Laurent Brancowitz

Laurent Brancowitz
Performing at Eurockéennes 2007
Background information
Birth name	Laurent Mazzalai
Born	(1973-10-19) October 19, 1973
Genres	indie rock, Alternative rock
Years active	1992–present
Labels	EMI, Source, Astralwerks, Loyauté
Associated acts	Phoenix Darlin'

Laurent Brancowitz (born Laurent Mazzalai)^[1] is a musician best known for being one of the guitarists from the French alternative rock band Phoenix.

Darlin'

In 1992, Brancowitz was part of a short lived Beach Boys-inspired guitar group called Darlin'. The band consisted of his friends, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, and himself. After releasing their songs on Duophonic Records, a review in the British music magazine Melody Maker called the music "a daft punky thrash." Darlin' disbanded months later. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo became interested with electronic music soon afterward, used the quote from the Melody Maker magazine as a moniker, and composed music under the name Daft Punk.^[2] Brancowitz joined forces with Phoenix at around the same time.^[3]

Phoenix

Phoenix was created in 1999 with his younger brother Christian Mazzalai, Thomas Mars and Deck D'Arcy in Versailles.

During live shows, Brancowitz often plays a Fender Bullet, although he has also used a large variety of guitars from Fender and Gibson.

References

1. ↑ Laurent Brancowitz's Discogs profile Retrieved 23 November 2011.
2. ↑ http://myglobalist.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/french-music-connection/
3. ↑ Darlin's Discogs profile Retrieved November 23, 2011.