Incubus | |
|---|---|
 Incubus performing in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Calabasas, California, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Works | Incubus discography |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
| Website | incubushq |
Incubus is an Americanrock band fromCalabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalistBrandon Boyd, lead guitaristMike Einziger, and drummerJosé Pasillas while enrolled inCalabasas High School and later expanded to include bassistAlex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppel; the latter two were eventually replaced by bassistBen Kenney and DJ Kilmore, respectively.Nicole Row replaced Kenney in 2024.
After their first two albums,Fungus Amongus (1995) andS.C.I.E.N.C.E. (1997), Incubus earned mainstream recognition with the release of their 1999 albumMake Yourself which spawned several hits, including the US Top 10 hit "Drive", and was certifieddouble platinum in the US. Success continued with the albumsMorning View (2001) andA Crow Left of the Murder... (2004), which both debuted at number 2 on the USBillboard 200. Their sixth studio album,Light Grenades (2006), was their first to debut at number 1 in the US. In 2009, Incubus released their first greatest hits albumMonuments and Melodies. Two years later, they released their seventh studio albumIf Not Now, When?., which debuted at number 2 in the US. The band also released an EP,Trust Fall (Side A), in early 2015, and two years later, the band released their eighth studio album, titled8, on April 21, 2017. A second EP,Trust Fall (Side B), was released on April 17, 2020.[1]
As of October 2022, Incubus has generated 12.4 million U.S. album consumption units and over 23 million records worldwide.[2] The band has received numerous award nominations, including nominations from theBillboard Music Awards, theAmerican Music Awards, and theGrammy Awards.
Incubus was formed in 1991 by vocalistBrandon Boyd, guitaristMike Einziger, bassistAlex Katunich and drummerJosé Pasillas, while the members were in high school. They existed as a band for some time before they gave themselves a name, having only chosen the band's name "Incubus" when required to supply a band name for an upcoming show.[3] The band's early shows were frequently at nightclubs onLos Angeles'sSunset Strip, including such well-known venues as theWhisky a Go Go,the Roxy and the Troubadour. Early on the members of Incubus bonded over Phish and Primus and used their grassroots approach as a model for their career.[4]
Incubus produced many of their early recordings with Jim Wirt and Chillum Records in the Santa Monica studio 4th Street Recording, only able to work on their music during hours in which they were not in school. In 1994, they recorded their first two-song EP,Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout Root Beer. This was later followed by the debut albumFungus Amongus, also recorded with Wirt and released on Incubus's own labelStopuglynailfungus Music. Incubus then added Gavin Koppel (known by his stage name DJ Lyfe) to the band. In the following year, Incubus signed a seven-record deal withSony'sImmortal Records, later to becomeEpic Records.[5] The group was spotted by Epic/Immortal A&R Paul Pontius, who was also responsible for signingKorn to the label.[6] The 1997 six-track EPEnjoy Incubus was the band's first major-label release and was created so the band could present a recording while touring with Korn in Europe.[7]
S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Incubus's second studio album, was released on September 9, 1997. After their album release, they started opening for bands such asKorn and311.[8] This album marked a stylistic departure from the band's early material, featuring heavy guitar riffs, slap bass and turntables to create their most nu metal album.[9] In February 1998, Incubus dismissed Koppel (DJ Lyfe). A friend recommended Chris Kilmore (DJ Kilmore) to fill the position. The band enjoyed Kilmore's style and attitude towards life and asked him to join the band. Incubus participated in theOzzfest andFamily Valuesmetal festivals and toured withSystem of a Down andUltraspank during the fall.[10]
After constant touring throughout 1998, and after selling over 100,000 copies ofS.C.I.E.N.C.E. without the support of radio or television exposure, Incubus took a break for two years and then began working on their third albumMake Yourself. After just two weeks in the studio with producer Jim Wirt, the band was unhappy with the recordings and opted to continue recording without a producer. After another three weeks of recording,R.E.M./Nirvana producerScott Litt took an interest in their songs and started taking part in the recording sessions, mainly focusing on songs like "Drive" and "Stellar". According to the band, Litt's involvement in the record came mostly during the mixing process.[11]
