Daft Punk Release Rare Unmasked Live Version of “Rollin & Scratchin’” From 1997

No one handled the news of Daft Punk‘s disbandment well. After years of waiting for new music, the mysterious electronic duo from France called it quits, and just like that, it was over. It’s been two years since they split up, but their legacy is intact and will remain such because their team continues to keep fans engaged with new footage of old work.

Daft Punk has now released a rare performance footage of “Rollin & Scratchin” where the pair can be seen unmasked. Initially broadcasted as part of a sole Twitch stream last year that showcased a 1997 performance at LA’s Mayan Theater, the stream marked the one-year anniversary since their 2021 curtain call as well as the 25th anniversary of their iconic debut, Homework. Check out the new video below:

Not only is the above video rare but so is the occurrence it features ie. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo can both be seen without their trademark robot masks. The gradual and strategic rollout of archival footage has become central to the Daft Punk brand ever since they became a legacy act. At this point, all we have is a rich history and it only makes sense to make the most of it. Prior to this, they released videos of them performing “Da Funk” and “Revolution 909,” and also joined TikTok last year.

In a recent interview with NME, Bangalter’s father Daniel Vangarde commented on his son’s legacy. When asked if he knew from the beginning that Bangalter would follow in his footsteps as a musician, the legendary songwriter responded, “Never. His mother wanted him to learn piano and his teacher was in the Opera of Paris. After a while, I asked him if Thomas was any good, and the teacher replied: ‘He’s OK, but he has a great sense of rhythm that makes people want to dance.'”

“When Thomas met Guy-Manuel, their common love was cinema. I think Thomas only came to the studio with me once which is good, because otherwise he would have learned to produce in a normal way and lost what made Daft Punk unique,” he added. “One of the reasons for Daft Punk’s success is that they did exactly what they wanted and it came to the public exactly, unfiltered, from their minds.”