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Laughing Along With 'Due Date'? Prepare With Britney Spears And Incubus

Posted 11/5/10 10:00 am EST by in Music


It's raining in New York today, which means that it's probably a good idea to find a nice place indoors to stay dry, eat some junk food and catch a little entertainment along the way. Why not slip into your local cinema? While last weekend was all about horror, this weekend offers up a series of flicks designed to tickle your funny bone. If you're into super-famous people that you can't see, there's the big-time animated super-hero movie "Megamind" on your plate. If you like your comedy a bit darker, you might want to seek out the limited-release "Four Lions," which tracks four incompetent terrorists looking to bomb a spot in England (it's funnier than it sounds). And if you like your comedy non-existent, there's always the cut-your-own-arm-off epic "127 Hours," Tyler Perry's new movie "For Colored Girls" and the ultra-serious Valerie Plame scandal flick "Fair Game."

But if you're really serious about comedy, you should check out "Due Date," the latest laugher from "Hangover" director Todd Phillips. The movie stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galafianakis hitting the road to try to get Downey home in time to witness the birth of his child. It's a classic road comedy in the tradition of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," and it is sure to pack a handful of surprises along the way.

To properly prepare yourself for the glories of "Due Date," check out the playlist below. It's a collection of songs dedicated to babies (Beyoncé's "Baby Boy," Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby," R. Kelly's "Half on a Baby") and driving (Britney Spears' "(You Drive Me) Crazy," R.E.M.'s "Drive," Incubus' "Drive," Deftones' "Be Quiet and Drive"). But we begin with Catatonia's "Road Rage," the best song about being angry in traffic yet written.


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Incubus 'Make' Their Move: Wake-Up Video

Posted 10/26/10 9:00 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


Few genres were more maligned than nü-metal, that strange mix of hard rock, hip-hop and electronic music that dominated the rock radio airwaves at the turn of the millennium. Sometimes dark and melodic but also frequently mookish, bands like Limp Bizkit set a standard for bad behavior and worse lyrical crimes (and that whole Woodstock '99 thing certainly didn't help their cause). But not everything in the genre was terrible (Linkin Park, who just put out one of the most interesting and innovative big rock records in years, did emerge from the muck), and not all the bands associated with the scene even really belonged there. Take Incubus, whose combination of metal, funk and psychedelia made them stand out from the pack, and they began their unlikely rise on this day in 1999 when they released their breakthrough album Make Yourself.

Essentially a jam band with distortion pedals and a sexy frontman, Incubus stormed onto modern rock radio with their breakout hit "Pardon Me," a strange little track with an unusual beat and frontman Brandon Boyd's unusual vocal delivery (and, of course, a gigantic shout-along chorus that centered along the fantastically surreal teen angst phrase "Pardon me while I burst into flames"). The power of that single turned Make Yourself into a hit, and people soon got to know Incubus as both heavy rockers and convincing balladeers (the single "Drive" was an even bigger hit). Their latter albums dove deeper into psychedelia and political rabble-rousing, but Make Yourself might be their purest release, as it is eclectic, fun and completely without self-consciousness. Their outer space exploration fantasy "Stellar" remains one of their best songs, biggest hits and most surreal, engaging videos.


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Brandon Boyd, Travie McCoy And Slash Present Three Approaches To Solo Stardom

Posted 7/20/10 2:30 pm EST by in Music


By Jeremy Kaplan

When a band builds up a large enough fan base and a devoted following, it gives the members the ability to break off into solo careers and other musical projects. In some cases, the artist going solo will actually become more successful than he was in the context of the group, especially if the sound changes to adopt broader audience (consider Lionel Richie's break from the Commodores, Ozzy Osbourne's growth after Black Sabbath and the careers of both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins away from Genesis). But how much different are these new projects compared to the old work? And are solo artists better off changing their game completely?

In 2010, we have seen a handful of solo albums from members of a number of prominent and successful bands. In March, legendary guitarist Slash released a self-titled solo album, the first of his career. His name has practically been synonymous with hard rock since he burst onto the scene with his Guns N' Roses 23 years ago. Slash certainly wasn't what most GN'R fans expected, mostly because of the eclecticism of the special guests (everybody from Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows to pop starlet Fergie showed up to the party). But Slash proved that he was better than even his biggest fans thought, because he managed to veer into other musical areas without any hiccups. Slash was a departure, but one that certainly worked.

Travis "Travie" McCoy also emerged from his band Gym Class Heroes with the solo album Lazarus, but with a more positive reception. The album's first single "Billionaire" has been tearing up the Billboard Hot 100, so it's safe to say that the gambit has paid off. But while Gym Class Heroes' body of work is classified by most as alternative hip-hop, McCoy's solo album takes a more pop-oriented feel to rap music, welcoming in the likes of T-Pain and Cee-Lo Green.

Most recently, Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd dropped his solo debut The Wild Trapeze. It doesn't have very much to do with his band's sound, as it has a more ambient feel than the funky hard rock that Incubus deals out. He got an assist from producer David Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, OK Go), who creates a series of complicated soundscapes that let Boyd's voice dart in and out of the mix. It's very different from Incubus, but keeps the vibe alive.

