Turntables, guitars and a demonic name

The California-based funk-fusion band Incubus is gearing up their guitars and drums to rock Olympic Park in southeastern Seoul on March 10.
They’re promoting their latest album, “Crow Left of the Murder,” released earlier this month. The album is their sixth since they debuted in 1996 with “Enjoy Incubus,” an EP consisting of six demos.
The five-member band is known for fast beats and the funky guitar flirtations of guitarist Mike Einziger. The unique voice of Brandon Boyd and the ferocious tricks of DJ Chris Kilmore give the music a spicy funk that’s garnered the band legions of followers in the United States and elsewhere.
Recently, the band made a few changes not only in their style of performance, but also in their lineup. Dirk Lance, a founding member and bass player, was replaced by Ben Kenney, former guitarist of The Roots, a band with a style similar to Incubus’s.
With these adjustments, “Crow Left of the Murder” still has the band’s familiar tension, but is more loyal to basic rock than some of their earlier works.
Incubus is famous for experimentation and fusion of different styles. The band’s latest album seems to want to embrace change, but leans upon previous successes and lacks some of the innovation they are known for.
Still, Incubus is doing fine. The lead-off track, “Megalomaniac,” was in the No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks on a Billboard chart.
“Megalomanic” starts the album with a boom, an unleashed hard-rock thrust of strong instrumental tension.
The California band made a huge impact on the music industry with the 1999 album “Making Yourself.” “Pardon Me,” from that album, hit No. 3 in April 2000, swiftly followed by “Stellar,” which climbed to No. 2 in September of that year.
The band’s reputation was cemented when “Drive,” from the same album, stayed at the No. 1 spot for eight weeks from March 2001.
With the help of “Drive,” the band won the nods for both Modern Rock Artist of the Year and the Modern Rock Single of the Year at the MTV Music Awards in November 2001.
Incubus will perform live in Olympic Hall within the Olympic Park complex at 8 p.m. Tickets are 55,000 won ($47) to 66,000 won, available at Ticketlink (1588-7890) or Interpark Ticket (1588-1555).

by Lee Ho-jeong

For more information call Yescom Productions at (02) 783-0114.