Make Yourself was released on October 26, 1999. The album marked the beginning of a more commercially acceptablepop rock andalternative rock sound for the band,[12] although several songs from the album still included elements ofnu/alternative metal, such as downtuned riffs and layers of electronics.[13] Right after their album's release, the band went on tour withPrimus andBuckethead, a tour which lasted for the remainder of the year. The first song that kicked off the album, "Privilege", was featured onMTV Sports: Pure Ride for thePlayStation. The band also released the single, "Pardon Me", but it was initially not well received by radio stations. Brandon and Mike decided to perform a live acoustic version of the song at the few radio stations who were showing interest, and this in turn spread the word of the song. Many radio stations began to play the acoustic version, including the influential Los Angeles radio giantKROQ-FM.With sparked interest in the song, radio stations began playing the studio version of "Pardon Me". In response, Incubus made a video for the song and released a six-song EP titledWhen Incubus Attacks (Vol. 1) on August 22, 2000. The EP contained the acoustic version of "Pardon Me". In its first week, the EP sold nearly 40,000 copies, and peaked at No. 41 on theBillboard 200. To start off 2000, the band headed out on Tour with System of a Down, andMr. Bungle until March, at which point they embarked on a headline tour in clubs until April.
Due to the success of "Pardon Me",Make Yourself reached Gold certification (500,000 copies sold) in April 2000. Incubus continued to tour overseas, and returned home at the end of May to go on a tour of the United States with longtime friends 311. "Stellar", the next single from the album was soon released, and its video received afternoon airplay on MTV andTRL, becoming a success on the Alternative chart. In July, Incubus were once again on the Ozzfest bill, until the late summer.
The band then took a short break after finishing the Ozzfest 2000 Tour, playing two acoustic shows at Artist Direct Studios. On October 5, 2000,Make Yourself went Platinum (one million copies sold), and shortly after, the band went on tour withDeftones. Sony re-released their independent debut albumFungus Amongus on November 7, 2000.[14]
On November 14, 2000,[15] the band released "Drive", the third single fromMake Yourself. It moved quickly up to the top of the Alternative Charts, eventually hitting the No. 1 spot. The single was a success and helped the band break into the mainstream. The single eventually reached the top ten of theBillboard Hot 100 singles chart.
After a ten-year break from the music business in 2000, thrash metal bandOpprobrium (formed in 1986 under the name Incubus) were forced to change their name in order to avoid confusion and a lawsuit.
The band took a break during the first part of 2001 before heading to a beachside mansion inMalibu, California, to record their follow-up album, which would later become known asMorning View.[16]
They began touring once more withHundred Reasons in Europe from June until the first week of July. At this time, the band was invited to play with the Area 1 Festival, which featuredMoby,Outkast,the Roots,Paul Oakenfold,Carl Cox, andNelly Furtado. Also, in July,Make Yourself was certified double-platinum, selling 2 million copies. In August, the band got to play their first shows in Australia and Japan, before returning to the United States to begin their headlining tour with their long-time friends from California,Hoobastank. Meanwhile, the band's video for "Drive" was nominated for anMTV Video Music Award in the category of Best Group Video.
Continuing to tour, Incubus released their first single, "Wish You Were Here", from their upcoming record,Morning View, on August 21, 2001. The single instantly began to climb up theAlternative charts, reaching No. 2 by early September. The music video was released at the end of that month, after being re-cut to make it more viewable in the wake of the9/11 disaster. The video earned viewings on MTV's TRL,VH1, andMuchMusic. Their follow-up single was "Nice to Know You".
On October 23, 2001, the band released their fourth full-length major label album. The name was taken from the street on which the band's recording studio was situated. Incubus continued to headline dates after its release, and "Wish You Were Here" continued to sit among the top 10 onBillboard's Alternative charts.Morning View debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at the No. 2 spot (266,000 copies were sold in its first week). This was the highest ever placement for Incubus. At the same time, "Wish You Were Here" was at No. 2 on the Alternative Charts, and "Drive" sat at No. 48 on the Hot 100 chart. The band won an award for Billboard's Alternative Single of the Year for "Drive". By December,Morning View was certified platinum, "Wish You Were Here" was No. 4 on Alternative charts, andMorning View was No. 38 on top 200.
