Artist:
Incubus
Formed In:
1991
Band Bio:
Incubus rose to become one of the most popular alt-metal bands of the new millennium, setting themselves apart from a crowded field with a somewhat less-negative outlook and tireless touring. Formed in 1991 in the San Fernando Valley suburb of Calabasas, CA, group members Brandon Boyd (vocals, percussion), Mike Einziger (guitar), Alex Katunich (aka Dirk Lance; bass), and José Pasillas (drums) were all tenth grade classmates when they got together. Their early funk-metal sound was heavily influenced by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but broadened over the next few years to incorporate thrash, rap-metal, post-grunge rock, and grinding alt-metal à la Korn or the Deftones. By the time the group graduated from high school, they had already been playing all-ages shows around southern California on a regular basis. In 1995, Incubus added hip-hop turntablist DJ Lyfe (aka Gavin Koppel) to their lineup and recorded the independently released album Fungus Amongus. That, coupled with their strong local following, helped the band get a deal with Epic subsidiary Immortal.
Incubus' first major-label release was the six-song EP Enjoy Incubus, which was released in early 1997 and consisted of previous demos that were revamped in the studio. Later in the year, their first full-length album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., was released. Incubus hit the road with a vengeance, opening for bands like Korn, Primus, 311, Sublime, and Unwritten Law. By the summer of 1998, the band had amassed enough of a following to land a slot on that year's Ozzfest tour. They also wound up the year as part of Korn's inaugural Family Values tour, by which time DJ Lyfe had departed and been replaced by DJ Kilmore (first name Chris). With their momentum and exposure slowly building, Incubus returned to the studio and delivered their follow-up album, Make Yourself, in late 1999. The group went right back out on the road, and their stint on the 2000 Ozzfest helped crystallize the new audience that the single "Pardon Me" was pulling in. Although Make Yourself barely broke the Top 50 on the album charts, it was a steady seller that eventually pushed past the double-platinum mark. The second single, "Stellar," was a smaller-sized hit on rock radio, but the album's biggest song didn't hit the airwaves until 2001; "Drive" was a left-field success that became their first Top Ten hit on the pop charts. Incubus expanded their audience by playing Moby's Area: One package tour that summer, and with "Drive" still fresh in the public's mind, released their next album, Morning View, in the fall of 2001. It entered the charts at number two, confirming that Incubus had diligently worked themselves into stardom. "Wish You Were Here," "Nice to Know You," and "Warning" were all popular on rock radio, and the band naturally toured heavily in support -- this time as a headliner. In early 2003, Incubus became embroiled in a contract dispute with Sony and filed a lawsuit to have their deal terminated under California labor laws. In April, the band announced the departure of bassist Dirk Lance. Within days, fellow Incubus guitarist Mike Eiziger called upon his Time-Lapse Consortium mate, Ben Kenney to be Lance's permanent replacement. The group remained a part of the Sony empire, however, and released A Crow Left of the Murder on Epic/Immortal in 2004.
Album:
Make Yourself
Tracks:
1. Privilege
2. Nowhere Fast
3. Consequence
4. The Warmth
5. When It Comes
6. Stellar
7. Make Yourself
8. Drive
9. Clean
10. Battlestar Scralatchtica
11. I Miss You
12. Pardon Me
13. Out From Under
Review:
Produced by Scott Litt, Incubus' second full-length album, Make Yourself, makes a bid for broader mainstream success while keeping the group rooted in a hybrid of familiar late '90s alt-metal (i.e., roaring guitars, white-noise sonic textures, and an undercurrent of electronics) and Chili Pepper funk-rock. Where S.C.I.E.N.C.E. sometimes veered abruptly between the two genres without really fusing them, Make Yourself finds the band settling more comfortably into its sound, and once again, there are a few really good singles. Once again, too, there are still a few awkward moments and underwritten songs, but overall, the album should definitely please fans.
Rating (Stars Out Of 5):
4
Release Date:
Oct 26, 1999
Label:
Sony
Album Ranks:
Billboard 200 Peak #47
Top Internet Albums Peak #1
Song Ranks:
1999 Pardon Me Modern Rock Tracks #3
2000 Drive Modern Rock Tracks #1
2000 Stellar Modern Rock Tracks #2
2001 Drive Adult Top 40 #4
2001 Drive Latin Pop Airplay #38
2001 Drive Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay #31
2001 Drive Top 40 Adult Recurrents #1
2001 Drive Top 40 Adult Recurrents #1
2001 Drive Top 40 Mainstream #8
Genre:
* Rock
Styles:
* Heavy Metal
* Funk Metal
* Alternative Metal
* Rap-Rock
* Rap-Metal
Bitrate:
* 320kbps
File format:
* mp3
File size:
* 110 MB
Group Members
* Jose Antonio Pasillas II
* Brandon Boyd
* DJ Lyfe
* Mike Einziger
* Dirk Lance
Similar Artists
* Deftones
* Limp Bizkit
* White Skull
* Drowning Pool
* Boy Hits Car
* Faith No More
* Fugazi
* Rage Against the Machine
* Henry Rollins
* Korn
* Toenut
* No Knife
* Primus
* Umbra
* Velvet Jungle
* X Fade
* Rhythmic Entity
* Bottom $
* Wickermen
* St. Germain
* Full Intention
See Also
* Kelly Osbourne
Influenced By
* Mike Patton
* Mr. Bungle
Followers
* Colepitz
* Abside
* Absolve
* Aphasia
* Nural
* Mainstay
Performed Songs By
* Brandon Boyd
* Mike Einziger
* Chris Kilmore
* Alex Katunich
* Jose Antonio Pasillas II
* Ben Kenney
* DJ Kilmore
* Michael Sumsion
* Gideon Koppel
* Jayant Edoo
* J. Karen Thomas
* Rodney Jerkins
* M. Williams
Tracker:
http://www.demons-eye.net:2710/announce