Those are three artists with three very different approaches to working as a solo artist. While Slash attempted to maintain a balance between the old and the new, Brandon Boyd went on an entirely different musical journey altogether and McCoy ended up splitting the difference somewhere in the middle.

What solo artist do you think made the best album? Let us know in the comments!

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Incubus Guitarist 'Schooled' By 14-Year-Old

Posted 9/4/09 10:15 am EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music


When MTV News caught up with Incubus backstage just before their Friday-night set at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco last week, frontman Brandon Boyd, guitarist Mike Einziger and bass player Ben Kenney shared their personal experiences with Beatles songs, their different approach to soundchecks and the stress of putting together a greatest-hits album. But perhaps the most revealing confession came from Einziger, who admitted that he once played one of his own songs on a video game and was massacred.

"I played our song 'Stellar,' and my then-14-year-old sister absolutely schooled me," Einziger said. "It was a little humbling."

Boyd had a similar experience with music-based games. "I tried it once and I sucked," he said. But that doesn't mean they're down on "The Beatles: Rock Band," which drops next Wednesday, September 9. "[The Beatles] wrote music that as much as you wanted to get it out of your head, it was sort of stuck there. That's not easy to do," Einziger said. "['Rock Band'] is really fun, and a lot of young people are going to discover the music of the Beatles through video games, and I'm OK with that."

In addition to getting excited about my T-shirt, the trio also said that despite the fact that they are all working on their own projects, they have a multitude of songs developed during soundchecks on their just-completed tour (Boyd referred to this process as "farting around"). Another Incubus soundcheck tradition? Playing songs for themselves. "We have a lot of songs we really like that don't make sense to play live at our shows," Einziger explained. "Sometimes we have fun with covers, too." When pressed for details, the conversation turned cheeky. "'Careless Whisper,' of course."

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Black Eyed Peas, Pearl Jam, Incubus And Silversun Pickups Enjoy The Outside Lands Gifting Suite

Posted 9/1/09 11:06 am EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music


By Matt Elias

This past weekend at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, we got a glimpse into a world that most music fans don't get to see. Backstage, an entire artist hospitality area was set up to make the musicians feel like, well, rock stars. Nestled between festival regular the Ice Cream Man and a fully stocked bar were a handful of vendors hooking up artists with high-profile swag all weekend.

One of the products that came in handy in the abnormally hot sun (for San Francisco, at least) were Kaenon Polarized sunglasses. We spotted artists all weekend rocking these shades, including members of Mastodon and Cage the Elephant. Originally developed for sailing and ocean sports, the polarizing lenses translate well to the bright summer days of the festival season. Thankfully the folks at Kaenon boasted enough styles to satisfy all of the varying tastes within a band, dodging any potential breakups over the weekend. Plus, all of the glasses came in a nifty little carrying case with a custom Outside Lands logo.

Next door, Altec Lansing was unveiling the boombox for the 21st century. Read More...

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Incubus Get Inspired By My T-Shirt At Outside Lands

Posted 8/29/09 11:00 am EST by in Behind The Scenes, Music


Just before they took the stage at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco yesterday, Incubus took some time out to lounge in their cabana and talk to MTV News about the dangers of putting together a greatest hits record, their various side projects and my T-Shirt.

"I'm excited about this dragon blowing out the birthday candles on your shirt," guitarist Mike Einziger said even before I could ask a question. "I like his little party hat." The shirt in question is a design from Threadless called "Wishless," which depicts a fire-breathing dragon attempting to blow out the candles on a birthday cake. It's a heartbreaking image because if you look close, there's a single tear running down his face. The joke is on him — he'll never blow those candles out. I bought it because it reflects my philosophy about birthdays: That no matter how hard you try (or many party hats you wear), something usually screws it up.

But the shirt became a sort of Rorschach test for the guys in the band, who quickly dreamed up other interpretations. "He's sitting in a big puddle of blood. Or she!" frontman Brandon Boyd said. Was Boyd suggesting that the pool of blood might be ... "Yes. That's why she's really crying," he said.

The band — who wrapped up a two-month tour of the United States with their set last night — revealed that they have hours of new material that they've experimented with during soundchecks on the tour, though it's unclear when they'll get around to recording a new album. In the meantime, Einziger is at work on a second project with the Los Angeles Philharmoic, which will also involve the Kronos Quartet, composer Terry Riley and Matmos. "There may even be dragons," Einziger said.

What do you see in my T-shirt?

(Check out more photos from the 2009 Outside Lands Festival, featuring Black Eyed Peas, Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mras and more!)

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Incubus' Mike Einziger Composes Orchestral Music In His 'Downtime'

Posted 10/6/08 5:16 pm EST by in Music


Mike EinzigerBy Matt Elias

Think you had a productive summer? Try penning an original orchestra and staging your very first performance at UCLA's prestigious Royce Hall. That's what Mike Einziger — resident guitarist for Incubus — did.

It all started in March 2007, after carpal tunnel syndrome forced Mike to take a break from the band and undergo surgery on his wrist. Years of constant playing and repetitive motion finally took a toll on his body. Mike was unable to touch his guitar for three months, and to keep himself from going crazy he decided to approach this project, titled "End.>vacuum." Read More...

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