In 1987, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo met at Lycée Carnot (a secondary school in Paris, France) and discovered they had the same tastes for rock bands such as MC5, Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and The Stooges. The two were interested in forming a band and put out an ad for a guitarist in a record store, through which they found Laurent Brancowitz. In 1992, the three formed a band and named it Darlin', a tribute to a Beach Boys song of the same name they covered. In April of 1993, that cover & an original track titled "Cindy So Loud" appeared on the compilation "Shimmies in Super 8" released on record label Duophonic after Laurent handed a demo tape to Tim Gane at a Stereolab's concert. On the 1st of May 1993, Dave Jennings, an English journalist from Melody Maker (a weekly UK music magazine), reviewed this record and proclaimed "The two Darlin' tracks are a daft punky thrash…" The group ultimately disbanded in 1993 and Laurent would go on to join his brother Christian Mazzalai's band which later became Phoenix. The same year Darlin' disbanded, Thomas and Guy-Manuel became influenced by the Parisian rave scene and formed a new group which they jokingly named Daft Punk, after the bad review.
Darlin' only lasted six months, recorded four songs, and performed two live public concerts. Thomas Bangalter played bass & vocals, Guy-Manuel was on guitar, Laurent Brancowitz aka Branco on second guitar & Jean-Sébastien Bernard aka DJ Jess (from Jess & Crabbe) was their live drummer.
Trivia: Guy-Man sings on the song "Cindy so Loud".