Many bands are begun in high school with just a guitar, a set of drums, a garage, and a few good friends with the same passion for music, but not many rise to the status that Incubus has excelled themselves to in the years following high school.
Throughout the past fifteen years, they have written and produced over sixteen albums and sold over sixty-five million albums worldwide (Sheffield p. 1). With such hefty accomplishments already at their feet, they have propelled their names to the top of the music industry with the greats like Rush, 311, Primus, Jeff Beck, and numerous others (Home). ?In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Incubus was that rare breed: a n?-metal band with both a DJ and a hefty female fan base? (Sheffield p. 1).
What drew them to this new and innovative trend was the influence of many experienced, well-established bands and performers such as: Primus, Jeff Beck, 311, Rush, Bob Marley, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. With that wide variety of a line-up many styles and perceptions are present. It was now up to Incubus to decipher what would become to be known as their style and what would not. Their choice of combining the reggae style with the contemporary rock style created such an new and interesting sound that it caught on instantly.
For instance, 311 is a band that has been influenced by Bob Marley and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and has more of a relaxed, Caribbean feel to it (Home). This is demonstrated by Incubus in the songs ?Southern Girl?, ?Drive?, and ?Aqueous Transmission?. Of course it is not the exact replica of that style, but it would not be theirs if it was. They have added an alternative rock sound to it that has complimented it into mass popularity.
Another example is the band Primus, which was influenced by the likes of Jeff Beck and Rush (Home). They had more of a metal/rock background and created more of that hard edge sound. Certain songs that follow this forte that Incubus has molded into masterpieces are ?A Certain Shade of Green? and ?Megalomaniac?. In these instances, the band leaned towards more of the alternative rock/metal sound rather than the reggae feel.
But keep in mind that the reggae tone is in almost everyone of their songs, no matter how heavy it may be. In conclusion, there are a ridiculous amount of influences on every band that has ever performed. It is not fathomable for someone to be able to depict every aspect of that concept. What has been uncovered by my own knowledge is that Incubus is the classic all-American story of a band, which would be a group of teenagers in high school with a dream and a passion for one common goal. It just so happened that the founders of Incubus found a way to be so different that they would catch the eye of so many. Kudos to the band for using the resources of past performers to create that unique feeling and that unique ability to create and stir emotion in listeners everywhere.
Although they do not meet the requirements for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just yet, I believe it is safe to say they are a good candidate to be inducted immediately when they meet the criteria.
