Incubus Discuss Weeklong Series of L.A. Shows
At Incubus‘ temporary storefront in Los Angeles – where the band spent several days of quality time this week performing night concerts, hosting online chat shows, and leading clinics on guitar, bass and drums for young players – the love for the band was expressed in messages and drawings scrawled inside: “My first favorite band,” “Brandon you are the best” and “eargasm,” among others.
“I find that they are a little bit like us, in that they’re kind of confused about the kind of music they like. They like a little bit of everything,” singer Brandon Boyd told Rolling Stone in an exclusive on-camera interview. “They enjoy art, they enjoy the pursuit of art . . . They enjoy good energy and confused style choices.”
The weeklong experiment – launched in connection with Tuesday’s release of the band’s first new album in five years, If Not Now, When? – ended Wednesday night, but highlights can be seen at www.incubushqlive.com. It’s the first chance most fans have had to hear the band’s new songs, with a sound that’s evolved into something notably stripped down and direct.
“It’s the kind of music that can be shared in a smaller environment,” said guitarist Mike Einziger, sitting with Boyd amid the band’s tangle of instruments. “We’ve been playing in arenas and large venues for a long time now. This is really fun to play like this. It’s nice to look at people and see what they look like.”