You may have seen this doing the rounds on the interweb recently. Sparked by a Daft Punk edition of Palms Out Sounds magnificent Sample Wednesday in which we get to hear just how much songs from Discovery, Human after All and to a lesser extent, Homework utilise WHOLE PARTS of other tunes as the guts of the songs. If you haven’t heard these before, you might be very, very surprised.
Now I’ve laid out my thoughts on Daft Punk in their current carnation before, but regarding the use of these samples there are two schools of thought:
1) The extent to which they have sampled the tunes goes beyond normal sampling and is more like direct pilfering of the songs in question and therefore not cool.
2) The end results of the sampling are better than the original recordings and therefore Daft Punk are musical geniuses for using the samples to such effect.
“Robot Rock”, “Harder Faster Stronger”, “Crescendolls” and “Digital Love” are particular eye-openers. I can’t help but feel that after watching the video, people will feel a little duped. Personally, I think it goes beyond sampling so I would side with the first school of thought. Head over to Palms Out Sounds to hear the full original recordings.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
It’s irrelevant really, because almost everyone is doing it.
It’s irrelevant really, because almost everyone is doing it.
Daft Punk make great music, but if they’re taking this music without permission, then I’m angry at them. But if they’re using the samples with permission, then I couldn’t really care less.
Robot Rock forever. =P
Daft Punk make great music, but if they’re taking this music without permission, then I’m angry at them. But if they’re using the samples with permission, then I couldn’t really care less.
Robot Rock forever. =P
I look at it this way. Its like a properly retuned car like an Alpina BMW. Its based on a BMW but after being worked over it is an even better BMW.
Reworking samples is part of the culture. What is the fuss about?
And what about DJ Dangermouse and the Beatles? Jay Zs’ 99 Problems superimposed onto Helter Skelter is genius.
Storm in a teacup. Daft Punk know what to sample. That is their art. If it is someone elses song they sample so be it. Its still their art.
I look at it this way. Its like a properly retuned car like an Alpina BMW. Its based on a BMW but after being worked over it is an even better BMW.
Reworking samples is part of the culture. What is the fuss about?
And what about DJ Dangermouse and the Beatles? Jay Zs’ 99 Problems superimposed onto Helter Skelter is genius.
Storm in a teacup. Daft Punk know what to sample. That is their art. If it is someone elses song they sample so be it. Its still their art.
Wow! At the risk of being branded a musical evil-doer (judging by the excessively rave reviews they seem to get and sentiments they seem to inspire on the old blogosphere), I’m gonna go with the
[quote post=”325″]1) The extent to which they have sampled the tunes goes beyond normal sampling and is more like direct pilfering of the songs in question and therefore not cool.[/quote]
And to add insult to injury, the original ones (of the latter tunes that is) are probably by and large even better, in my stunted musical opinion. God be with the glory days of Homework and Alive 97 – O Daft Punk why have you forsaken me?
Wow! At the risk of being branded a musical evil-doer (judging by the excessively rave reviews they seem to get and sentiments they seem to inspire on the old blogosphere), I’m gonna go with the
[quote post=”325″]1) The extent to which they have sampled the tunes goes beyond normal sampling and is more like direct pilfering of the songs in question and therefore not cool.[/quote]
And to add insult to injury, the original ones (of the latter tunes that is) are probably by and large even better, in my stunted musical opinion. God be with the glory days of Homework and Alive 97 – O Daft Punk why have you forsaken me?
It’s kind of the same problem I have with Massive Attack… basically all of their shit is jacked from old reggae tracks, and it kills me.
It’s kind of the same problem I have with Massive Attack… basically all of their shit is jacked from old reggae tracks, and it kills me.
I’m a musician that’s no stranger to sampling, so my perspective is a bit off the norm on this.
On one hand I am a bit surprised at the overall length of the samples used. But on the otherhand I can see that each Daft Punk record helps to build a larger image of who they are and what their music is all about. I’d say no individual sample has been left un-tweaked, or used raw, so the effect of their choice of sampling is where the art is located.
One can always make a youtube clip comparing the original with the sample (and don’t you dare consider doing this with DJ Shadow, or you’ll have an even bigger debate). In a way, it’s a bit of a low-blow, as the sampled version will almost always sound “less authentic” in a way.