On December 11, Incubus releasedWhen Incubus Attacks (Vol. 2), aDVD-Video that featured music videos for "Take Me to Your Leader", "A Certain Shade of Green", "Pardon Me", "Stellar", "Drive", "I Miss You", and "Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)", live footage, backstage video, and more. Director Bill Draheim documented the making of "Drive". Save Me from my Half-Life Drive is the result of that edited EPK footage.
To begin 2002, Incubus was No. 9 with "Drive", No. 12 with "Stellar", No. 20 with "Wish You Were Here", No. 75 with "Nice to Know You" and No. 31 with the albumMorning View. On January 24, 2002, MTV's TRL premiered the "Nice to Know You" video, and Boyd called in from Europe where the band was on tour with311 andHoobastank. The band was then featured on MTV'sBecoming, TRL,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and played theLate Show with David Letterman on February 14, 2002, all before heading off to play dates in Japan and Australia for the remainder of February and March. While in Sydney, the band shot the video for their next single, "Warning", from March 7 until March 11.The band then released the DVDThe Morning View Sessions on May 28, shortly before playing the Weenie Roast on June 8 for KROQ.
Incubus issued a limited-edition version ofMorning View on October 1 to coincide with their fall headlining tour. The new version of the album contained a DVD dubbed the "Morning After View Session". It featured the UK video for the group's track "Are You In?", tour footage, new artwork, behind-the-scenes material, and more. Incubus's last performance in 2002 (on November 1) brought several eras for the band to a close. Their last show of the tour would be their last show touring behind 2001'sMorning View, as the band looked on to playing new music. The show would also prove to be their last with bass player Dirk Lance, who left the band due to personal differences.
Lance was quietly replaced by former the Roots guitaristBen Kenney, who began working with Einziger on new songs for a psychedelic jazz-funk project calledTime-Lapse Consortium. Incubus ended the year on the charts, having "Wish You Were Here" (No. 10), "Warning" (No. 16), and "Nice to Know You" (No. 26) on the alternative rock format chart, joining "Wish You Were Here" (No. 25) and "Nice to Know You" (No. 36).Morning View was the 40th-best-selling album of 2002.
On January 6, 2003, the band began writing for their next record. The next month, on February 7, the band began to renegotiate their record contract. The band, which had been signed toEpic/Immortal for seven years, cited the fact that state law limits the amount of time that an artist can be bound to a company. The band had been signed to the label for 7 years, and used California'sde Havilland Law as a negotiating tool with Epic/Immortal. After releasing three successful albums, the band had been compensated poorly compared to the revenue that they had generated forSony. The band entered a lawsuit against their label in order to break from their contract, to which Sony responded with a lawsuit of their own.[5] On March 1, Einziger, along withScott Litt, Dave Holdredge, and Rick Will, was nominated for aGrammy in the "Best Engineered Album (Non Classical)" category, for their work onMorning View. On April 3, after weeks of circulating rumors about Dirk Lance's departure from the band, an official announcement was made by the band. A decision had been reached amongst members of Incubus in a face-to-face meeting at the end of theMorning View tour to discuss his involvement in the band. The band said that the split had become necessary due to "irreconcilable creative differences".Almost immediately after the announcement of a new bass player, the 2003 Incubus vs. Sony case had been settled. The two sides settled on a new contract that delivers three albums to Epic/Immortal with an option on a fourth. The first album would be worth $8 million in advances to the band, with another $2.5 million for each one thereafter.
