Wolfgang Flür, who performed with digital pioneers Kraftwerk from 1973 to 1987, was reportedly the sufferer of an elaborate hoax by the hands of somebody who claimed to be Daft Punk member Thomas Bangalter. Based on a Daft Punk archivist who shares information in regards to the band below the umbrella of The Daft Weblog, a just lately launched collaboration credited to Bangalter truly has nothing to do with him in any respect.
“He despatched me a message on social media,” Flür just lately advised journalist Ban Cardew, who wrote the guide on Daft Punk’s Discovery. “He stated, ‘We love you guys. With out Kraftwerk we might not discover our personal robotic model, being on stage with the helmets, . And I really like you Wolfgang. And please, are you able to ship me [an album]?”
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Flür defined that after a little bit of forwards and backwards, they started to tease the thought of engaged on a music collectively. Just a few days later, the particular person despatched Flür an audio monitor that was included right into a music that was already underway.
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Whereas web scams are actually pervasive, the infamously nameless nature of the members of Daft Punk sophisticated issues much more. After first mentioning the collaboration in an interview in 2023, Flür doubled down the next yr, teasing an album with Bangalter amongst its credit, listed as Thomas “Vangarde.”
This sparked suspicion from people just like the particular person behind The Daft Weblog, however “Vangarde” was a stage title utilized by Bangalter’s father at one level, making it all of the extra attainable that it was merely a working title being leveraged right here by the artist.
“Purple flags [were] being raised however I’m unsure how one thing like this might have gotten thus far had it truly not been Bangalter,” The Daft Weblog recalled. “That is being talked about in interviews and being pressed on vinyl and making headlines… absolutely it has to really be Bangalter.”
However alas, within the interview with Cardew, it was revealed that Flür had by no means met up with the particular person claiming to be the Daft Punk member. What began as a fan looking for a signed Kraftwerk album apparently spiraled into one thing a lot greater as soon as the 2 began chatting forwards and backwards. Why cease at a free album when a collaboration was on the desk?
Whereas the identification of this Thomas Vangarde remains to be one thing of a thriller, the music turned out to be a bop. It was included on Flür’s new album, Instances, and launched into the world three days in the past.