Some musical collaborations begin in the studio. Others have been years in the making. For Carmelo Alfano and Sundae Club, the story behind their new track ‘Is This You?’ stretches back through London’s live music scene, vintage recording equipment, early internet streaming and a shared passion for creating something outside the obvious.
The new release brings together Alfano with Colin Crawford and George Shilling’s Sundae Club, creating a meeting point between indie, alternative and electronic music.
For Alfano, music began at home. His father was an enthusiastic opera fan and amateur tenor who introduced him to classical music when he was young. Those early experiences eventually led Alfano towards formal vocal training in Modena, Italy, where he spent two years studying with the teacher of legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
But his career has never been confined to one role. Alongside music, Alfano has worked in acting and television sound engineering, while his interest in technology led him to experiment with live online performance long before streaming became commonplace. More than two decades ago, he streamed a London gig using a dial-up connection, an event that attracted attention from Sky News.
A Connection That Goes Back
The connection between Alfano and Sundae Club isn’t a new one.
Colin Crawford was previously the keyboard player in Alfano, Carmelo’s band, which supported James Blunt and played many of London’s notable music venues.
Crawford later met producer George Shilling at an Elvis-themed fancy-dress party. After discovering a shared interest in music and recording, the pair began spending Sunday afternoons experimenting in Shilling’s home studio.
Those sessions eventually became Sundae Club.
Influenced by Lemon Jelly and inspired by their fascination with vintage instruments, Crawford and Shilling developed their own musical identity, even adopting the pseudonyms Hamstall Ridware and Dr. C.D. Mille after visiting the factory associated with vintage Mellotron instruments.
Crawford’s own collection includes an original Mellotron, adding another layer to the duo’s fascination with the sounds and technology of earlier recording eras.
Sundae Club’s music went on to feature on GMTV, while the duo secured a publishing deal with Taste Music. Their debut album Technostalgia included ‘Angels In The Sky’, featuring vocals from Sam Holmes.
Their songwriting also reached beyond the UK. The pair co-wrote a track recorded by French Fame Academy winner Nolwenn Leroy for her second album Histoires Naturelles, while their work has also appeared on ITV UEFA Champions League Weekly.
A Story of Missed Connections
If there is one recurring theme in Alfano’s career, it is that music doesn’t always work to a predictable timeline.
In 1993, he sent a demo to Tom Jones, believing one of the songs would be a perfect fit for the singer. Ten years later, someone from the music industry finally contacted him.
The reason? They had actually been looking for him.
A song from his original demo had been considered for Tom Jones, but the cassette cover containing Alfano’s contact information had been lost. A decade had passed before the mystery of the missing musician was finally solved.
It’s a strange, bittersweet story, but one that reflects Alfano’s approach to his career: keep creating, keep learning and keep going.
That spirit is present in ‘Is This You?’, a release that feels less like a conventional collaboration and more like the latest chapter in a musical relationship that has developed over many years.
From Italian vocal training and London’s live circuit to pioneering online performances and the analogue world of Mellotrons and vintage equipment, Carmelo Alfano and Sundae Club bring an unusually rich history to their latest release.
‘Is This You?’ by Carmelo Alfano & Sundae Club is available to listen to now.