.png)
By December the new album, which was recorded at Southern Tracks Recording Studios inAtlanta,Georgia was recorded live, opposed to recording each instrument at separate times, and was produced byBrendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam,Soundgarden,Rage Against the Machine,Stone Temple Pilots) was completed and scheduled for release. TitledA Crow Left of the Murder..., the album was to be anenhanced CD with behind-the-scenes video. In the videos, Einziger and Boyd discussed their new songs. Einziger described them as "like the old shit, but older. It's very different. It's very energetic and fast, and a lot of it is more technical. I guess maybe in the vein of more of our older songs; they don't sound like our older songs. They are more exploratory." It was the last Incubus album to be labelled as "alternative metal" by the media,[17][18] with subsequent albums from the band diverting even further from this sound. On December 15, 2003, the first single, "Megalomaniac", was released. It raised controversy when it was said to be an attack on theBush administration, and was banned from daytime view on MTV (despite the band saying that it was not an attack on a particular person, rather a comment on some people's negative attitudes). However, the band was actually pleased with this nighttime viewing restriction. Says Boyd, "When we heard our video had been relegated to late night rotation, I think that all of us were secretly like, 'Yes!' ". Pasillas reflected Boyd's sentiments, saying, "I think it's okay if people think that we're trying to make a political statement. Whatever anyone conjures up or takes from our music is good; I mean, our point is to get people thinking."
A Crow Left of the Murder... was released in 2004, showcasing a new turn for the band. The second single released was "Talk Shows on Mute", featuring a video that was inspired byGeorge Orwell'sAnimal Farm.
Incubus toured worldwide in 2004 with many bands, includingBen Kweller,the Walkmen,Hundred Reasons,the Music,Brand New andSparta, to promote their new album after their original support actthe Vines pulled out due to exhaustion.[19] One song left off the album, the 27-minute-long instrumental entitled "The Odyssey", was later featured on soundtrack for the video game,Halo 2.
In November 2004, the band released a live DVD entitledAlive at Red Rocks, filmed inRed Rocks Park,Colorado, during their world tour forA Crow Left of the Murder.... Along with the DVD came a bonus CD featuring five tracks, including a studio version of live favorite "Pantomime", "Follow" (a lyrical version, different from the First Movement of the Odyssey version), and the UKB-side "Monuments and Melodies". Two live tracks were also included. The performance was also sold in high definition viaBlu-ray Disc. A high definition version of the entire song "Pardon Me" is also available for free download from thePlayStation Store, an online service forPlayStation 3 users.
In December 2004, at a gig in Los Angeles the band playedthe Police hits "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da", "Message in a Bottle" and "Roxanne" withStewart Copeland andAndy Summers from the former band.
.jpg)
In the spring of 2005, the band went back into the studio withBrendan O'Brien. Three new songs were released in late July 2005 as part of the soundtrack album to theSony filmStealth. The track"Make a Move", was released to radio in late May, and song reached No. 17 (Alternative Charts) and No. 19 (Mainstream Rock Charts). Fan reaction towards "Make a Move" was lukewarm, but the other two new songs, "Admiration" and "Neither of Us Can See" (a duet withChrissie Hynde), seemed to be much more well-liked. In January 2006, the first of a series of Incubus podcasts was released by the band via internet. Among other things, the podcast featured the band's thoughts about their 2005 South American tour, some information on their new album, a mash-up of "Drive" andTupac Shakur's "Better Dayz", a cover ofSoundgarden's "Black Hole Sun", and a few live interludes.
On August 1, 2006, the band announced that album number six,Light Grenades, was soon to be released and that it was being produced by Brendan O'Brien. A few weeks afterward, the release date was confirmed to be Tuesday, November 28. Upon release,Light Grenades debuted No. 1 on theBillboard 200, the first time Incubus has ever sat atop the album charts, despite only selling 165,000 copies (their lowest debut for an album sinceMake Yourself) in the first week.
In November, Incubus played two exclusive European shows in Berlin and London. These were both in less than 2,000-capacity venues—a special occasion for the band and the fans (due to Incubus's mainstream success, the band now usually plays at large arenas worldwide). The band used these shows to showcase new material fromLight Grenades. The band's first single, "Anna Molly", had a music video which had mainstream success.
