Luis Farage
The guys from Incubus have had a long run on Rock & Roll. But after many years in the industry, they experienced one of their hardest and darkest times as a band. This is why they brought Skrillex to help them with their new incredible album “8”.
After the release of the EP “Trust and Fall” and the recording of their new album “8”, they feel recharged. Since they’ve experimented with new techniques, approaches, and collaborators. Experiencing a rebirth, emotionally and musically, that all the members are very happy with.
The band had a rough time producing this album
Five years ago, after many years of commercial success, CDs and touring the guys from Incubus experienced one of the hardest times of their career. All the members of the band were experiencing some dark times, both internally and externally. All of this phase was around the time their previous album “If Not Not, When?” was released. Since they also saw the end of a 17-year long relationship with their former label, making the time around the release of the album extremely hard for them.
Along with all those external forces that made the release of the album of 2011 so hard, the band members were feeling washed up artistically and emotionally. They had the doubt of “what they could possibly do next?”. “We’re without a management company. We don’t have publicists. We’re babies right now,” said singer Brandon Boyd.
All of this led the guys to feel bad about each other, obviously complicating the process of creating music. “I got to a point where I felt like I didn’t know what else I wanted to accomplish being in a rock band. I kind of just hit a point where I didn’t necessarily feel like I was doing my best work, and it was getting harder and harder to find ways to get five very different personalities to focus all on the same thing at that time.” stated guitarist Mike Einziger.
Due to all of this, the band decided to take an unplanned but much-needed hiatus. Where they all took a rest and experimented with new methods, that will be later used in their two final works as a band. Lead singer Boyd worked on a solo project called “Sons of the Sea.”.He also released a book and landed a role as Judas in a touring production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” that also featured Johnny Rotten, ‘N Sync’s JC Chasez, and Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams. But the show was canceled a week before its premiere due to poor ticket sales.
Guitarist Einziger worked with his friend Jason Schwartzman’s musical project Coconut Records, experimenting and collaborating with new artists. Also, collaborating on the “Amazing Spider-Man 2,” composition with Hans Zimmer, who then produced the 2015 EP of the band. Einziger also co-wrote and played guitar on Avicii’s hit “Wake Me Up” and produced songs on Tyler, the Creator’s “Cherry Bomb”. Bringing new methods and ideas for Einziger for future Incubus projects.
New batteries and album
After all this new experiences and learning process the band was offered, by friend Hans Zimmer, a studio for them to work on new music with no pressure. This not only helped to rebuild the band member’s relationship but it also ended up being the 2015 Ep “Trust Fall,” that got them back on the road. “We hadn’t ever gone into the studio without time constraints before. It felt like a recharging, and it was a nice reminder to us that our audience is huge and still wants to watch us play.” Einziger said.
Since they already felt better about themselves and their music, and after the acceptance of their EP and touring, the guys were ready to hit the studio again. So for the new album, Einziger brought Skrillex, a friend of his, to the studio. For him to listen what they were working on for “8”. What end up leading Skrillex to mix what would be, “Familiar Faces,” before the recognized producer turning into the official mixer and producer of every song of the album.
“We were able to snag him for two weeks in a rare moment of availability for him and we all met in the studio every day. It was like there was one more lick to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop and we found it.” singer Boyd said. Despite that the guys from Incubus rebuild their relationship as a band, Boyd had to deal with the dissolution of another one that lasted 10 years. “I was in a long but graceful unfolding relationship “There was no betrayal. There was no, like, heart-wrenching ‘Get out of my house!’ kind of thing.
” We kind of held each other through the experience but carried with it a very broad spectrum of emotions, and I think that a lot of those unconsciously pushed through in the lyric stuff,” Boyd explained. Something that can be appreciated in the tone of the songs and that Einziger said that gives the album more depth.”I think he showed an immense amount of vulnerability and honesty in the lyrics. I’m really happy for that. I think that’s significant.”
Along with the joy of having a new album and a rebuilt relationship between them, they’re looking forward to the anniversary of their major-label debut album S.C.I.E.N.CE. Who turns 20 years old this summer and led them to bigger stages, before their big breakthrough “Make Yourself”. “I still felt like I was a kid completely when we made that album. A bunch of those songs were written while we were still in high school. Just making music in 2017 still is a privilege. It’s rare. Einziger said.
Source: rollingstones.com
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