No other musicians get the audience up and dancing better than electro-funk duo Chromeo. Friends since childhood, David Macklovitch (Dave 1) and Patrick Gemayel (P-Thugg) formed their musical partnership in 2002, establishing themselves as up-and-comers with their debut album, She’s in Control, released in 2004. With their amalgamation of 1980s-style groove beats and contemporary synth sensibilities, the duo has created a distinct style that’s easily identified by their fans. In addition to their singular music, the unlikely pair — Macklovitch is Jewish and Gemayel Lebanese — have become fashion trendsetters. Classic hits and songs from their recent album, White Women, can be expected on the set list for their Saturday, May 30, show at the Santa Barbara Bowl. I spoke recently to Macklovitch over the phone to learn more about Chromeo.
You guys are like brothers. Yeah, I see P every day of my life. We’re best buddies — we’ve always been. We work together; we make music together. It’s an inseparable thing.
So your backgrounds never affected the relationship? Nah, not at all. My mom is from Morocco, and Pete grew up in Lebanon. We actually have a ton of cultural similarities, and we’re both very open-minded and moderate. In the beginning, our backgrounds actually brought us closer because we were bonding over the fact that our families were doing similar things.