On December 27, 2006, Incubus launched the "I Dig Incubus" contest, in which participants cut together clips of the band performing their single "Dig", to form a complete music video. On February 1, 2007, five finalists were announced for the "I Dig Incubus" contest. In a video interview onBlender, bassist and vocalistBen Kenney said, "It's almost something that will happen whether or not we want to do it. People will make their own videos for songs. It's kind of a cool way for us to get together with fans out there who are artistic."[20] On August 4, 2007, Incubus played on the first day atBaltimore'sVirgin Festival along with bands such asthe Police andBeastie Boys.
Michael Einziger had been suffering fromcarpal tunnel syndrome and although he had an operation that has corrected the problem, he needed to recuperate for a few months, hence recent tour plans were postponed. Incubus apologized to fans and continued the tour in the summer and autumn.
In February and March 2008, Incubus hit the road again starting in New Zealand and headlining theSoundwave festival in Australia alongsidethe Offspring andAlexisonfire, and toured Asia performing to sell-out crowds. In Singapore, they met fans at a Meet and Greet session at Changi Airport and performed at Fort Canning Hill.In April, Incubus performed at theFestival Imperial in Costa Rica, along with the bandsthe Smashing Pumpkins andDuran Duran, and later in Venezuela at thePoliedro de Caracas.Incubus also performed a number of shows throughout Europe this summer including theRock am Ring andRock im Park Festivals in Germany, theNova Rock Festival in Austria,Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands and theDownload Festival in England. In July 2008, the band played in aVH1 tribute tothe Who alongsideFoo Fighters,Pearl Jam andthe Flaming Lips.[21]
In April 2008 the band took a break from touring and recording while its members concentrated on school, family and other activities. Brandon Boyd enrolled in a university art program in Los Angeles, while guitarist Mike Einziger went to Harvard music school to study composition. Drummer José Pasillas was also "having a baby, so there's a lot of normal life stuff going on right now—school, babies, mortgages," Boyd said. "I'm of the mind to say it wouldn't be a bad thing to disappear for a year or two years," he said. "A lot of people would say culture moves too fast and you need to remind people, but I would argue there's not any rush."[22]
In mid January 2009, Incubus posted a video to their official site, describing what each band member was occupied with in the form of letters to each other. The resolution of the video was that the band was planning on getting back together soon, excited to create new music with their diverse experiences over their respite.[23]
On March 11, 2009, Incubus posted an update to their official site detailing the new greatest hits album,Monuments and Melodies. The first single for the album was "Black Heart Inertia", released on April 7, 2009, with the album coming two months later on June 16, 2009. Disc one of the album included new singles "Black Heart Inertia" and "Midnight Swim" as well as the top radio hits of the last decade. Then disc two of the album contains songs that have not been released officially on an album, or were rejected demos on prior albums, as well as an acoustic version of "A Certain Shade of Green", and a cover of thePrince song "Let's Go Crazy". The band also announced many confirmed dates for a Summer Amphitheater Tour of the US.
On April 1, 2009, the band posted a fake "making of" video that was filmed on the set of "Black Heart Inertia". In the video, Brandon and his double "swapped places". Brandon fetched coffee for his double, and his double also imitatedChristian Bale when the DP annoyed him, shouting at and violently chasing him out off of the set. After the short film, the first full stream of "Black Heart Inertia" was uploaded, clocking in at 4:17. On April 2, the full song was streamed on the band's official site. The song peaked at No. 7 on theAlternative Songs chart.[24]
On June 16, 2009,Monuments and Melodies was released to the public, and opened at No. 5 on theBillboard 200.Monuments and Melodies was the band's fourth album to reach the top 5 on theBillboard 200. The next month, on July 1, 2009, Boyd stated toNorth County Times, "We are definitely going to be writing ... in hopes of putting out a record sometime in 2010. That's the hope. We can never force anything. I definitely have the suspicion that we're going to get on the road together this summer, and we're just going to start playing and stuff is going to start brewing, and we're going to light that fire again."
