#epilogue!

[writing-alright]

Quo Vadis?

I asked my roommate if she had any other questions or wanted any context about the video, since most folks might not know about Electroma. She asked why they used scenes from the movie for the anno…

For the “Epilogue” one-month anniversary I reworked the essay I wrote here.

[writing-alright]

Hey! 🤖🤖 Could you answer 1994, 2013, and/or 2021? Thanks so much for making this list! It's great to talk some of these things out. 😊

Howdy! I can, and thank you too friend! I tried to put a lot of thought into these questions in order to enable maximum venting/coping/memory lane tripping so I’m glad to hear it. That said, I sure went on and on here!

1994: What do you find most striking about the band? 

In the very best way, they don’t care about what others expect, think, or want. They turned an insult into a name recognized worldwide. I think of the time somebody got them a limo and they took the subway instead. I think of how they never did something they didn’t want to do, because it went against their artistic ideals or passions, or because they just DIDN’T FEEL LIKE IT in their hearts. I think about their gratitude to other artists and how they tried to repay it. I think about two guys just entering their twenties deciding they wanted to be a band and sticking with it for twenty eight years.

I think of them deciding to end it all with exactly these things and no more: the word “Epilogue”, the date “2:22:21”, an old movie clip, a new title card with the years “1993-2021”, a special choral mix of Touch, and a sudden cut to black. It’s what they chose to do. There’s a part of me that will take a long time to heal after the sudden starkness of Epilogue, but there’s a deeper part of me feeling utmost respect and awe.

(... If I feel like this as a fan, I can’t imagine what they’re feeling right now. Literally cannot: there’s simply no comparison between being an observer and being the one to activate self-destruct, so to speak. I’m mourning my favorite band that I listened to, but they laid their entire musical career to rest. I sincerely wish them the best in all things as they move forward from such a big moment. I won’t do them the injustice of assuming how they’re feeling.)

It is incredibly difficult to go against any sort of status quo, especially when fame and money are part of the equation. Twenty eight years is a long time—filled with plenty of opportunities to compromise on their standards, I’m sure. But they never did, to the very end. That’s dedication.

2013: What do you think about the Random Access Memories album? 

Ah, Random Access Memories my beloved. The first Daft Punk album I bought with my own money. The true sound of my summer as a seventeen year-old. I think this album breathed life into an industry desperately in need of a reconnect with its soul. (It was album of the year for many, many, many reasons.) Listening to it always breathes life into me, at least.

Now it’s their final album. I think that’s fitting. It’s got a conceptual nature like Discovery (concept-album-wise) and Human After All (concept-philosophy-wise). It’s even got the minimalist beats of Homework in Doin’ it Right, which kind of reminds me a lot of Teachers. It’s the culmination of everything they learned, put forward in an effort to make something new. They did an amazing job: the album’s got a lot going on and it all works.

The biggest difference I see between Random Access Memories and their other work is the sheer amount of direct collaboration and inspiration. One track is a biography of an EDM history-maker, for goodness’ sake! They worked with their heroes: Paul Williams and Nile Rodgers. There’s an entire series on the people they worked with talking about the album. I’m glad the last album wasn’t a lonely one.

2021: How are you “holding on” after the split? 

(I’m regretting phrasing this question like I knew what was going on with Daft Punk. Are they “splitting” from each other? Are they just retiring the band? All anybody knows is what they told us in the video. We may never know. I’m just a person on the internet who’s really invested in their band and they don’t owe me or anyone an explanation. I’m going to try my best not to assume anything else, but the cat’s out of the bag already for question 2021. Maybe I’m a little too worried about a word choice that’s not that deep.)

*Cough*

I’M COPING!! But I’m going to write a “where were you for the Daft Punk Epilogue” timeline for posterity. I don’t want to ever forget these days.

2/22/2021, 12:20 pm: Scroll Tumblr during lunch break, read this post.

[Image ID: The guy with the “one fear” t-shirt from the “no fear, one fear” meme comic. End ID]

12:25 pm: Search “Daft Punk” online.

12:26 pm: World ends. Lunch break ends next.

12:30 pm: Log back into work and try not to cry. Listen to Daft Punk albums while trying to work. Kill Youtube autoplay when it starts playing the Epilogue video while I can’t give it my full attention.

2:06 pm: Have one of my oldest best friends ask me if I heard the news. Begin sobbing uncontrollably, with just enough time before a check-in meeting with my boss to seem like I wasn’t crying.

