Incubus Settle With Sony
Two months after filing a lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment, Incubus have settled their legal tiff with the parent company of their label, Epic Records, and walked away with a new, multi-million dollar deal.
The band maintained that it had met all of its contractual obligations in its seven-year deal with Sony, which yielded three albums. Incubus’ first for the label, 1997’s S.C.I.E.N.C.E., has been certified gold, with the next two, 1999’s Make Yourself and 2001’s Morning View, going platinum. Incubus claimed that despite earning millions for Sony, the band had been underpaid. Sony counter-sued, citing the original contract, which called for the delivery of seven recordings.
The new deal has Incubus turning in two new albums to Sony for a reported $8 million. The agreement follows similar financial reconfigurations recently worked out by major labels and their star artists, including the much-publicized bickerings and making-ups between the Dixie Chicks and Sony and Courtney Love and Universal.
Missing out on the new deal will be bassist and co-founding member Dirk Lance, whose departure band frontman Brandon Boyd announced last week. Lance was replaced by Ben Kenney (the Roots, Blackalicious), who will perform with Incubus this summer on the Lollapalooza tour and in sessions for its next album. “I must issue you a warning,” Boyd said, “for the music we are currently composing for the next record will be like melted chocolate on your chest and necks!”