Kevin Parker Says Daft Punk Split Felt Like ‘Someone That’s Died’

“I guess I wasn’t expecting to be as emotional as I was,” Parker explained, “Especially because I watched the video they released, that kind of eight-minute thing, which I think has already been on a movie of theirs, obviously re-contextualised for them announcing their split up, but it really moved me. Really moved me.

“I wonder what it was now that made them want to do it and announce it, because they obviously haven’t released anything since Random Access Memories.”

“It was almost like when you hear about someone that’s died,” he continued. “I know it’s obviously not nearly as tragic as when someone dies, but that kind of shock.

“My phone blew up. I messaged Dom and Jay, the old group, going… Yeah. I mean, good on them for being able to… That must take so much guts to do, and not just say, ‘Someone might offer us a billion dollars for a show next year. Maybe let’s just hold out.’ You know, to just say, ‘This is the end.’ I think it takes a lot of guts.”

While Kevin Parker shared a remix of Daft Punk’s “End of Line” back in 2011, the two artists never worked directly alongside each other, though Parker explained in 2018 that the French duo were at the top of his list of dream collaborations.

“That was Kanye,” Parker explained to Billboard. “Kanye held the number one spot there – he was the answer to that question for a long time. But that’s been ticked off.

“The other one is I guess Daft Punk,” he continued. “I hold them in absolutely legendary regard. They’re so god-like to me, but I don’t even know what I’d do or how I’d do it with them.”