Thomas Bangalter Opens Up About Daft Punk’s Journey and Embracing New Beginnings
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Thomas Bangalter, one half of the legendary French house duo Daft Punk, recently spoke on the BBC podcast “The First Time with Matt Everett”, shedding some light on the reasons behind the group’s breakup and expressing his relief that the era is over.
While Daft Punk has always been elusive when it comes to interviews, Bangalter opened up about his and his bandmate Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo’s artistic relationship and their decision to end the group. He explained that their music was like a story with different chapters, and every story has a beginning, middle, and end. Bangalter also posed the question of how long a project like Daft Punk could have lasted and emphasized their desire to avoid becoming disconnected and aged like many rock bands.
Reflecting on their journey, Bangalter expressed his relief and happiness in being able to look back and say that they didn’t “mess it up too much.” He found it interesting to have the opportunity to start, have a middle, and then an end to their musical journey.
When it comes to the iconic robot helmets that became synonymous with Daft Punk, Bangalter revealed that it was initially accidental. The masks and anonymity were a way to have fun and embrace the underground rave scene. However, after releasing their debut album “Homework”, Bangalter had the idea of incorporating Hollywood special effects to create robotic personas, inspired by the cantina scene in “Star Wars”. He compared it to directing a film without cameras.
Bangalter also shared various other anecdotes in the interview, such as his love for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and his mind-blowing experience watching Bruce Springsteen in concert. He also discussed his affinity for horror movies. Listeners can find the full podcast episode here.
In April, Bangalter released a solo orchestral album called “Mythologies”. The following month, Daft Punk commemorated the 10th anniversary of their final album “Random Access Memories” by releasing a special reissue that included nine previously-unreleased tracks.
The breakup of Daft Punk may have left fans disappointed, but Bangalter’s insights and openness offer a glimpse into the motivations and decisions behind the iconic duo’s journey.
