Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Guillaume Emmanuel de Homem-Christo |
Also known as | Guy-Man |
Born | 8 February 1974 |
Origin | Paris, France |
Genres | |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | Crydamoure |
Associated acts |
Guillaume Emmanuel "Guy-Manuel" de Homem-Christo (French pronunciation: [ɡi manɥɛl də ɔmɛm kʁisto]; born 8 February 1974) is a French musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and film director, best known for being one half of the French house music duo Daft Punk, along with Thomas Bangalter. He has also produced several works from his record label Crydamoure with label co-owner Éric Chedeville. He and Chedeville formed the musical duo Le Knight Club.
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo was born in the Paris, France suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. He is of Portuguese descent: his great-grandfather was the writer and fascism advocate , whose father was the military figure Francisco Manuel Homem Cristo.
In a video interview, Homem-Christo stated that he was given a toy guitar and keyboard at around seven years of age. He was eventually given an electric guitar at age 14. He has also stated that he uses a guitar when writing music.
Homem-Christo met Thomas Bangalter when they were attending the Lycée Carnot school together in 1987. It was there that they discovered their mutual fascination for films and music of the 1960s and 70s, "very basic cult teenager things, from Easy Rider to the Velvet Underground". The two and Laurent Brancowitz eventually joined to form an indie rock trio called Darlin', in which Homem-Christo performed guitar. Bangalter felt that "It was still maybe more a teenage thing at that time. It's like, you know, everybody wants to be in a band." A negative review referred to their music as "a punky thrash", which inspired Bangalter and Homem-Christo's new name. The two soon became interested in electronic dance music after going to a club in 1992. Homem-Christo is credited for designing the Daft Punk logo in the liner notes of Homework.