Benjamin Diamond

Lore & Background

Stardust formed specifically for a performance at the Rex Club in Paris. The trio composed their only song, 'Music Sounds Better with You,' using a guitar riff sampled from Chaka Khan's 1981 track 'Fate.' Diamond, who had previously been in a punk band, left that group when they expressed contempt for his electronic collaborations. He co-wrote the lyrics, describing them as a 'mantra' that was simple and understandable. The trio worked on the track for six days at Bangalter's home studio, Daft House. Apart from their initial performance at Rex Club, Stardust performed only once more: a 30-minute set at the Borealis festival in Montpellier, France, before disbanding.

Reader's Guide

Benjamin Diamond is not an official character within Daft Punk's fictional robot narrative; he is a real-world collaborator. To understand his role accurately, focus on the factual history of the trio Stardust rather than fictionalized Daft Punk lore. His contribution was limited to vocals and co-writing for their single released in 1998. While Thomas Bangalter declined a $3 million offer from Virgin Records to produce a full Stardust album, Diamond expressed a desire to continue with the group, but Bangalter remained focused on Daft Punk.

Did You Know?

• Diamond left his punk band after they told him to 'go back to see your Daft Punk friends and forget us.'
• He initially disliked his own vocals on the final track, but Bangalter and Braxe convinced him they were perfect.
• Stardust performed only twice in their history: once at the Rex Club in Paris and once at the Borealis festival in Montpellier.
• Diamond was one of three members who co-wrote the lyrics, which he described as being 'like a mantra.'
• Thomas Bangalter declined a $3 million offer from Virgin Records to produce a full Stardust album.