Daft Punk, Behind the Cool Masks
Everybody’s favorite French, electronic, robot mask wearing duo, Daft Punk, has announced their retirement after 28 years in the music industry. Now before we start breaking out the tissues and ice cream and listen to all of our favorite songs, let's take a walk down memory lane. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter are the men behind the masks. The two met in a Paris secondary school, or a mix of middle and high school for all of us American folk. The duo, along with some fellow classmates, formed a band; no, not Daft Punk, that comes later, but they were called Darlin’. Playing indie rock, the group lasted for about six months. Homem Christo and Bangalter, or Gold and Silver as their masks are colored, decided they wanted to experiment. They tried synthesizers and talk boxes, and found themselves combining multiple different music genres to make their widely known techno sound. In 1997 the twosome released their first album, Homework. Following that, they released Around the World as a single, which is one of their more popular songs. However all of this was before they donned their shiny robot helmets and took on their personas. The theme of not showing their faces was decided before the robot masks were even thought about. During one of their first interviews the two wore black bags on their head. The masks were made in 2001, and they have been updated frequently for comfort and stability. This included a vent for air since, according to Bangalter, the masks got very hot. Their presence as robots began during their appearance on Cartoon Network where they stated that they had an accident in their studio, an explosion that had left them unconscious. When the two finally woke up they had found themselves to be robots. That’s the story they went with, however now we all know that the two are perfectly human. The pair had made multiple albums and songs that were highly regarded and enjoyed by their fans. The duo also made the soundtrack for the remake/sequel to the Tron movie, Tron: Legacy. Now even though this movie is a bit lackluster in story, the music was phenomenal. In 2016 Daft Punk worked with The Weeknd on Starboy, which gave their only Billboard Top 100 song. Now following this long and incredibly well composed road the two have walked, they have announced their retirement. They did so with the release of a video titled “Epilogue” on the pairs Youtube channel. It shows the two walking out into the desert, and one reveals he is wearing a bomb vest. Then the two are blown to pieces. Now it may not have been when their fans wanted the end to come, nor was it the end they wanted. However Daft Punk did indeed go out with a bang. Now the two French artists can retire and reap the rewards of their career, and with some shiny masks to keep as souvenirs.