Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter Reflects on Ending the Project

In a recent interview with BBC Radio 6 Music, Thomas Bangalter, one half of Daft Punk, has opened up about the decision to bring the iconic electronic music duo to an end.

Discussing their split in 2021, Bangalter expressed a sense of closure and contentment in concluding the Daft Punk project. He shared, “The question I ask myself more is why we did end it rather than how it could last for so long.”

Comparing the duo’s journey to a TV show with multiple seasons, Bangalter likened their musical adventure to a story arc, suggesting that having a definitive ending felt appropriate. “There’s a moment where it ends, and I think it’s actually interesting to have this opportunity to start, have the middle, and to end it,” he explained.

Reflecting on the decision to adopt the robotic personas and helmets that became synonymous with Daft Punk, Bangalter revealed that their initial concept was far from the enduring image they created. “You have an idea when you’re like 25, you don’t say ‘you know what, we’re going to dress up like robots until the day we die’,” he noted. The concept evolved from a quirky notion of using Hollywood special effects artists to create personas similar to Star Wars characters into the iconic robot helmets.

Bangalter further shared that their music career felt like an adventure where they could shape their own narrative, often blurring the line between fiction and reality. “In some way, I felt it was almost like directing a film without cameras,” he added.

Recalling Daft Punk’s first live performance in Marseille around 1994-1995, Bangalter humorously revealed that Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, the other half of Daft Punk, spent much of the show hidden under a table due to stage fright. “We were kind of terrified. Guy-Man was so terrified that he spent almost half of the show hidden under the table,” Bangalter recounted.

Summing up their journey, Bangalter expressed relief and happiness in looking back and recognizing the positive impact they made. “I’m relieved and happy to look back and say: ‘OK, we didn’t mess it up too much’,” he concluded.

It’s evident that the conclusion of Daft Punk marked a reflective and fulfilling moment for Thomas Bangalter, as he looks back on the duo’s remarkable career and the unique path they carved in the world of electronic music.