Brandon Boyd

Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976) is the lead vocalist and percussionist of the rock band Incubus. He was born in Van Nuys, California.

Brandon Boyd grew up in Calabasas, California. His parents Dolly and Charles, both of whom had experience in entertainment, had nurtured his creative side since he was a child. He had first met Jose Pasillas in elementary school in the 1980s, but it wasn't until high school that he was asked to join a band that already included Jose, Mike Einziger, and Alex Katunich. Brandon's vocal abilities, which were for the most part self taught (he had taken two lessons before he ran out of money, but he claims he learned everything he would need), and proved to be the final essential element for the band. As they developed more and more songs, the band quickly became a popular show around the neighborhood.

When the band decided to play their first show together at a friend's house, the time came to choose a band name. Brandon's suggestion, "Spiral Staircase," was denied in favor of Mike's suggestion, selected at random from a dictionary: Incubus. Brandon put his other artistic talents to good use, drawing concert flyers advertising their early performances. At first, Brandon had copied several drawings from a sex book that Mike's mom had given them, but he decided to stop using it after several prospective fans had been confused by their flyers ("What kind of band is this?").

His strong voice was part of what attracted Sony's Epic/Immortal Records, and the band signed a deal in 1996. The band's first two releases on label, Enjoy Incubus and S.C.I.E.N.C.E. went largely unnoticed, but subsequent releases Make Yourself and Morning View were huge commercial successes. The band's most recent release A Crow Left of the Murder has continued their success.

Over the years, Brandon's lyrics have expressed a range of different ideas. His early work, which was often light and playful, was no doubt influenced in part by his use of marijuana. According to Brandon, after smoking his first joint with his older brother Darren, the poetic floodgates had been opened inside of his brain.

His first artistic love, however, remains drawing. Before the band decided to concentrate on music full time, he and Jose had attended Moorpark College full time as art students.

Today, Brandon spends his time surfing, writing, drawing, and spending time with friends, family, his girlfriend Carolyn and canine companion "Sativa".

A Personal Bio

Nothing is true. All is permitted. - Last words of Hassan i Sabbah X

To think that one's life is interesting enough to write about is indeed flattering. I wouldn't say though that my life was necessarily in that particular category.

For I still have a couple of nasty drug addictions to go through, a divorce or two to fight out, two filed bankruptcies, an arrest for indecent exposure and the total public annihilation of this band to bear before I can go as far as calling my life 'interesting'. Then, of course, I must tell my story on one of the myriad different television documentaries. Spill my guts, cry for the world, then put out a book called, "A Life Less Lived." (How Incubus ruined my childhood, etc, etc.) But, alas! 'Interesting' is a multi-interpretable term! And besides, a few of you have expressed desires to know the goings on in this little atmosphere of mine, so I guess I'll elucidate.

I was born in the harsh, desert climate of Van Nuys, California, where I was orphaned and taken in by a pack of hungry native coyotes. Their initial intention was to have me for an appetizer before they went on their nightly suburban feline hunt, but I survived only because the leader of the pack saw potential in me as a hunter and a spreader of coyote seed! From there, our friendship was forged, and I became known as Brandon of the Jungle. They taught me the ways of the Valley, and I quickly became one of the pack's most vocal howlers! Hence my present day ability to sing. When I was old enough, I learned to catch house pets, insects and rodents! Which is where I got these kickin' thigh muscles!

At age 11, I began impressing the pack and local wild-life photographers with my skill in carpentry. I would build elaborate shelters for my family and I using the ever-abundant palm frawns, pieces of discarded twine and snot. And this is where my first encounter with my present cohorts in music came into play. I was the ripe age of 15, and was busy chasing a female coyote in heat down a dusty trail one afternoon, when I turned a corner and ran into the other guys in the band. They were sitting inside one of my more arty housings and enjoying it's refuge from the blistering California sun. I stepped inside and made the only noises I knew how, and tried to express to them my discontent for invading my space. They replied with fascination at my inhuman grunts, growls and wales, and asked me to be in their band, Incubus. I, of course, did not know at the time what they meant nor did I care. I simply started biting the shit out of the drummer's ass. Which is where Jose's fear of things canine comes into play.

Things eventually calmed down and I started to enjoy the fresh perspectives these boys brought into my reality. The guys came back every day after that and taught me to speak English and sing. WE began playing together about a month later when my powers of speech and wit began developing. And with my past experience in snot carpentry, I built us our first band rehearsal space! My taste for insects and things fury has not subsided. But I believe that those are just old habits dying hard. Luckily, we tour the Mid-west of America frequently where these delicacies are more appreciated and less persecuted! I have been in this, my first and only band, now for nine years, and have learned worlds about life, love, loss and humanity. It is and has been such a different experience from my roots as a wild, scavenger dog! But I have to say that I've enjoyed every minute of it.

Being in this band has shown me that any mutt can break the mold and prosper. And being the first orphan who was raised by wolves to be in a rock band reinforces that creto in me every day. Straying from the norm has done nothing but good for me in my 23 years alive this time around. And I will continue to do so in this sphere, for better or worse.

Now, does that not so brief description of my life deserve the title, 'Interesting'? Likely, not. You decide.

For more details about me and my further mis-adventures on deserted islands, literary discoveries, art, sex, love, hairstyles, international cuisine and general rock and roll mayhem, feel free to come into my live page!

- Brandon Boyd

Trivia

• Brandon's brother, Jason, is the lead singer of Audiovent.
• Brandon is known to take his shirt off at every live Incubus performance.
• He plays the bongos on both tours and for the records.

External Links

• Enjoy Incubus (http://www.enjoyincubus.com/) Incubus' official website.
• White Fluffy Clouds (http://www.whitefluffyclouds.com/) Brandon's first book.
• The Art of BB (http://theartofbrandonboyd.com/) Unofficial site containing many of Brandon's works of art.pl:Brandonboyd