Daft Punk have issued their first interview in conjunction with new album “Random Access Memories,” and of course it came out of this weekend at Coachella.
The duo, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, were on hand to witness crowds reacting to a video promo that they aired on the jumbo screens flanking the stages at the Indio, Calif. festival. Speaking with Rolling Stone during the weekend event, the two said they enjoyed watching the instant online reaction to the teaser trailer, which features the single “Get Lucky” guesting Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers and the Daft Punk robots.
Daft Punk also opened up on a few more plot points to “Random Access Memories” (due May 21):
- Recording started in 2008 and remained in almost complete secrecy. Sneaky robots.
- They’re trying to futher blur what is “real” and what is machine. “We wanted to do what we used to do with machines and samplers, but with people,” Bangalter explains. And on the title: “We were drawing a parallel between the brain and the hard drive – the random way that memories are stored.”
- Pharrell and previous Daft Punk video interview series guest Giorgio Moroder are confirmed on the tracklist — along with the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas and Animal Collective”s Panda Bear.
- Considering EDM today, Bangalter said: “Electronic music right now is in its comfort zone and it”s not moving one inch,” Thomas says. “That”s not what artists are supposed to do… There”s no signature. Skrillex has been successful because he has a recognizable sound: You hear a dubstep song, even if it”s not him, you think it”s him.”
- The ads that have featured during “Saturday Night Live” exist because there’s a “timelessness” to them. “When you drive on the Sunset Strip and see these billboards, it”s more magical than a banner ad,” Thomas says. “‘SNL’ is this part of American culture with a certain timelessness to it.”
- Daft Punk went into the studio with Kanye West in Paris, for the rapper’s new album. “It was very raw: he was rapping – kind of screaming primally, actually,” Thomas says. “Kanye doesn”t give a f*ck.” Michel Gondry told the magazine that Chris Cunningham was shooting a video for one of the songs from that session.
- Hedi Slimane, of Saint-Laurent, designed Daft Punk’s new sequined suits.
Meanwhile, Pharrell stepped up to the plate to discuss his participation in creating “Random Access Memories.” He not only sings on “Get Lucky,” but also on “Lose Yourself to Dance,” and you can hear how he ended up on the thing at all below: “We were at a party for Madonna”s last album,” Pharrell recalls, “and I was like, You guys should have produced this! Why did that not happen? Madonna and the robots would have been unbelievable! They were like, ‘We”re working on something.’ I said, Whatever you do, call me – I”ll play tambourine on it. They looked at each other and they were like, ‘We”ll be in touch.'”
Guess they got in touch. Watch: