Brandon Boyd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brandon Boyd
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Boyd performing with Incubus in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brandon Charles Boyd |
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| Born | February 15, 1976 Van Nuys, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
Brandon Charles Boyd was born on February 15, 1976. He is an American musician. He is most famous as the lead singer of the rock band Incubus. With Incubus, he has made many studio albums.
Besides his work with Incubus, Brandon Boyd has also released two solo albums. These are The Wild Trapeze (2010) and Echoes & Cocoons (2022). He also worked with producer Brendan O'Brien. They formed a project called Sons of the Sea.
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Brandon Boyd finished high school at Calabasas High School in 1994. He then went to Moorpark College for two years. After that, he focused completely on his band, Incubus. Brandon grew up in Calabasas, California. His friend Ricky Taylor inspired him to start writing music.
His parents, Priscilla "Dolly" Wiseman and Charles Boyd, were both involved in entertainment. His father was even a former Marlboro Man. They always encouraged Brandon's artistic side from a young age.
Brandon had a couple of accidents where he broke his nose. Once, an Easter egg hit his face. Another time, his bandmate's bass hit him during a show. He let his nose heal naturally, but it made breathing harder as he got older. He shared that he sang and breathed through only one nostril. This was until he had surgery in December 2019 to fix the problem.
Music Career Highlights
Incubus: The Band's Journey
Brandon Boyd used to design posters for Incubus's first concerts. Sometimes, he plays guitar during live shows. He also uses other instruments in his songs. These include the didgeridoo and the djembe.
Boyd's unique voice helped get the attention of Sony's Epic/Immortal Records. The band had already released their own album, Fungus Amongus. Incubus signed with the record label in 1996. Many people have compared Boyd's singing style to Mike Patton. Patton is the singer for Faith No More. Boyd has said that Patton was an influence on him since he was a teenager.
Incubus's first two releases with the label were Enjoy Incubus and S.C.I.E.N.C.E.. These albums were not widely known at first. However, their next albums, Make Yourself and Morning View, became very popular. Brandon Boyd gained many fans. In 2001, Spin magazine wrote about his popularity. They noted his unique look and the band's popular rock music. Girls would often cheer for him to take off his shirt at shows. Teen People magazine even called him one of "The Hottest Guys in Music."
In 2005, the band's 2004 album, A Crow Left of the Murder..., was nominated for a Grammy Award. It was for Best Hard Rock Performance. On November 28, 2006, Incubus released Light Grenades. In June 2009, the band put out a greatest hits album called Monuments and Melodies.
In 2011, Incubus finished their seventh studio album, If Not Now, When?. It was released on July 12, 2011, and was followed by a tour. This was their last album released under Sony.
On December 13, 2014, the band performed their song "Trust Fall" at KROQ. They announced that they would release two EPs in 2015. The first one, Trust Fall, came out on March 24, 2015. It was released through Island Records. On February 5, 2015, the song "Absolution Calling" was released. Two years later, in February 2017, Boyd and Incubus worked with Skrillex. Their collaboration was released in April 2017 under the title "8".
Art and Writing Projects
Brandon Boyd has been drawing his whole life. Between 2003 and 2008, he spent more time on fine art, especially painting. He took part in different art shows, both with groups and by himself. He used his artwork to help raise awareness about environmental issues. On September 8, 2008, his first solo show, Ectoplasm, opened. It was at Mr. Musichead Gallery in Los Angeles, California.
In March 2020, Boyd had planned to show a new large art exhibit. It was called Impossible Knots. It was supposed to be at the Samuel Lynne Galleries in Dallas, Texas. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person show had to be delayed. On April 18, 2020, his work was shown online. It was a virtual preview on Instagram. The in-person exhibit happened later, in Fall 2020 or Spring 2021.
Boyd also released a card-matching game. It is called Two Doors/Deux Portes. The game is based on a series of his watercolor paintings.
He has written and put together three books. Each book includes his own drawings, photos, song lyrics, and other thoughts. His books are White Fluffy Clouds (2003), From the Murks of the Sultry Abyss (2007), and So the Echo (2013). All his books are published under his own book imprint, Endophasia Publications.
Solo Music Ventures
On July 6, 2010, Brandon Boyd announced his first solo album. It was called The Wild Trapeze. On June 21, 2010, a music video for his first song from the album, "Runaway Train," was released. A second music video for the album came out in October 2010. It was for the song "Last Night a Passenger."
On January 18, 2013, Boyd announced his new band, Sons of the Sea. Since Incubus was taking a break, Sons of the Sea went on tour in 2013 and 2014. On May 29, 2013, Boyd released a short video. It announced the name of the album, Sons of the Sea. That same year, he went on a book-signing tour. This tour was for his latest book, So The Echo. It also celebrated the release of Sons of the Sea's album.
On March 11, 2022, Boyd released Echoes & Cocoons. This album was produced by John Congleton.
In 2022 and 2023, Boyd appeared in the TV series Reservation Dogs. He played a character called White Jesus in seasons 2 and 3.
In February 2024, he was featured on a song called "Glitching Prisms." This song was by the band Night Verses.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
In the spring of 2011, Brandon Boyd created a large mural. He made it at the Hurley Space Gallery. The mural was meant to make people aware of single-use plastics. These plastics cause harm to the world's oceans. Boyd is involved with many groups and good causes.
In 2003, he and his Incubus bandmates started The Make Yourself Foundation. This is a non-profit organization. It has raised over $1.4 million for various good causes. These causes help people both locally and around the world. The foundation has given money to more than 60 non-profit organizations.
In a 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, Boyd shared that he is married. He also mentioned that his wife is a fan of the singer Lizzo. Lizzo later joined Incubus for a performance. They sang "Aqueous Transmission" at the Hollywood Bowl.
Discography
- With Incubus
- Fungus Amongus (1995)
- Enjoy Incubus (EP) (1997)
- S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (1997)
- Make Yourself (1999)
- Morning View (2001)
- A Crow Left of the Murder... (2004)
- Light Grenades (2006)
- Monuments and Melodies (2009)
- If Not Now, When? (2011)
- Trust Fall (Side A) (EP) (2015)
- 8 (2017)
- Trust Fall (Side B) (EP) (2020)
- Solo
- The Wild Trapeze (2010)
- Echoes & Cocoons (2022)
- With Sons of the Sea
- Compass (EP) (2013)
- Sons of the Sea (2013)
- Guest Appearances
- Strait Up – Snot (2000)
- Leave on Your Makeup – Ben Kenney (2013)
- Glitching Prisms – Night Verses (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Brandon Boyd para niños
