Incubus

It’s difficult to ascribe Incubus’ chords to a specific genre. This American rock band from Calabasas, California, is known for their eclectic blend of heavy metal, funk, jazz, hip-hop, techno, post-grunge and alternative rock. Their early funk-metal tunes were influenced by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.

Tight-knit friendship

In 1991, the group was formed by high school friends Brandon Boyd (vocals), Mike Einziger (lead guitar) and José Pasillas (drums). Later on, they were joined by bassist Alex “Dirk Lance” Katunich and Gavin “DJ Lyfe” Koppell, who were both eventually replaced by bass player Ben Kenney and DJ Kilmore. A deep bond connects the group members. They believe that being in close proximity helps their creative process. Consequently, for example, they decided to live together when they recorded the chords for their album Morning View.

Naming mishap

When the group had one of their first gigs, it was required to indicate a band name. In the spur of the moment, they agreed to call themselves Incubus; not knowing that the term, according to mythology, is used to describe an evil demon that has sex with women while they are asleep. One of the guys was reading a magazine and simply thought the word sounded interesting.

Taking a breather

The band’s members are men of many talents. Boyd and Pasillas, for example, drew all artwork for the music video of their single “Drive” themselves. The chords of this chart-topping single, which is part of their third album Make Yourself, made Incubus gain recognition in the mainstream music scene. Their singles “Wish You Were Here,” “Nice to Know You” and “Warning” became extremely popular on rock radio, which eventually led to the band headlining at music events. After the band filed a lawsuit against the label Sony caused by a contract dispute in early 2003, the members decided to take a break to focus on their individual paths outside of the band for a while, working on art, music, film and literature projects; however, while simultaneously completing their sixth album. In 2010, Incubus’ members decided that it was time to return to the studio to record tracks for their album If Not Now, When? It was released in July 2011 and ranked number two on the Billboard charts.

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