Born in Lebanon in May 1995 and now based in London, Raoul Khayat aka Raga-duK has been playing drums for thirteen years. From the moment he picks up his first pair of sticks, he immerses himself in understanding rhythm through reading and listening practice. He is constantly working hard on expanding his technique, groove and timing. Driven by a deep passion for music, Raoul loves to play in any style that he gets the chance to, especially psychedelic rock, folk, jazz, blues and funk. Capable of navigating through any musical situation, he always brings a unique blend of skills tailored to each project. Positive attitude and easy to work with, he is very comfortable taking directions on the spot, learning a specific part, reading, improvising and creating new ideas, mindful at all times of what the artist and the music require. He is experienced in recording and performing live to a click and is capable of playing a variety of percussion instruments, as well as singing backing vocals, all to an excellent standard. Whether in the studio or on stage, Raoul’s dedication to his craft shines through in every performance.
Raoul has performed at numerous venues and several festivals in the UK such as; Roundhouse (London), Shepherd’s Bush Empire (London), O2 Ritz (Manchester), SWG3 (Glasgow), Tramshed (Cardiff), Rock City Main Hall (Nottingham), The Waterfront (Norwich), The Louisiana (Bristol), Brighton Dome Theatre, Sonic Wave Festival, Truck Festival, Great Escape Festival, Medicine Festival and more. He has shared the stage as main support with outstanding bands and artists such as; Carl Barat, The Twang, Trampolene, Keir, The Skinner Brothers, Rosalie Cunningham, Cast and Ash. Raoul has played festivals in France and Spain such as; Le Rock Ne Meurt Jamais, Sonorama, Space Mountain and MadCool and The New Colossus festival in New York City. He has toured all over the UK and around Europe in France, Spain, Italy, Holland and Germany, pulling off with his previous band The Gulps one sold-out UK tour and two in Spain. He has also performed live on T.V. at Soccer Am and Paste Studio NYC live from The Manhattan Center.
Raoul has worked with excellent producers and recorded in various inspiring, top-notch recording studios. With Youth Martin at The Doghouse Studio (Lower Shiplake), The Premises Studios (London) and Space Mountain Residential Studio (Granada, Spain), Michael Rendall at Aquarium Studios (London), Tim Wheelers at Livingstone Studios (London), Damon Sawyer at Crescent Records Studio (Swindon) and Danny Saber, at Studio City Sound (Los Angeles). He has also had the opportunity with The Gulps to get a private masterclass from the great Australian producer Mike Chapman.
From September 2012 till June 2015, Raoul undertook one-to-one lessons in one of Europe’s best drum schools, The Dante Agostini Drum School in Orleans, France. From September 2015 till June 2018, Raoul studied music at London’s leading school of contemporary music, The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. Since September 2018, he has been mentored by Jean Brissard, an expert in drumming pedagogy with over fifty years of experience, adept at teaching the Agostini methods with remarkable insight.
Committed to rehearsing and polishing the setlist, Raoul is available for gigs, tours and recording sessions as a drummer and percussionist. Furthermore, he can record remotely from his home studio and host the band/artist for a live recording, both to a professional standard. Raoul also offers one-to-one lessons to passionate individuals eager to learn the drums and all about its wonders.