In January 2010, it was revealed that former turntablist Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppel threatened current turntablist Chris Kilmore in a store on December 28, 2009. Kilmore, who replaced Koppel in 1998, claimed that Koppel "asked me to fight him right there and raised his fists to me."[25] As result of the incident, a judge granted a newrestraining order against Koppel. Kilmore also had a previous restraining order issued against Koppel in 2003 after Koppel allegedly spat in his face.[25]
After the release of Boyd's first solo album,The Wild Trapeze on July 6, 2010, it was announced that Incubus would head back into the studio to begin writing and recording a new studio album, to be released on July 12.[26] The band played a handful of South American tour dates in October 2010, also debuting the song "Surface to Air".[27]
Incubus announced in March 2011 that the new album was complete and would be released in "August or September" according to Brandon Boyd. Boyd also stated that "this new record is different from anything that we've done."[28]
On April 2, 2011, band manager Steve Rennie confirmed that their next album had been namedIf Not Now, When?. It was released on July 12, 2011.[29] The album's lead single is "Adolescents" and it was posted on the band's website on April 4, 2011.[30]
On April 28, 2011, Incubus premiered the video[31] for "Adolescents" and also released a video with behind the scenes footage.
The band revealed that they would tour for 18 months following the release of the record.[32]
To promote the release ofIf Not Now, When?, the band took part in a participatory media exhibit and real-time documentary calledIncubus HQ Live that allowed unprecedented fan access and interaction.[33] Footage, music and art from the seven-day event became available as a special edition box set in July 2012.[34]
Mike has said that he is writing music for an orchestral project and also for Incubus. He states in a video (Mikey Gear Tour part II), "My hope is to just write lots of music and then by the time we get to the point to where we're going to finish the tour I'll have a lot of music written and then people won't have to wait five more years for another album (laughs)."
The band joinedLinkin Park as co-headliners on the 2012 edition of theHonda Civic Tour. Incubus hinted that they would go on hiatus following the end of the2012 Honda Civic Tour, but their manager stated that Incubus would only take a break after the tour, not a hiatus.[35]
In October 2012, the band released their second compilation album. The album, entitledThe Essential Incubus, included songs spanning the band's major label career, from 1997'sEnjoy Incubus EP to 2011'sIf Not Now, When?.[36]
In August 2013, the band announced a South American tour to take place later that year.
In a radio interview while on the road with his solo band Sons of the Sea,Brandon Boyd announced that fans can expect some new Incubus music in 2015, followed by a tour.[37]Mike Einziger also reinforced this statement when asked on hisTwitter page.
In August 2014, Einziger posted a picture of the band on his Instagram in a studio, alluding to the fact they were in the process of creating their album.[38] Subsequently, a few days following the images of the band in a studio, they announced they would be attending the 2015Soundwave music festival in Australia, alongsideFaith No More andSoundgarden.[39] They played at the KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas 2014 on December 14, their first full band appearance since December 2013. During their performance they debuted a new song called "Trust Fall". Incubus announced they will release two EP's in 2015 with the first,Trust Fall (Side A) set for release on May 12, 2015, having been delayed from March 24, 2015. The first single, "Absolution Calling", was released February 5, 2015, to be followed by the second single, "Trust Fall", on March 10, 2015.
They performed at Australia'sSoundwave festival and two other concerts in Australia. In March 2015, they toured Japan, Hawaii and "Festival Cumbre Tajín" in Mexico. They headlined the DC101 Kerfuffle on May 4, 2015. In May and June 2015, they will play at two festivals in Germany ("Rockavaria" and "Grüne Hölle"), one concert in Milan and atDonauinselfest in Vienna. They will also be in London's Hammersmith Apollo on the June 16, 2015. Incubus also announced a joint 2015 North American Summer Tour withDeftones. Support will be provided byDeath from Above 1979 for most concerts of the tour. The tour began on July 22, 2015, inClarkston, Michigan, at theDTE Energy Music Theatre and with the final concert of the tour occurring on August 30, 2015, inChula Vista, California, at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre.[40][41]
The band reconvened in 2016 to work on their eighth full-length studio album. On February 16, 2017, the lead single "Nimble Bastard" was released, and it was announced that the new album would be titled8, with a projected April 21 release date, withSkrillex contributing to the production and mixing of the album.[42] A summer 2017 tour was announced withJimmy Eat World andJudah & the Lion supporting,[1][43] and was followed by a world tour across several continents including South America, Asia, and Europe.