5:00 pm: Log out of work. Open laptop, post this, pour self a large glass of wine. Search “Daft Punk Epilogue”.

5:05 pm: World ends, but for real. Sob for probably fifteen minutes. Post this. See that my old Ask Punk meme is going around. Immediately begin making one last Ask Punk.

6:30 pm: Post Ask Punk: Epilogue Edition. Send asks to every single person who reblogs it. Reach out to my Daft Punk friends and fellow fans. Continue, stopping for sleep and work, right until posting this on 2/26/2021, just after midnight.

Smiles started taking the place of my tears maybe a day ago. I’m holding on to the sense of community and musical love that were integral to being a Daft Punk fan. I’m hoping that every answer to every ask is “love” in one way or another. The least I can do is keep helping other people cope. I might put “Emotional Support Blogger” on my resume. I’m holding on by making a new home together with everyone post-Epilogue.

I just... cannot stop myself talking about Daft Punk these days. Wowie.

[writing-alright]

hey hey!!! how about 1993 (When did you first hear about Daft Punk?),1999 (Has your opinion of the band changed over time?), 2007 (What do you think about Alive 2007?), and 2018 (How does Daft Punk fit into your taste in music?)

Heyo!! <3 Loved your answers, and thank you for the questions friend, these go really well together!

1993: When did you first hear about Daft Punk?

I’m thinking it couldn’t have been earlier than 2006 or so, because my pops gave me one of those circa 2005/2006 iPod nanos and listening to Discovery on that is my earliest Daft Punk memory. Once I realized that they probably had more music, I looked in my dad’s never-ending music library and found Human After All, Homework, and the Daft Club album. Then I looked in his collection of music magazines for Daft Punk stuff, and always looked for news in the magazines that came in the mail. I’d say it took a couple years of listening before I really called myself a Daft Punk fan.

1999: Has your opinion of the band changed over time?

Around 2008 or so, I officially designated them as my favorite band. By then I understood how unique what they were doing as musicians was. I’d also been branching out from my pops’ taste in music to build my own, and Daft Punk was the core of it. They’ve been number one ever since, even through extended periods when I hardly ever listened to them. Nowadays I’m world-weary enough to appreciate how they didn’t let the music industry and the “star system” ever get in the way of their music. On so many levels they just didn’t (and still don’t) give a funk, and that’s pretty punk!

You know what’s funny? One of the biggest changes of my opinion was when, probably around 2010, I had a crisis of faith moment where I realized Daft Punk couldn’t actually be two robots. It was like Santa all over again...

2007: What do you think about Alive 2007?

Alive 2007 redefined what concerts could be, I think. It’s not just a superlative DJ mix, it’s not just a live visual show, it’s not just a technological marvel, and it’s not just an unforgettable moment preserved via the best live album known to humankind. It’s all of the above. I think it’s the band at an apex, to call upon triangle imagery.

The Daft Punk triangle has three points: creativity, resilience, and love for the craft. What creativity, to envision a stunning concert performance that puts them up front yet never distracts from the music--only adds to it! What resilience, to perform for extended periods of time in full costume! What love for the craft, to carefully blend three albums together and keep intact the soul of each piece!

Experiencing the concert vicariously through the album will be enough for me, and not just because it has to be. I think the whole point is that it could only happen that one magical time. You only live once, and if you could repeat a good thing over and over again it would lose nearly all of the meaning. Why mourn the passing-by of events and time when you can be fully alive now?

2018: How does Daft Punk fit into your taste in music?

To go more in-depth on what I mentioned in the 1993 answer, they were the foundation. One defines their taste in music by saying “I like X, Y, Z” and in the beginning my X, Y, and Z was “Daft Punk, good music, and video game songs.” Once I actually knew a bit about music and genres, I knew I was big into dance music. Later I narrowed it down to French Touch and blog house.

Everything that they loved and found inspiration in, I began to love: disco, classical, house, etc. But again, I like any random stuff I think is good. Daft Punk is very, very good.

[writing-alright]

2004 / 2008 / 2012 💖

Thank you for everything. <3

2004: Are there any lyrics in particular that stuck with you?

Definitely the lyrics to Prime Time of Your Life, Fragments of Time, and Touch (especially Touch right now), but the lyrics to Something About Us will always be written on my soul.

It might not be the right time I might not be the right one But there's something about us I want to say 'Cause there's something between us anyway

It’s important to tell the people that you love how much you care about them.

