Quick Facts
Biography
Laurent Brancowitz (born Laurent Mazzalai on October 19, 1973) 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 (who went on to form Daft Punk), 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. Brancowitz joined forces with Phoenix at around the same time.
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.