The band announced via its Twitter page that a new single titled "Into the Summer" would be released on August 23, 2019.[44] The release of the single coincides with a US tour, to mark the 20th anniversary ofMake Yourself. In an interview with Loudwire on October 20, 2019, bassist Ben Kenney confirmed the band had completely finished four new songs and were working on more, but didn't confirm whether these songs would be released in the form of a new studio album or if they would be released as individual songs. On the matter he said "We don't want to get stacked up in a studio making an album. We have to adapt our process 'cause the albums themselves don't actually make as big a splash as they used to. We're just trying to experiment and explore what we're capable of doing, and all the while not take ourselves too seriously and just really enjoy what we get to do."[45] On January 1, 2020, singer Brandon Boyd announced their next single, "Our Love" will be released on January 31, 2020.[46] The band were scheduled to tour the UK and other European destinations in 2020 but were forced to cancel their shows due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
The band returned to touring in 2023; Kenney was forced to sit out the 2023 touring cycle after having surgery to remove abrain tumor;[47][48]Tal Wilkenfeld took over bass duties[49] until March, andNicole Row from March onwards.[50] On August 5, the band announced the release ofMorning View XXIII, a complete rerecording of their 2001 album set for release on October 6 (postponed to early 2024) byVirgin Music.[51] They simultaneously announced a concert at theHollywood Bowl where they would performMorning View in full, supported byParis Jackson andAction Bronson, for the same day.[51]
On February 6, 2024, Brandon Boyd revealed via aRolling Stone interview that while Ben Kenney had recovered, the bassist had decided to leave Incubus and that his tour replacement, Nicole Row, was now officially a member of the band. By that point Row had already played on theMorning View XXIII re-recording and was working with them on material for a new Incubus album.[52]
Las Vegas Weekly said that Incubus was a "funky, jazzy,experimental rock band, incorporating elements ofhip-hop into its music before it was fashionable to do so."[53] According toAllMusic, the band became "one of the most popularalt-metal bands of the new millennium" by combiningheavy metal,funk,jazz, hip hop,techno,post-grunge,rap metal andalternative rock into a "versatile blend".[8]The Age wrote that Incubus "emerged bearing influences ofpop, alternative metal and hip-hop, unusual for mainstream rock bands".[54]Indianapolis Monthly said that the band was "part metal, part funk, part jazz and part hip-hop".[12] TheMcClatchy-Tribune News called Incubus a "spacey, experimental alternative-rock band".[55]Rolling Stone said that the band were latecomers to "the greatfunk metal scare of the '90s".[56] TheLos Angeles Times similarly wrote in 2004 that "Incubus always stood out from the rest of the mid-'90s alt-metal crowd, its positive lyrical approach and musical versatility far richer than the overworked wallowing in misery of such acts as Korn and later arrivalStaind."[57]
Prior to finding mainstream success in the early 2000s, Incubus was often grouped in withnu metal,[58] alongside other Californian bands such asKorn andDeftones.NME described Incubus as a "fusion-generated funk/nu-metal band".[59]Maui Time Weekly wrote, "Incubus was one of the few nu metal bands to survive the purge of the millennium, and they did it through consistent hard work–the band is constantly either in the studio or on tour–and musical development. There are still elements of nu metal in the music the band makes today as they still have a DJ. But in retrospect, Incubus treated that genre like the fad it was, more an indication of that specific time in music, not as the character of the musicians."[58] When asked about his thoughts on the scene in a 2013 interview, Brandon Boyd reflected "Something I know that separated us from nu-metal was a lot of those bands hadmisogynist lyrics, and we never wrote stuff like that. I never wrote lyrics like that. I guess there were similarities in some of my musical and vocal stylings, but then we came off tour forS.C.I.E.N.C.E. around early '99, and wroteMake Yourself, which was a vastly different album but we were still the same band. We don't try and create any kind of album really. I don't attempt to write any kind of music, this is just what comes out."[60] TheChicago Tribune stated in 2001 that Incubus is "Cheerful, melodic and polite, a nu-metal band for people who don't like nu-metal bands" also claiming that Boyd was the genre's "first officialpinup boy".[61]
