that may be a surprise for many amongst you.
THE KICK INSIDE LINKS
TKI page
TKI Facebook
TKI Twitter
TKI Youtube Channel
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In the meantime…
Raf and O will return to Italy to play a small series of shows and look forward to go back to some favourite places during the tour! We will debut some new material and there will be a few surprises along the way too! Already looking forward to seeing friends old and new and very excited about the set we will be playing!
As well as developing the TKI project we’ve been also writing material toward a new album; this has been keeping us focused in the studio, so it was lucky if you managed to catch Raf and O playing earlier this year including the legendary experimental Klinker Club and a charity show to raise awareness on mental health for Punk4MentalHealth at the UnderDog Gallery.
Our own cover interpretation of David Bowie’s ‘The London Boys’ received radio play on the latest Chaos Theory Radio Show where Kunal was joined by Alan Pride for a selection of cool tunes! It was also aired on the Dexter Bentley Show Resonance FM and our Bowie’s cover of ‘Win’ was aired, again on Dexter’s ‘The Day Before’ , a tribute to David which also featured an extract from Mary Finnigan’s book ‘Psychedelic Suburbia: David Bowie and the Beckenham Arts Lab’ plus an interview with her; we were deeply touched by Mary’s words for Raf and O who introduced us on the show. And lastly, Raf and O’s Magic from our latest album Portal that was mastered at Cage studios is included in a new free to download compilation ‘Cage 24’ by Martin Bowes from Attrition, pioneers of darker electronica.
For fresh up to date news join our Raf and O social media pages, FB and Twitter and watch this space!
Raf and O xx
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Raf and O Celebrate David Bowie’s 70th Birthday Covering ‘The London Boys’
January 8, 2017 § Leave a comment
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Raf and O – The London Boys (David Bowie Cover)
Photo by Wendy Woo.
Today would have been David Bowie’s 70th birthday.
Last year was tough and performing at the Union Chapel in his honour felt right, even if strange. We then released ‘Win’ on our last album ‘Portal’ and by the time of Bowie’s Beckenham Oddity (The Beckenham Free Festival Remake) it was easier to smile. Always an influence, we’ve been featuring his tracks in the live sets for a few years and getting a thumb up from Mike Garson for our take on ‘Lady Grinning Soul’ was very special – so to celebrate this special day we have recorded our version of ‘The London Boys’, a Bowie gem from 1966! And leaving electronics aside, this is us at our most acoustic: I play piano and sing and O plays guitar.
Happy birthday David!
With much love.
Raf and O X
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Original press release for David Bowie’s Rubber Band/ The London Boys
Electronic Sound Reviews Portal, Raf and O Cover Scott Walker, Bowie Reflections, Italian Summer, Live on Radio and Magic on Video, Halloween DJ’s and other outings.
December 18, 2016 § Leave a comment
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Well, this year is “almost” over and before the new one begins we thought we’d endeavour to bring you news, thoughts, collection and recollections of the last 4 months and this will include the playlist for a special dj set we did at this year’s Kaparte Oxjam. In July we launched our new album ‘PORTAL’ (available ‘HERE‘) at the wonderful St James The Less in Pimlico (see previous blog). It has now been reviewed on Electronic Sound Magazine!
“Raf and O specialise in floaty and delicate musical paintings. Raf’s dreamy vocals leading the way but more often than not melting into the instrumentation. The highlights include a track based on the words of Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 62’ and a version of David Bowie’s ‘Win’ which is almost unrecognisable and utterly charming. All in all, this is beautiful stuff.”
Push, ELECTRONIC SOUND
(See picture below for the whole review).
We also launched an EP containing two tracks from Portal and two tracks with Raf and O working alongside electronicist and Grace Jones’s collaborator Robert Logan (available HERE).
Now, the latest! Raf and O have covered the very beautiful Scott Walker’s ‘Such a Small Love’ as part of ‘Plastic Palace People’, an exclusive streamable and downloadable album curated by God Is In The TV Zine! We’re thoroughly proud to offer this Seasonal gift, which we recorded in Florence for your festive digestive. Listen and free download below.
The portal will lead us into 2017. 2016 has been a very strange year, a lot of crazy things happening and a lot of people left us David Bowie included. A very recent trip to the wonderful Lazarus Musical brought forward this consciousness, stirring up feelings and sadness, a shared feeling by Bowie fans across the world. But Lazarus is also a celebration of his artistry and alongside Blackstar, the inner workings of a man facing up to his own mortality. This summer we returned to Beckenham for Bowie’s Beckenham Oddity (formerly Memory Of A Free Festival and Beckenham Free Festival) and it was a complete joy/ honour to perform again as Raf and O. Huge love unified all performers musicians, organisers workers and the crowd, all celebrating the Starman. Lovely contributions by many, a real pleasure to share the stage with Maggi Ronson and the band Jona Lewie, David Live, Clifford Slapper, Amory Kane and more. Thanks to all involved who contributed to make this day very special especially Wendy Faulkner who worked very hard in bringing this year’s festival together and it was brill catching up with Mary Finnigan again who organised the festival with Bowie in 1969. We’ve got some footage shot by the lovely Rhianna, that we’ll post soon, so watch out for that! Alongside new Raf and O material, our set included Bowie’s ‘Lady Grinning Soul’, ‘Win’ included in our last album ‘Portal’ and even a short rendition of ‘After All’.
This is us doing our thing captured beautifully by mister Gaz De Vere. Continues below.
Raf and O Live at Bowie’s Beckenham Oddity aka Memory Of A Free Festival © Gaz De Vere
A Starman in the sky. picture by O.
