During the making of Spandau Ballet's 1986 album Through the Barricades, brothers and band members Gary and Martin Kemp were approached with the idea of starring in a film about twin gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray.

[2] Their work on the film disrupted the recording of their next album, Heart Like a Sky, and created tension between the Kemps and the rest of the band.

[3][a] During a cover photo shoot for the first single from the album, "Raw", Gary Kemp criticized lead singer Tony Hadley's choice of clothing and thought the other band members would agree.

"[6] Kemp told Record Mirror at the time of its release that "Raw" was "about paranoia" and that it was "based on" Alan Parker's 1987 film Angel Heart.

[13] Kemp described the song as "[a] return to 'Chant'-style funk with a swamp-infested, malevolent beat that, in our opinion, would take Spandau Ballet straight back to the dance floor.