Plus, their tracks rock.
Regardless, good blog!
I’m a musician that’s no stranger to sampling, so my perspective is a bit off the norm on this.
On one hand I am a bit surprised at the overall length of the samples used. But on the otherhand I can see that each Daft Punk record helps to build a larger image of who they are and what their music is all about. I’d say no individual sample has been left un-tweaked, or used raw, so the effect of their choice of sampling is where the art is located.
One can always make a youtube clip comparing the original with the sample (and don’t you dare consider doing this with DJ Shadow, or you’ll have an even bigger debate). In a way, it’s a bit of a low-blow, as the sampled version will almost always sound “less authentic” in a way.
Plus, their tracks rock.
Regardless, good blog!
there’s a big difference between using a sample and using a chunk of a song to form the backbone of the new song, or basically the ENTIRE song which is what Daft Punk have done. I reckon most people wouldn’t realise that this stuff would sample and would think that DP were creating all original material.
there’s a big difference between using a sample and using a chunk of a song to form the backbone of the new song, or basically the ENTIRE song which is what Daft Punk have done. I reckon most people wouldn’t realise that this stuff would sample and would think that DP were creating all original material.
“most people” couldn’t care less. I mean listen to Trickys Maxinquaye with its Portishead samples.
This is all very silly. Daft Punk made good songs/samples even better. This organic/originality thing is a rip off. Everything is copied from everyone else.
As an example who wants to listen to the original of Brim full of Asha? Its total rubbish The remix is far better.
Whinging about a 6 year old Daft Punk album now just makes you sound like an old fart.
What about Eskiimo and their mixtapes? They are substantial rip offs that make the original sound better.
This is all a storm in a rather dated teacup.
“most people” couldn’t care less. I mean listen to Trickys Maxinquaye with its Portishead samples.
This is all very silly. Daft Punk made good songs/samples even better. This organic/originality thing is a rip off. Everything is copied from everyone else.
As an example who wants to listen to the original of Brim full of Asha? Its total rubbish The remix is far better.
Whinging about a 6 year old Daft Punk album now just makes you sound like an old fart.
What about Eskiimo and their mixtapes? They are substantial rip offs that make the original sound better.
This is all a storm in a rather dated teacup.
It’s hardly dated billy,
These are the same songs ( their “latest”) that Daft Punk will be playing at all the Summer Festivals that a lot of people will be going mad for.
The point is that most people don’t know the extent of the sampling, so it’s definitely worth a look.
It’s hardly dated billy,
These are the same songs ( their “latest”) that Daft Punk will be playing at all the Summer Festivals that a lot of people will be going mad for.
The point is that most people don’t know the extent of the sampling, so it’s definitely worth a look.
Ok. Fair cop.
Still they are DJs and I don’t think they hid anything apart from their identities.
Lets get the Consumer affairs guys onto them and ban all sampling. Lets get the Taliban in to regulate it. It will be brilliant.
Then lets copyright all sounds, notes and chords.
Ok. Fair cop.
Still they are DJs and I don’t think they hid anything apart from their identities.
Lets get the Consumer affairs guys onto them and ban all sampling. Lets get the Taliban in to regulate it. It will be brilliant.
Then lets copyright all sounds, notes and chords.
[quote post=”325″]Lets get the Consumer affairs guys onto them and ban all sampling. Lets get the Taliban in to regulate it. It will be brilliant.[/quote]
now it’s you that’s sounding silly.
[quote post=”325″]Lets get the Consumer affairs guys onto them and ban all sampling. Lets get the Taliban in to regulate it. It will be brilliant.[/quote]
now it’s you that’s sounding silly.
For the record, these samples have all been cleared and are credited on the liner notes. So it’s only an “artistic” rip off that you are claiming.
I agree that the taliban should be in charge of sample clearances! makes sense to me! hahahah
For the record, these samples have all been cleared and are credited on the liner notes. So it’s only an “artistic” rip off that you are claiming.