From the mid-2000s, Incubus began to adopt a softer sound, moving from rock towards a "funk-pop-rock" sound.[62] This was particularly apparent byIf Not Now, When? (2011), which was described byRolling Stone as "slick, inert ripples of interchangeable power pop".[63][64]The Guardian compared the sound of8 (2017) and its more ballad-like moments toEd Sheeran.[65] Their 2020 EPTrust Fall (side B) was described bySputnik music as "inoffensive pop".[66]
Guitarist Mike Einziger stated in 2017 that the band's diversity is "our greatest asset and our biggest flaw. We don't fit anywhere and we never have. We were neverpunk rock enough for theWarped Tour, we were never metal enough for Ozzfest, we were never quiteindie rock or cool enough forLollapalooza. We've carved our own path, and we're really humbled by the fact that we've had so many supporters and people who appreciate our music."[67] The band has also used a wide variety of instruments in their music that are not traditionally associated with use in rock music, including adjembe,sitar,didgeridoo, andbongos on many of their earlier tracks and during live performances, and with the use of apipa given to the band by rock musicianSteve Vai which is played by Einziger in the song "Aqueous Transmission".
Incubus was heavily influenced by the "free-form funk" ofPrimus.[68] Other influences on the band's sound includeFaith No More,[69]Ani DiFranco,[69]Stone Temple Pilots,[70]Soundgarden[71] andPhish.[72] Boyd reflected on the band's initial influences in 2012, stating "At that time [the early '90s] music got turned on its ear. We were listening to bands like Primus,Mr. Bungle,John Zorn, we also got into Soundgarden andRage Against the Machine. What's amazing is those bands are still good now, they're still relevant now.Alice in Chains,Red Hot Chili Peppers, these bands that were coming of age right when we were growing up, at that most important, kind of pliable time in your youth. We were basically so inspired by music, that we decided to make music on our own."[70] Critics have compared Boyd's style of singing to Faith No More/Mr. Bungle vocalistMike Patton,[73] whom the band have also credited as a major influence.[74]
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Music Awards | 2000 | "Pardon Me" | Modern Rock Track of the Year | Nominated |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2001 | Incubus | Modern Rock Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2001 | "Drive" | Modern Rock Track of the Year | Won |
| MTV Video Awards | 2001 | "Drive" | Best Group Video | Nominated |
| MuchMusic Video Awards | 2001 | "Drive" | Best International Video | Nominated |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2002 | Incubus | Modern Hard Rock Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Teen Choice Awards | 2002 | "Nice to Know You" | Choice – Rock Track | Nominated |
| Kerrang! Awards | 2002 | Incubus | Best International Live Act | Nominated |
| MuchMusic Video Awards | 2004 | "Megalomaniac" | Best International Video | Nominated |
| MTV Video Music Brazil | 2004 | "Megalomaniac" | Best International Video | Nominated |
| American Music Awards | 2004 | Incubus | Favorite Alternative Artist | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 2004 | "Megalomaniac" | Best Hard Rock Performance | Nominated |
| MTV Video Music Awards | 2004 | "Megalomaniac" | Best Visual Effects | Nominated |
| mtvU Woodie Awards | 2004 | Incubus | The Welcome Back Woodie (Artist Who Has Achieved Mainstream Success, But Still Remains Popular on Campus | Won |
| BDS Spin Awards | 2007 | "Dig" | 50,000 Spins | Won |
Current members
Former members
Former touring musicians
Timeline
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| EPs | |
| Compilations | |
| Singles | |
| Other songs | |
| DVDs | |
| Related | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
