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This article first appeared in theSun Buzz edition HERE
The world was stunned by the sudden breakup of iconic electronic music pioneers Daft Punk, who have called it quits after a prolific career spanning 28 years.
The news was announced in the form of a cryptic eight-minute YouTube video, which showed the duo – dressed as their familiar robot counterparts – travelling in an unnamed desert, before parting ways in spectacular fashion, with one member blowing himself up while the other walks off into the sunset.
The news stunned music fans around the world, many of whom had grown up with the group’s music. Daft Punk were among the few artistes from the golden age of electronica who had managed to weather the fickle storms of changing music tastes, adapting their sound while influencing an entire generation of musicians.
The two men who would become Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, first met at a Paris high school in 1987 and became fast friends. Upon discovering a mutual love of music, they formed an indie rock band named Darlin’ in 1992 with future Phoenix guitarist Laurent Brancowitz, and released a few singles, to minor success.
The group soon split, although not before they were given something important: a negative review calling their music “daft punky trash.” As Bangalter and de Homem-Christo began experimenting with drum machines and synths, they began using the phrase as the name for their new endeavour.
As Daft Punk, they released their debut album, Homework, in 1997. They first found success with the international hit Da Funk, which topped the Billboard dance charts and earned them their first Grammy nomination. A second No. 1 hit and Grammy nomination followed with Around the World.
The duo also adopted a distinctive new persona as helmeted, mute and mysterious musicians. They refused to play the PR game, opting to wear masks and plastic bags to cover their face at shows and during interviews.
“We wanted to draw a line between public life and private life,” de Homem-Christo told Interview magazine in 2001. “We didn’t understand why it should be obligatory to be on the covers of magazines as yourself.”
Daft Punk spent time touring around the world and reached greater heights with their sophomore album, 2001′s Discovery. It included the infectious smash One More Time and Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, which Kanye West famously flipped into his own hit Stronger, released in 2007. It won West the best rap solo performance Grammy at the 2008 show, where West and Daft Punk performed together onstage.
A year later, a live version of Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger won Daft Punk the best dance recording Grammy — their first win — and their 2007 Alive album picked up best electronic/dance album.
But it was the 2014 Grammys where Daft Punk really took the spotlight, winning album of the year for Random Access Memories and making history as the first electronic act to win the highest honour at the Grammys. The duo won four awards that night, including record of the year for their bombshell hit Get Lucky, appearing onstage in a surprise performance behind singer Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder and Nile Rodgers.
Random Access Memories was regarded as a genre-bending album highlighted by its mix of live instrumentation, disco sounds, funk, rock, R&B and more. Rolling Stone ranked it No. 295 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time last year.
In recent years, Daft Punk have remained relatively quiet, with their last major chart appearance as featured artistes on two tracks by The Weeknd in 2016. They were also reportedly in talks to score music for the upcoming Tron 3 film.
While no word has come out as to the actual reason behind the breakup, there is no doubt that fans will remember them for their influence on both culture and music. Even though we may never see their helmeted visages again, their legacy will live on in our hearts and our random access memories.