Since the festival, we traveled to Italy to do some writing and recording including our Scott Walker cover, played a few parties and the excellent Frame Live Club In La Spezia (see press above) on the Ligurian Coast where we were warmly welcomed and throughly enjoyed playing the show to such a receptive audience. Thanks to Alan Pride for keeping things running smooth and on our return to the UK we were kept fairly busy supporting TE Morris from Her Name Is Calla at Chaos Theory’s Whispers and Hurricanes, putting together a special Dj Set (see above) for this year’s Kaparte Oxjam at the Slaughtered Lamb and we played a live session on the Dexter Bentley’s Hello Goodbye show on Resonance FM alongside The Monochrome Set.
In the words of Dexter Bentley “the original post-punk / arch-pop pioneers The Monochrome Set, plus ethereal, futuristic folk duo Raf & O”.
And Monolith Cocktail also featured ‘Portal’ in the top albums of 2016.
Here below is the podcast Raf and O live on Resonance FM and following that is our live performance of ‘Magic’ from ‘Portal’ lovingly filmed and edited by Riff Underground and Peter Junge. Many thanks to them both and to Chaos Theory for this video.
And to bookend the year, Raf and O just performed at the Xmas edition of the one and only Scaledown in the heart of London. We have a few things brewing but for now wishing you all a peaceful, productive, engaging holiday and see you back in 2017.
Love
Raf and O X
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Twenty Fifteen
March 12, 2015 § Leave a comment
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Our first blog of 2015!
A heartfelt thank you to those who contributed in making 2014 a truly meaningful year in the world of Raf and O. You can time machine your way back via our blogs and trace elements and people in our journey, reviews and photographs of the shows we had the pleasure and the fortune to be part of: these included the majestic settings of Shoreditch Church, David Bowie’s Memory Of A Free Festival and Language is A Virus at Queen Elizabeth Hall!
But fear not, as more is happening this year! As we’re beavering away, working towards our next musical adventures, we thought it was about time to surface and keep you posted on things.
“Live, I found this spellbinding to watch… The album like their performances suspends you between swoon and shudder: a fantastic release” Adrian Specs
In January, Raf and O were picked by Adrian Ainsworth as one of the musical highlights of the year for his Specs blogspot. Last year we received some great press, you can still find the album (Time Machine) and other releases on our Bandcamp page.
Time Machine vision. photo by Luigi Altilia. Continues below.
On the gigging front, after rocking the Boat Party last December with dear friend Klarita Kaparte, Ernesto Tomasini and R in parenthesis we kicked off the New year by joining friends in the beautiful creative space of I’Klectik gallery, London Waterloo. ‘Can You See Your Shadow?’ a fitting name for this cold Sunday of February, saw Raf and O perform on the bill alongside Madam, Jo Quail, the Soap Company DJ and Autorotation, who, together with Oil54 organised the event.
Both shows brought an attentive crowd and we’re grateful for the energy received; as much as we need isolation to create, just as much we yearn to connect once the work is done.
Extra thanks go to author Carya Gish for her compelling live review. Carya who is about to write her new book has chosen our ‘Strange’ to be part of her playlist alongside PJ Harvey and more.
“Raf and O’s songs seem to stand on the undefined border between dreams and nightmares, as if on the steps of a majestic but crumbling haunted mansion echoing with the ghosts of the past and the future…the singer’s demeanour is also interesting: petite and fragile in appearance as she clutches her red guitar, her steely stare and very slight twitches inspire respect and make her a compelling and disquieting performer…Industrial, trip-hop, free jazz, electronic, folk.” Miss Gish Blog.
Photo courtesy of Ange LM Photography. More below
Meanwhile, Richard Strange has informed us that works have begun on editing the film from last year’s William Burroughs event, at Queen Elizabeth Hall where Raf and O appeared as special guest with a live performance of Dream Machine. (See previous blog). We’re excited and we’ll keep you posted with the latest developments.
Expect more live shows soon and something different is also brewing for the summer. Dates will be posted on our Live page and of course Facebook and Twitter.
We cherish your support and attendance.
Love,
Raf and O x
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Raf and O announce release for Bowie’s Lady Grinning Soul + The Fog + Remix by Nedry (Cafe OTO Launch)
February 26, 2013 § Leave a comment
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Hi folks!
Lots happening!!!
Having spent all of 2012 closing the live shows with our rework of David Bowie‘s ‘Lady Grinning Soul from the seminal album ‘Aladdin Sane‘ we are finally releasing it ahead of our new album. We’ve had some thoroughly excellent feedback from live audiences, so we are celebrating this as well as Bowie’s return!! Being long standing fans of his work and Raf a complete Bowie nut means we are buzzing!
It will be released as a package containing the studio version of ‘Lady Grinning Soul‘, ‘The Fog‘ and a wicked Remix of the latter courtesy of the brilliant three piece post-dubstep/ electronic band Nedry. More details on this soon.
In the meantime, here is a video of a live version of ‘Lady Grinning Soul’ from the Lewisham Arthouse show – massive thanks to Luigi Altilia for filming.
The launch is to be taking place at CAFE OTO on April 1st promoted by the wonderful Klarita from Kaparte Promotions – great venue and great bill!
We will be opening for Larsen (15 years of avant/ experimental activity) on their European Tour feat. legendary dub-diva Little Annie (a.k.a. Annie Anxiety Bandez), who has recently released her autobiography.
You can get your TICKETS HERE
FACEBOOK EVENT
We’ve also just started a TWITTER page – you can follows us HERE
Extremely excited 😀
Raf and O
X
Raf and O 
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