I agree that the taliban should be in charge of sample clearances! makes sense to me! hahahah
What I was trying to say was that if you look for holes you are going to find them. Everyone copys everyone else. Its the way things progress. Heroes is a rip off of the Fanstastic Four. Smallville is a ripoff of superman. Prince is a (genius) rip off of the bastard child of Carlos Santana and James Brown.
If you don’t like what Daft Punk did go and get your 20 Euro back from Golden Discs.
Bing able to mix, remix and copy other prior art is a fundamental part of music. So what if it is not original. Not a lot is.
What I was trying to say was that if you look for holes you are going to find them. Everyone copys everyone else. Its the way things progress. Heroes is a rip off of the Fanstastic Four. Smallville is a ripoff of superman. Prince is a (genius) rip off of the bastard child of Carlos Santana and James Brown.
If you don’t like what Daft Punk did go and get your 20 Euro back from Golden Discs.
Bing able to mix, remix and copy other prior art is a fundamental part of music. So what if it is not original. Not a lot is.
Sampling disparate 70s and 80s records to become the absolute zeitgeist of 90s pop music is actually pretty difficult, not least when you consider that Daft Punk had such a vivid and forceful package of graphic design and video behind them, that’s why they were so popular and ultimately just became loved by huge amounts of people.
They chose the right records, they chose the right aesthetic. Great pop music is every bit as much about choices of image and aesthetics as it is about innovative music. And it only seems to lack innovation in hindsight. If they’d chose different records, would they have succeeded in the way that they did? Who knows…
Ask yourself, has any artist ever succeeded to the point that Daft Punk did on Discovery by making old music seem new? And if not, why not?
If people want to be hardcore on the “authenticity” vibe here I know plenty of dance fans who’d say “Homework” was just a weak ass rip off of Chicago House, watered down for the mainstream, or that actually every dance crossover album is just a ripoff of more underground music…
Who here had heard of any of the tracks before they were sampled? Disco afficionados maybe…but I think it’s very shaky ground to listen to these tracks after you already know them from hits by one of the biggest and most visual acts of the last 20 years and say “what a great original track they stole from”
If these tracks have life it’s because Daft Punk gave them life.
Sampling disparate 70s and 80s records to become the absolute zeitgeist of 90s pop music is actually pretty difficult, not least when you consider that Daft Punk had such a vivid and forceful package of graphic design and video behind them, that’s why they were so popular and ultimately just became loved by huge amounts of people.
They chose the right records, they chose the right aesthetic. Great pop music is every bit as much about choices of image and aesthetics as it is about innovative music. And it only seems to lack innovation in hindsight. If they’d chose different records, would they have succeeded in the way that they did? Who knows…
Ask yourself, has any artist ever succeeded to the point that Daft Punk did on Discovery by making old music seem new? And if not, why not?
If people want to be hardcore on the “authenticity” vibe here I know plenty of dance fans who’d say “Homework” was just a weak ass rip off of Chicago House, watered down for the mainstream, or that actually every dance crossover album is just a ripoff of more underground music…
Who here had heard of any of the tracks before they were sampled? Disco afficionados maybe…but I think it’s very shaky ground to listen to these tracks after you already know them from hits by one of the biggest and most visual acts of the last 20 years and say “what a great original track they stole from”
If these tracks have life it’s because Daft Punk gave them life.
sorry the only exception is “robot rock” where sampling the whole thing was crap because the song was a shit pastiche of themselves circa discovery, not a good pastiche of other acts…
sorry the only exception is “robot rock” where sampling the whole thing was crap because the song was a shit pastiche of themselves circa discovery, not a good pastiche of other acts…
I agree with Ronan. We are just copies and mash ups of our parents. Why can’t music be the same?
I agree with Ronan. We are just copies and mash ups of our parents. Why can’t music be the same?
[quote post=”325″]Then lets copyright all sounds, notes and chords. [/quote]
Actually, that might be a bit extreme Billy don’t ya think?
[quote post=”325″]Then lets copyright all sounds, notes and chords. [/quote]
Actually, that might be a bit extreme Billy don’t ya think?
Extreme example to prove a point. What I meant to say was to patent the notes sounds and chords. Then nobody could copy anybody else.
