2023 proved to be somewhat of a catalyst year for Incubus.
As it was for many artists who were forced off-tour and out of creative mode during the pandemic, Incubus found themselves having to cancel extensive tour plans in major international markets – a big hit to a band who has built a decades' long career around engaging live performances.However, their reemergence to stages in 2023 saw Incubus return with more changes to navigate; mainly, with the departure of longtime bass player, Ben Kenney. Kenney, who had been with Incubus since 2003, had to undergo surgery to remove a brain tumour, forcing him to sit out the band's return to the stage.
In his place, bass player Nicole Row became a part-time member of the Incubus family, touring with the band while also balancing bass duties with Panic! At The Disco.
The group benefited from Row's influence and presence, leading Kenney to suggest Row as his permanent replacement when the long-time Incubus member decided to officially leave the band in early 2024.
According to lead guitarist Mike Einziger, this period of change for Incubus has been a positive one – one they are all excited by, especially now new music is on the horizon.
Ahead of the band's return to Australia, Einziger is enthusiastic about bringing this new line-up out to the fans who have been waiting to be reunited with the Californian alt-rock favourites for some time.
"Everything that ever really happened for the band, as far as our relationships, our songwriting, our music coming together. . . has all happened in this way where, even though it took work to get there, it felt effortless. Nicole, I think, really represents that," he muses.
"Ben, who was with us for over 20 years, was the one who suggested that we contact Nicole. None of us knew her. None of us had a relationship with her. I straight up just DMd her on Instagram to say, 'What's up!' She has just played her last show with Panic! At The Disco. I said we needed someone to play bass and she was like, 'When do you need me there?' and I was like, 'How about Monday?' She figured it out from there. The timing was really good, really funny."
By the time Row had become a full-time member of Incubus, she had already been part of the 'Morning View XXIII' sessions (the rerecording of Incubus' acclaimed 2001 record, set for release 10 May); as well as being integrated into the fold for what has now become the foundations of a long-awaited new album.
For Einziger and the rest of the band – frontman Brandon Boyd, drummer José Pasillas, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Kilmore – the energy they are taking into this new era of Incubus is spirited, and fun.
"[Nicole's] just been amazing to work with, she's got a great personality. She's a really kind, generous human being and a monster of a player," he says. "We're lucky to have her and we're super psyched that she's with us for touring, writing music. . . everything that we do. It's a new chapter for us.
"We're working on new music, we've been writing and that's been going very well. We're enjoying doing that. We had to stop to get ready to go on tour again, so we've put our writing aside for a little while to get in shape to be able to play!"
As of 2024, it's been four years since Incubus released a new collection of material; their last project coming in the 'Trust Fall (Side B)' EP. A follow-up to 2015's 'Trust Fall (Side A)' EP, the record is officially the last Incubus project to feature Kenney.
Looking ahead to their new music, Einziger admits creating new work when you have a band history of over two decades already in the can, isn't without its challenges. Keeping the spirit of a band and its artistry fresh, when life is also taking members in other directions – not just creatively, but as parents, spouses, individuals – can be difficult.
As Einziger says, Incubus is thriving on exploring how their strengths as individuals is pouring into a new creative chemistry for the group. "For anyone who's done anything for a long period of time, it can be really challenging over long periods of time, to keep reinventing yourself, keep making things new again," he admits.
"It has to feel that way in some respect, or it's not going to happen. Nicole has been really interesting and fun to work with; she's definitely influencing what we're doing, getting involved in the writing process in ways that are super constructive.
"Everyone is having a lot of fun and we're writing music that feels interesting and different for us. It utilises our backgrounds and strengths as players, and the things we gravitate towards, in a really natural way. It'll be fun.
"We are sitting on a bunch of new music that we've been working on over the last couple of months. Our plan is that once we finish this tour in early May, we'll get right back to it and hopefully finish writing. We have a US tour in late August, so we'll try and have things done by then. That would be a good goal to have."
The band's Australian tour throughout April, is taking them to regional venues as part of the inaugural LOOKOUT Festival with +LIVE+, Birds Of Tokyo, Eskimo Joe and The Superjesus; as well as a run of headline dates with +LIVE+ in Wollongong, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
Not having toured out this way since 2018, Einziger is particularly excited to be getting back out to Australia – a favourite destination for the group.
Now, with the creative juices flowing once more and new material closer than we think, it's never been a better time to be an Incubus fan; or even a member of the band. "We've been doing this a long time, and we're all just super thankful to be able to play music and travel around the world with our friends," he says.
"It's really exciting to have a new member of the band just to feed off of, and play around new ideas with. I hadn't really anticipated that. None of us really did. Circumstances just dictated that we acquired this new member of the band and it turned out to be this really wonderful thing for us, and hopefully for Nicole!
"Combining that with watching my kids growing up. . . my eldest are my twins who are turning seven in May, it's crazy. All of that tied together is feeding into my musical headspace and it's fun.
"I haven't really written too much music over the last couple of years, I've been busy with a lot of other things; this is a new chapter in my life. All of us are really excited. You'll see! We'll have new music pretty soon. We're excited to share."
- written by Sosefina Fuamoli
'Morning View XXIII' will be released 10 May.
Incubus 2024 Tour Dates
Tue 9 Apr - WIN Entertainment Centre (Wollongong)Wed 10 Apr - Hordern Pavilion (Sydney)
Thu 11 Apr - Hordern Pavilion (Sydney)* sold out
Sat 13 Apr - Lookout Festival @ Mornington Racecourse (Mornington)
Sun 14 Apr - Margaret Court Arena (Melbourne)* sold out
Wed 17 Apr - The Drive (Adelaide)
Sat 20 Apr - Lookout Festival @ Whitfords Nodes Park (Perth)
