Daft Punk 101: Photographic History

The dance community is buzzing with rumors of Daft Punk’s grand return to the American stage booth with a U.S. tour that would include a stop at Coachella. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter set the standard for dance music, pioneering French house progressive into mainstream music way before David Guetta was hooking up with Usher and Akon. Check out the legendary dance duo’s long and full history to see how these helmeted crusaders became one of the most influential icons in EDM. -compiled by Jessica Wunsch and Sarah Polonsky

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (1974)

Founding member Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo was born on February 8, 1974 in Paris, France. He was given his first toy guitar and keyboard at the age of seven.

Thomas Bangalter (1975)

Founding member Thomas Bangalter was born on January 3, 1975 in Paris, France. He began playing piano at the age six.

Daft Punk (1995)

Guy (left) and Thomas (right) met in high school where they became good friends and founding members of the band Darlin’ with Laurent Brancowitz in 1992. When Laurent left in 1995 to permanently join his side band, Phoenix, Thomas and Guy started to experiment with drum machines and synthesizers, leading to the creation of Daft Punk. The group name came from a Melody Maker review.

Pedro Winter aka Busy P (1996)

Pedro Winter (aka Busy P), head of Ed Banger Records, started to manage the group in 1996. He helped establish their dance music career until 2008, leaving the duo to focus more on his label and personal music career as Busy P, but they still remain close.

Even Further Festival (1996)

Daft Punk made their first public performance in the U.S. at the Even Further event in Wisconsin where they would perform without their costumes, as seen in the footage below.

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Netherlands Photoshoot (1997)

It took some time before the duo managed to get their image right. At least they got the mask thing down.

Homework (1997)

After signing to Virgin Records in 1996, Daft Punk released their debut album Homework featuring iconic hits “Da Funk” and “Around the World.” The album brought worldwide attention to French progressive house, becoming one of the most influential dance music albums of the ’90s.

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Rolling Stone Magazine (2001)

After the mounting success from Homework, American music news outlets started to take notice of the rising robotic duo including the prominent Rolling Stone magazine.

In the feature, they explain their new-found robot concept: “On September 9th, 1999, at midnight, we were making music and there was a big explosion. That was the last thing we remember. We woke up with many people reconstructing us. Now we express ourselves with the scrolling LED lights in our heads. We are still the same. We have hearts, emotions. We just need a bit more oil.”

Los Angeles photo shoot (2000)

By adopting their unique robot personages, Daft Punk finds that a little more maintenance is the price it costs for a brand new image.

Discovery (2001)

Shifting from Chicago house style to the slicker snythpop genre, Discovery marked Daft Punk’s second studio album and transition into new musical territory. The group stated that the album was conceived as an attempt to reconnect with a playful, open-minded attitude associated with the discovery phase of childhood.

Gap commercial (2001)

In 2001, fans saw the underground duo flow deeper into the mainstream through their participation in a GAP commercial. In it they danced alongside singer/actress Juliette Lewis to their single “Digital Love,” and became contractually obligated to appear only in GAP clothing during that time.

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Astralwerks Party (2002)

Back in the early years of Winter Music Conference, Daft Punk could be seen performing at the Astralwerk’s party where it appears they forgot (or just didn’t feel like) wearing their full attire.

Leiji Matsumoto (2003)

In the early 2000s, the duo met up with childhood hero Leiji (Akira) Matsumoto, known best for his anime cartoons Otoko Oidon and The Cockpit. Matsumoto supervised several of Daft Punks iconic music videos including “One More Time,” “Harder, Faster, Better, Stronger,” and “Face to Face.”

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Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003)

The year 2003 saw Daft Punk’s first featured-length animated film, Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, supervised under Leiji Matsumoto. The film is a visionary realization of their album Discovery, and even features a cameo by Daft Punk as robot alter-egos.

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“Discovery” Attire (2001-2005)

Armored gloves? Check. LED-visored helmets? Check. Baller status? Check, check!!

Human After All (2005)

Daft Punk worked for six full weeks developing new material for their third studio album, Human After All, which debuted March 14, 2005. The album received mixed reviews with its fusion of minimalism and rock music with their French progressive house sound.

Coachella (2006)

In 2006, Daft Punk performed at one of dance music’s hottest events, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, making it their first U.S. performance since 1997. Also making its first appearance was the duo’s now iconic pyramid stage set that stunned anticipating audiences.

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Electroma (2006)

“Daft Punk’s Electroma” was the duo’s directorial debut, premiering on May 21, 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival. The plot revolves around the quest of two robots (the band members, played by Peter Hurteau and Michael Reich) to become human, yet did not feature any music by Daft Punk.

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“Human After All” Attire (2005-2010)

Move over James Dean. These bad mofos know how to rock a hot leather jacket.

Alive Tour (2006-2007)

Daft Punk’s “Alive” was their first tour as a group since 1997. Their performance at the Bercy in Paris, France was recorded for their album Alive 2007, which later won the Grammy Award in 2009 for Best Electronic/Dance Album.

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Lollapalooza (2008)

The French progressive dance group headlined AT&T’s stage on the first night of 2007’s Lollapalooza in Chicago, and received praise stating it “was a much-needed reminder of the still-potent power of communicative pop.”

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2008 (2007)

For Louis Vuitton’s 2008 summer/spring collection, the luxury brand approached the legendary dance duo. As a result, Daft Punk mixed and composed the majority of music for LV’s fashion show on October 2007.

