Before Daft Punk, There Was Tomita

by 11 Comments

I and practically everybody I know has been excited for Daft Punk’s upcoming album, Random Access Memories, and for good reason—Daft Punk has been one of the biggest names in dance music for almost 20 years.

Daft Punk is obviously extremely popular around the world, but I think that it owes a thing or two to Japan in particular. Besides Japanese animation company Toei creating Daft Punk’s anime OVA (yes, Daft Punk has an official anime), Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, there’s one Japanese man whom Daft Punk seems to owe a lot.

daft-punk-interstella

Last time Daft Punk went on tour, they performed on a giant, illuminated pyramid, towering over crowds of thousands across the world. The similarity wasn’t lost on me when I found out that Japanese electronic musician Isao Tomita did more or less the same thing in the 80′s.

Even though Tomita’s music was much, much different than Daft Punk’s (Tomita did mainly electronic covers of classical music), Tomita’s 1984 performance known as “Mind of the Universe” bears a striking resemblance to Daft Punk’s modern-day pyramid of light.

tomita-daft-punk-pyramid

Left: Isao Tomita’s “Mind of the Universe.” Right: Daft Punk’s “Alive 2007” tour.

Mind of the Universe was performed at a music festival in Linz, Austria, and Tomita went balls to the walls for this performance. One blog notes that in addition to the pyramid of light from which Tomita directed the whole show, he also

employed 13 channels of sound, including one from a helicopter 1500 feet above the river, multichannels sound systems on either side of the river, and on a ship that also carried musicians and a chorus of 100 Austrian singers.

Tomita’s music definitely isn’t the kind you’ll hear a DJ spinning at a rave, but you can’t help but admire the sheer spectacle of it all. Here’s some video from the legendary 1984 performance:

Besides his epic Mind of the Universe, Tomita did a ton of incredible work. He also did a massive performance at the Statue of Liberty called “Back To Earth,” and did a show for Australia’s bicentennial that was part of a $7 million gift from Japan.

He also composed music for a Japanese Olympic team, and for the movie that The Lion King ripped off, Kimba the White Lion. Nowadays, Tomita is doing more mundane work (music for Disney theme parks), but is still keeping quite busy, considering he’s been active for more than half a century.

kimbra-white-lion

Tomita is definitely more Switched-On Bach than Random Access Memories, but that doesn’t mean that he’s irrelevant.

He directly laid the groundwork for some early Japanese electronic musicians like Yellow Magic Orchestra (a member of which was his assistant) and, far in the future, current Japanese electronic musicians. It’s not that much of a stretch to say that vocaloid superstar Hatsune Miku has a bit of Tomita DNA in her.

In fact, last year Hatsune Miku and Isao Tomita came together to create a symphony performed in Tokyo. When it comes to old school meets new school, it’s hard to top Tomita x Miku.

So when Daft Punk’s new album comes out an people are going hysterical out in the streets, remember that somewhere, Isao Tomita paved the way. Especially that giant pyramid of light part.

  • DAVIDPD

    Kimba looks amazing. The baboon looks like it has poo on its head.

  • zack

    I remember watching Kimba in my childhood and still remember it’s theme song. When Lion King was out, I wondered who’s copying who. But I just a child back then, I just brushed it off and forgot about it until you mention it today. :D

  • Daft Punk

    So basically your argument is that they both used a pyramid? Other than that you have not showed how exactly Tomita “paved” the way to Daft Punk. The French electronic scene owes nothing to Tomita. Daft Punk music comes from the French electronic scene. There you go.

    Btw, it seems like you just needed an excuse to slide Tomita in, didn’t you? All I got to say is: you are (not) about to get lucky.

  • Reptic

    Rip off is a word with some pretty negative connotations. Considering that the Lion King has a completely different story, animation style, and most of the characters are completely different (Yes, and even the names– simba just means lion in swahilli, plus the actual Japanese names of kimba and claw are Leo and Bubu), I’d argue that its more like the Lion King was inspired by Kimba than straight ripped it off, which is exactly how Tezuka’s widow looked at it anyway.

  • Brad Garrett

    This is awesome. Thank you for introducing me to Tomita’s music! I’ve already begun purchasing some from Amazon.

    He truly is a genius with the moog synthesizer.

  • Yuume

    Tomita is one of the most famous producers and revolutionists of analog synthesizer music and programming, as well as being regarded as one of the first pioneers of electronic and “space” music and laying foundations for synth and trance music. Daft Punk has noted Tomita among other people as inspirations for what they do, and the pyramid is not the only similarity; techniques, show fashions, and even some sound is reminiscent of Tomita and other electronica founders.

    The French electronic scene actually started after Tomita was born, in about 1948, but it wasn’t developed or popular until 1975, when Pompidou wanted someone to found IRCAM, which was AFTER Tomita started his electronic career. And even then, one of the more notable pioneers at IRCAM was Chowning, who is American. Boulez was also another name. Even regarding that, electronica was being experimented with in other countries besides France and Japan as well.

    Doesn’t really matter, this article was not to argue that the French electronic scene owes anything to anyway. It was that Tomita is a noteworthy artist and pioneer in the electronic world, it would have been quite different without him, and has inspired many artists since. Like Daft Punk. Who is awesome.

  • Arobadope

    All of Electronica didn’t really start until the late 70s early 80s, it coincided with glam rock and hip-hop. It really doesn’t matter when someone started their career because there is such a thing as developing to similar ideas at the same time, but neither person who developed those ideas as knowing what the other was doing. Considering the internet wasn’t really around then, this is very plausible. For one notable example of this, look at Calculus which was developed by Newton and Leibniz at the same time, yet independent of each other.

    Not saying I disagree with what you said, however your arguments are really kind of weak. Either way if Daft Punk has cited Tomita as an influence, well there isn’t really an argument to be had, fact is he influenced them, if they did say that.

  • Diego Zavala

    you have an opinion, but PLEASE CALM DOWN. this a website for japanese related topics, not French, if you think otherwise about the opinions expressed, then take your anger out on a defenseless pillow or punching bag. This is just as the “england made baseball” argument. it has unclear roots. (°[]°)/

  • Gentleman

    Dont shout at him. Uppercase = shout

  • Diego Zavala

    it was meant to be emphasized not perceived as agressive yelling. but yes

  • ISAO WOW!!!

    What’s funny is if you listen to the new album, it sounds a lot like him in many regards!!! Wouldn’t have ever guessed.