If it was underhand and controversial then maybe they have a case to answer to but I don’t see anything underhand apart from rampant sampling.
Counting Crows version of Big Yellow Taxi. Now there is a crime against humanity.
Extreme example to prove a point. What I meant to say was to patent the notes sounds and chords. Then nobody could copy anybody else.
If it was underhand and controversial then maybe they have a case to answer to but I don’t see anything underhand apart from rampant sampling.
Counting Crows version of Big Yellow Taxi. Now there is a crime against humanity.
“If you don’t like what Daft Punk did go and get your 20 Euro back from Golden Discs.”
i don’t think niall gets his stuff from golden discs. in fact i don’t think anyone gets stuff from golden discs, unless one is checking out the extensive pop selection…
but that’s a discussion for another day
🙂
“If you don’t like what Daft Punk did go and get your 20 Euro back from Golden Discs.”
i don’t think niall gets his stuff from golden discs. in fact i don’t think anyone gets stuff from golden discs, unless one is checking out the extensive pop selection…
but that’s a discussion for another day
🙂
Golden discs just has Shania Twain and other muck like that. I ditched cds a long time ago.
Anyway does anyone have any Eskiimo tracks?
Golden discs just has Shania Twain and other muck like that. I ditched cds a long time ago.
Anyway does anyone have any Eskiimo tracks?
aaahh now
you’ve got to love a bit of the aul’ shania
🙂
– leigh
aaahh now
you’ve got to love a bit of the aul’ shania
🙂
– leigh
Like Biz Markie without the vocals.
Like Biz Markie without the vocals.
[quote post=”325″]I mean listen to Trickys Maxinquaye with its Portishead samples.[/quote]
Just a correction here, tricky and portishead sampled the same Issac Hayes song (Isaac Hayes’ Ike’s Rap II), they didn’t sample each other.
[quote post=”325″]I mean listen to Trickys Maxinquaye with its Portishead samples.[/quote]
Just a correction here, tricky and portishead sampled the same Issac Hayes song (Isaac Hayes’ Ike’s Rap II), they didn’t sample each other.
if you think their rip-off merchants, then you must think that justice, oizo, and just about the whole ed banger crew are aswell, along with most of the electro house scene’s artists. because if you hadn’t noticed, basically every song has been sampled from older music and turned into the music you like. it doesnt ‘suck’, and their not rip-off’s, because you like it, and would have never known about the samples unless you did like it.
justice – phantom
oizo – patrick122
all of it is ancient music.
get lives.
if you think their rip-off merchants, then you must think that justice, oizo, and just about the whole ed banger crew are aswell, along with most of the electro house scene’s artists. because if you hadn’t noticed, basically every song has been sampled from older music and turned into the music you like. it doesnt ‘suck’, and their not rip-off’s, because you like it, and would have never known about the samples unless you did like it.
justice – phantom
oizo – patrick122
all of it is ancient music.
get lives.
if you think their rip-off merchants, then you must think that justice, oizo, and just about the whole ed banger crew are aswell, along with most of the electro house scene’s artists. because if you hadn’t noticed, basically every song has been sampled from older music and turned into the music you like. it doesnt ‘suck’, and their not rip-off’s, because you like it, and would have never known about the samples unless you did like it.
justice – phantom
oizo – patrick122
all of it is ancient music.
get lives.
if you think their rip-off merchants, then you must think that justice, oizo, and just about the whole ed banger crew are aswell, along with most of the electro house scene’s artists. because if you hadn’t noticed, basically every song has been sampled from older music and turned into the music you like. it doesnt ‘suck’, and their not rip-off’s, because you like it, and would have never known about the samples unless you did like it.
justice – phantom
oizo – patrick122
all of it is ancient music.
get lives.
Is it me or is it pretty much universally unacceptable to merely question daft punk by way of a blog?
Is it me or is it pretty much universally unacceptable to merely question daft punk by way of a blog?
[quote post=”325″]Is it me or is it pretty much universally unacceptable to merely question daft punk by way of a blog?[/quote]
Pretty Much Mike.
Pretty much.. 🙁
[quote post=”325″]Is it me or is it pretty much universally unacceptable to merely question daft punk by way of a blog?[/quote]
Pretty Much Mike.