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Playboy’s Rock the Rabbit campaign (2008)

In an effort to boost print sales, the pin-up magazine Playboy recruited the influential powers of DPunk in their Rock the Rabbit campaign. The duo designed T-shirts for the magazine putting their own unique spin on the brand’s iconic mascot/symbol.

50th Annual Grammy Awards (2008)

Grammy audiences were shocked when Daft Punk made a surprised appearance during Kanye West’s performance of “Stronger,” which samples the duo’s hit single “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” This became the first televised live performance by the duo in their entire career.

[videoembed size=”full_width” alignment=”center”][/videoembed] Kanye West – Stronger (Grammy Awards 2008) from Bobynovitche on Vimeo.

Daft Punk with Kanye West and Pharrell Williams (2010)

Looks like the pair still hang out with the Louis Vuitton Don, but they just can’t be seen with him.

Dim Mak Tuesdays (2009)

At one of Steve Aoki’s legendary Dim Mak parties in L.A.’s Cinespace, Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter made a surprise appearance (sans helmet) to help celebrate his former manager Busy P’s birthday and lay down some sick tracks.

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DJ Hero (2009)

The new video game DJ Hero (based off its successful predecessor Guitar Hero) contained eleven new remixes contributed by Daft Punk, and even featured them as playable characters along with their own venue.

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DJ Hero (2009)

Daft Punk becomes the first DJs to appear in a video game.

adidas Original Star Wars campaign (2010)

To kick off 2010, Adidas hosted a whole new campaign catered to their Star Wars-inspired gear, and who better to be the face of the SciFi themed crusade than these two helmet clad DJs? Alongside fellow artist Snoop Dogg, as well as celebrity athlete David Beckham, they take part in some pretty cool commercials worthy of this planet and galaxies far, far away.

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Madison Square Garden w/ Phoenix (2010)

At Madison Square Garden, Daft Punk shocked audiences when they joined their old friend Laurent Brancowitz and his band Phoenix onstage during their encore performance of “If I Ever Feel Better,” launching full blast into the classic “Harder Better Faster Stronger.”

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Dazed and Confused (2010)

In promoting their work for Disney and contribution to the 2010 blockbuster Tron: Legacy, culture magazine Dazed and Confused did several full-page features on the group, using appropriate 3D-esque effects that really allow the duo to pop off the page.

“Tron: Legacy” (2010)

It was in 2008 that DP fans first got wind of a new project the duo was working on, which later turned out to be 24 tracks for the Disney film Tron: Legacy. After the film’s soundtrack was released, a deluxe 2-disc edition of the album was also dropped that included a poster of the duo from the film.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Daft Punk also made a cameo appearance in the film as disc jockey programmers, donning their trademark robot masks within Tron’s virtual world.

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Monster T1 Tron Over Ear Stereo Headphones (2010)

With association in commercial films comes the commercial benefits, such as promotional merchandise with your name and logo all over the place. Example: these Tron headphones by Monster.

Medicom Toys (2010)

There was also the collaboration between Medicom Toy, Daft Punk and Tron:Legacy, where Japanese imported DP action figures and “Bearbricks” retail from $160 to $400 on Amazon.

Daft Punk x Coke Cola (2011)

Always in pursuit to reign on top in the cola wars, Coca Cola partnered with Daft Punk as part of their “Club Cola” series to produced limited edition coke bottle mimicking the iconic group’s helmets. The bottles were given out at Paris-based clubs, as well as packaged in a collector’s box as a set that was made available exclusively through the Paris boutique colette.

Daft Punk x Coke Cola (2011)

See the similarities?

Daft Punk x Converse

Always rocking their own unique style, it’s no wonder the duo was approached by lifestyle sneaker company Converse. Several times, DP has been looked to for inspiration when coming up with new limited edition Chuck Taylors.

“The Simpsons” (2012)

In an episodes of the Simpsons, Daft Punk’s likeliness made an appearance in the episode “The Day The Earth Stood Cool” when reoccuring character Disco Stu dons the familiar helmet and leather jacket. The two pop culture icons collide again in a fan-made video where Simpson neighbor Ned Flanders busts a move to their 2005 track, “Technologic.”

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A$AP Rocky and Daft Punk

Looks like this dance group from the ’90s still continues to make new friends in today’s music industry. They just don’t want photographic proof of it.

Fan Art

With such an unique and evolving image, Daft Punk also comes the source and inspiration for countless pieces of fan art. Observe…

Fan Art

Daft Nuts by Baznet, 2012

Fan Art

“Daft Punk” by Ellen Patton, 2012

Fan Art

“Daft Punk – Pulp Fiction” by Leila

Fan Art

“Daft Punk Tea Party” by mtijan2008 and teddiNeko, 2012

Now let’s finish off with some of the band’s lovely editorial pics.

Aw, who knew they had a sweet side?

Daft Punk seems to always be “wrapped up” in some eccentric new project – in this case something with aluminum foil. Maybe the start of a new costume?

Daft Punk x Niles Rogers (2013)?

This month, composer and guitarist Niles Rodgers revealed to music tabloids in a blog post that he had been working on some new music with Daft Punk.”The next time I set foot in Japan, my collaboration with Daft Punk would have started to hit people’s eardrums, as well as a number of songs I’m working on over the next few months with a select group of artists, and of course finally, my lost Chic and solo material,” wrote Rodgers. “No matter how it ends, 2013 Won’t Be Boring!”