Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
A recently published article in Metal Hammer and reported by theprp features Incubus vocalist Brandon Boyd reflecting on their early, formative years. The focus of the piece is primarily on the development of their initial breakout song, “A Certain Shade Of Green.” Additionally, the article includes anecdotes from their mid-1990s European tour with Korn, highlighting their musical growth during that period. Boyd discusses their efforts to refine their skills on the road prior to the release of “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.”
The piece also addresses the band’s general aversion to being categorized within the nu metal genre. Given Incubus‘s proximity to prominent nu metal artists at the time, such an association was readily apparent. Furthermore, Incubus’s signing to Immortal/Epic Records by Paul Pontius—who also signed Korn—further linked them to the emerging nu metal movement. This connection contributed to their perceived alignment with the scene’s core acts.
We did a two-month run with them. It never felt like anyone was trying to hold us back – it felt like we had support. They would see us going to our van, sometimes limping to the show as the van coughed its way to the parking lot. We weren’t necessarily supposed to partake in the catering, but they would see us show up malnourished and under-slept and be like, ‘Have you eaten?’ We’d say, ‘Nuh-huh.’ And they’d order: ‘Go get some food!’ We weren’t supposed to even get a dressing room… They’d give us a dressing room. Stuff like that sticks with me a lot. So much of the music from that era was so heavy and macho and sometimes even negative, and you get it in your head that these guys would be mean and unsupportive. But it was exactly the opposite.
During that tour, Incubus was actively evaluating material from their upcoming major label debut, “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.” This album features an eclectic fusion of funk, metal, and rap, which has historically served as a point of contention among the band’s audience due to subsequent stylistic divergence. Although the compositions from that period exhibit notable nu metal characteristics, Boyd dismissed the notion that this was a deliberate stylistic choice, instead attributing it to circumstantial factors affecting the band.
We weren’t trying to fit into a particular niche at a particular time. We were just kids being influenced by a small handful of bands that we grew up with. Just to name a few we were collectively obsessed with: Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mr. Bungle, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Firehose… some other obscure bands we were discovering because of going to shows.
Boyd reflected on the enduring influence of nu metal and the tendency to categorize Incubus within that genre. He acknowledged the limitations imposed by such labeling on the band’s broader artistic identity.
I thought it was terrible. I didn’t like it. Honestly, I thought it was stupid. I know a lot of people love it, but being called ‘nu metal’ kinda hurt my feelings. If we made one record that fits into that genre, then so be it, but I never heard it in our music myself.
Incubus faced challenges in avoiding association with the nu metal genre, similar to the struggles encountered by alternative metal pioneers Deftones. However, while Deftones diverged towards a different musical direction with their 2000 album “White Pony,” Incubus had already shifted towards more melodic explorations with their 1999 release “Make Yourself.”
