SHOW 004
AIR DATE: FEBRUARY 27, 2021
This show is all about Daft Punk.
I explore songs that sample Daft Punk, songs that Daft Punk sampled, songs that were inspired by people who listened to Daft Punk, songs that sound like Daft Punk, songs written by collaborators of Daft Punk, songs that say “Daft Punk”, and songs from the guys before they were Daft Punk.
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Set 1
This week, electronic music legends Daft Punk announced that they would be retiring. Their announcement came via a short, dramatic video showing the parting of ways of the two members.
The show started with a massive track off their latest and last album, Random Access Memories. The song “Give Life Back To Music” is so funky with that Nile Rogers guitar riff. This album is a star-studded cast that includes Nile Rogers and Paul Jackson Jr. on guitar, Greg Leisz on pedal steel, John “JR” Robinson on drums, Chilly Gonzalez on keyboards, Nathan East on bass, Chris Caswell on keyboards, and Quinn on percussion. Following that song, two tracks off of previous albums – “Short Circuit” from Discovery and “Robot Rock” from Human After All – wrapped up the first set.
Set 2
Daft Punk was the project of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. But before there was Daft Punk, there was Darlin’, a group that consisted of Bangalter and de Homem-Christo along with Laurent Brancowitz, who later formed the band Phoenix. This band was short-lived, but put out a few tracks that Melody Maker magazine called “a daft punky thrash,” providing the future band name we all know.
These tracks by darlin’ aren’t on streaming services, but they’re on YouTube. You can listen to these pre-Daft Punk tracks here:
Set 3
Daft Punk famously used layers and layers of cut samples to create their music. A video that has resurfaced since the band’s breakup is one that demonstrates the complex techniques of editing, cutting, splicing, and re-editing that goes into the creation of Daft Punk’s compositions. It’s a fascinating video to watch:
One of the most famous samples used by Daft Punk was “Cola Bottle Baby” by Edwin Birdsong. As soon as you hear it, you know the Daft Punk song. “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” was then sampled by Kanye West for his major hit “Stronger.”
Two other samples of Daft Punk come from Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson. “Touch It,” featuring Swizz Beatz, samples “Technologic” from Human After All, and “So Much Betta” samples “Daftendirekt” off their debut album, Homework, from 1997.
Set 4
Now for some songs that sound like Daft Punk, way before Daft Punk. The focus here is Neil Young’s 1982 album, Trans. From late 1980 to mid-1982, Young spent much of his waking hours carrying out a therapy program for his young son, Ben, who was born with cerebral palsy and unable to speak. Neil disclosed to almost no one at the time that he was doing so, or that the repetitive nature of the songs on both the previous album, Re·ac·tor, and this one related to the exercises he was performing with Ben. He felt that distorting his voice reflected his attempts to communicate with his son. "At that time he was simply trying to find a way to talk, to communicate with other people. That's what Trans is all about. And that's why, on that record, you know I'm saying something but you can't understand what it is. Well, that's exactly the same feeling I was getting from my son."
After “Computer Age,” we turn to Giorgio Moroder, future collaborator of Daft Punk, on his 1972 album, Son of my Father, with the song of the same name. This song was later covered successfully by Chicory Tip, but the original is still the best (not to mention the video):
Finishing the set, we turn back to Nile Rogers and his band CHIC for a super groovy track called “Chip Off the Old Block” off of 1980’s album, Real People.
Set 5
In a show about Daft Punk, you have to play LCD Soundsystem’s breakout hit, “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House.” It seemed appropriate to play the live version from their final concert album, The Long Goodbye. There was also a documentary about the ending of LCD Soundsystem, but famously, those guys didn’t stay broken up for very long. I’m not suggesting anything here about Daft Punk, but you never know…
When I saw LCD Soundsystem’s first live show when they reunited at Brooklyn Steel, they came out on stage to Ace Frehley’s “New York Groove” blasting through the speakers. It was a very cool moment.
LCD Soundsystem was on James Murphy’s DFA record label, and the DFA stands for Death From Above. The band Death From Above 1979 was sued by Murphy for their band name. But this remix of “Blood On Our Hands” is by fellow French electronic band Justice, and their song “Genesis” from their debut album is excellent. About the time I discovered that album Cross, I also discovered Ratatat. So, when I listen to Justice, I also think of listening to Ratatat. But there are some out there who think that Daft Punk may have ripped off Ratatat with their song “Get Lucky.”
Set 6
LCD Soundsystem has another song that mentions Daft Punk: “Losing My Edge” off 2005’s self-titled album. It’s the band’s debut single, and it’s inspired by James Murphy hearing other DJs in NYC starting to play the records he was playing. he began to feel he was losing his edge.
One of the big moments in that song is when he very clearly screams, “GIL. SCOTT. HERON!” “Gun” is a great song off Heron’s 1981 album, Reflections.
Set 7
Murphy rattles off so many bands in the song “Losing My Edge,” so why not check some of them out to – as my buddy Jake says – regain our edge.
Althea and Donna had a hit with “Uptown Top Ranking,” and the French band Niagara scored number 99 on the Top 100 French rock albums by Rolling Stone with 1988’s Quel Enfer.
The Scientists are from Australia, and their 1981 self-titled album features the great track “Walk The Plank.” And the Nation of Ulysses had a 13 Point Program To Destroy America that includes the rocker “Look Out! Soul Is Back” from 1991.
Ending
The show ends the same way Daft Punk ended – with the last track from their last album. “Contact” was written with DJ Falcon and samples “We Ride Tonight” by The Sherbs, another Australian band. The audio in the song is from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Captain Eugene Cernan can be heard. He was the last man to walk on and leave the surface of the moon on the final Apollo mission. The track features drums by Omar Hakim and bass by James Genus.