Pretty much.. 🙁
if you think their rip-off merchants, then you must think that justice, oizo, and just about the whole ed banger crew are aswell, along with most of the electro house scene’s artists. because if you hadn’t noticed, basically every song has been sampled from older music and turned into the music you like. it doesnt ‘suck’, and their not rip-off’s, because you like it, and would have never known about the samples unless you did like it.
justice – phantom
oizo – patrick122
all of it is ancient music.
get lives.
Kraftwerk managed to PIONEER the electronic music frontier without ripping anyone off. The Art of Noise managed to be one the best electronic acts in history, and they only ever needed 2-second samples, at most. Both Kraftwerk and The Art of Noise actually PLAYED INSTRUMENTS and composed whole songs that were more than just a loop repeating over and over.
Daft Punk takes whole songs or licks, loops them, and calls it a day. They don’t compose anything at all. They just loop it.
The funk music they rip off is FAR BETTER than the looped half-songs released by Daft Punk. Keep on supporting this, though… Pretty soon, nobody will bother to learn music theory, or how to play instruments or compose music. Everyone will just loop old music and we’ll never get anything new or original.
Daft Punk DUMBS DOWN GOOD MUSIC for stupid people.
Hahah, this is funny. I still love daft punk either way. You can’t discredit them for not wanting to make up there own beats. I looked up some of these songs sampled on here, they’re terrible. Daft punk used what was once lead, and turned it into gold. And consider the ‘jam’ part of digital love, they took that one beat/sample and added techno/synthpop to it. They have a electronic keyboard section, what they sample that too? Just because these guys can see good ideas makes them geniuses. Invention is just disguised innovation. These guys are innovators.
Actually, none of the tracks where mentioned or credited ate the time of the releases of Homework or Discovery. DP even went on TV (arte tv on french tv, “tracks” if i remember well) when Discovery was out, telling that all the samples parts where recording and performed live by them, and then convert into little snippets and samples… what a load of BS really.
You have to know also that Thomas Bangalter’s father (Daniel Bangalter aka Daniel Vangarde) is a very notorious music producer and sound engineer that produced most of the tracks they sample (“one more time” for exemple). He is also know as a big fagot thief that still copyrights money from the artists he produced, and he is continuously in trial with SACEM, the french organism for copyright and artist income.
Need i say, that the father is also the advisor from the every beginning of DP, on how to REALLY become huge in the business… and also mixed the albums, composed some songs (i think but not sure, the only one performed on Discovery…)…
The rest is merely a legend and and image totally artificial but terribly efficient in terms of marketting.. and this is just what it is about…
Each time i heard Daft Punk album, i like the engineering processed and craft (but it is daddy DP, not them…), the color of the sound), but i am so BORED!!! no intensity, no tension build, not a little touch of psychedelic that would let me travel a bit, very boring music indeed…
and i just saw this video post on youtube where Thomas Bangalter tried to make a dj set and mix 2 songs, doesn’t manage to get the tempo, try to get in the mix for 10 min (the video is cut)…
PLEASE PEOPLE, WAKE UP !!!!
Ah , and a propos Alive 2007 (did you notice this strange pyramid, and people doing this pyramid signs, and people singing Human=Robots, when you know that “robot” is a russian word that means SLAVE !!!), this is all playback of course, the same set every show, 1h30min laid down in ableton live software, start play…
Got to be a genius to do that for sur…
OVERRATED BAND !!!
Sampling = evolution
Bringing something new to the table = revolution.
Reference:
Daft Punk vs. 70s disco (ripoff). Nothing really new; “comfort food.”
Sex Pistols, the Clash, X and others in the 70s and 80s: vs….well, no real reference point. Very new, exciting stuff. Pushed the boundaries past Corporate Rock. And let’s be fair. Many “alternative” bands of the 90s and beyond ripped off 70s punk just like Daft Punk ripped off 70s disco.
Verdict: Daft Punk may be the latest, hottest kids on the block. Maybe fun to listen to, maybe better at 70s disco than some 70s disco groups, but is that really something to strive to? Nah. ultimately disposable, like so much from the 70s era.