2008: What do you think about Electroma? 

Oh this film gutted me every time I watched it, even before it became an epilogue. I love it so much I got the steelbook DVD from the Vice printing. I think all your analysis of the film made me fall ever deeper in love with it! Jackson C. Frank’s I want To Be Alone and Sébastien Telliers’ Universe always tug at my heartstrings now.

Most of all I think it’s an endlessly interpretable film that can hardly be watched the same way twice.

2012: Do you have a favorite interview quote?

Went digging through my Daft Punk! tag and found this post, which I think has my favorite quote right now, one that’s very relevant and could help fans right now:

[Image ID: A partial scan of an interview on Daft Punk, which reads: “We have separate outlets for what we want to do,” Bangalter says. “We can express ourselves separately, as well as together. I think that maybe sometimes there would be pressure if we weren’t allowed to have some level of independence. Not only independence from the outside, but also independence from each other. That makes us happy and willing to come together as Daft Punk. And of course, it is easier than a band. It’s just the two of us. It’s not like, ‘Oh, the drummer and the bass player don’t get along. ...’ We’ve been doing Daft Punk for eight years now. But we’ve known each other sixteen years. So half the time was spent not doing it. It’s a long time we’ve been together.” End ID]

It’s been twenty years since this interview, guessing by the “eight years now”. They’ve had a great run. Here’s to their retirement!

[rhymingteelookatme]

in closing: upwards

Words: 623 | day 6 (far belated): First Steps

-

8th Sun, Third Umbral Moon The Mizzenmast Limsa Lominsa, Vylbrand

Dear Papa,

Firstly, I hope this letter finds you well- and that it finds only you, eluding the reach of outside (Mama’s) eyes. I have made sure to address the envelope accordingly. After this, ‘tis all up to the ingenuity of the moogle post.

Secondly, I feel I must apologize once again for the untimely end of our visit. I had hoped we could stay the whole fortnight as planned, but circumstances forced my hand… or rather, Gogoha’s. She has not told us the precise nature of what transpired—I gather only that she was grievously insulted. It is her tale to tell, of course; yet still I make apologies on all of our behalf. I shall try to make up for it in future, somehow.

Thirdly: the date has been set! My sister and her beloved are to be wed on the twenty-second sun of this month, the very first day of summer. Well, the first evening of summer, for the ceremony is to begin at six o’clock—I expect the sunset will be lovely, if a bit blocked by the surrounding Twelveswood. I wrote out the invitations myself. I confess I am rather pleased with the flourishes on yours! It should be enclosed along with this letter, if it has not fallen out on the way.

There will be many people in attendance, perhaps more than you will expect. We have tried to limit the guest list to only the brides’ closest friends. This means, of course, that there will be upwards of twoscore persons packed into the Sanctum—including the two of us! But you must not be daunted, Papa, for I shall be with you all the time and introduce you to everyone as best I am able.

Fourthly: we are all doing well as may be, Twelve willing. No one has fallen ill, and if our sleep times are irregular, at least we are sleeping. Livorette chose her wedding costume in the blink of an eye. However, she is now quite beside herself trying to compose her vows. She will accept no help from either Gogoha or myself, but sits at her desk with pot after pot of carline tea for bells on end. For her part Gogoha seems a trifle calmer, but I think this may be a front, for as I write this she is steadily beating a path into the carpet with her vigorous pacing before the fireplace. I can only suppose that she may be in the throes of vigorous mental composition even now. As for her wedding attire, I have not seen it, but her taste is excellent and she will undoubtedly look magnificent.

Fifthly, and lastly: though it pains me to say it, I do not think Mama will wish to attend. She seemed quite sour about the prospect of Gogoha as a daughter-in-law, even before the mysterious incident that inspired our too-hasty departure. By extension, therefore, she may be quite cross if she discovers that you have received our invitation, let alone accepted it. Say and do whatever you must to get out to the city on the day. I shall meet you at the pier at half past four, and we will travel to the Sanctum together.

—Ah, I must go; I am wanted. Take care, Papa! I shall write again before the wedding, if time permits. 

Love from

Yr affectionate daughter

       Sélysette

Livorette, across the room, is still beckoning impatiently with the hand on her lap. Sély will not keep her waiting much longer. She wipes the pen, sand-sprinkles the page, and caps the inkpot. Then she leaves the letter to dry and goes to see what her sister so urgently wants.