Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, author and visual artist. He is best known as the lead

vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...

of the American rock band

Incubus An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in t ...

, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums. In addition to his work with Incubus, Boyd has released two solo albums - '' The Wild Trapeze'' (2010) and ''Echoes & Cocoons'' (2022) - and has collaborated with producer Brenden O'Brien under the name

Sons of the Sea Sons of the Sea may refer to: * "Sons of the Sea" (''Dad's Army''), a 1969 episode of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army'' *Sons of the Sea (1926 film), a silent film * ''Sons of the Sea'' (1939 film), a British spy film *''Atlantic Ferry ' ...

Early life

Boyd graduated from Calabasas High School in 1994 and attended

Moorpark College Moorpark College is a public community college in Moorpark, California. It was established in 1967 with enrollment of 2,500 students and enrolled 14,254 students in 2014. An Exotic Animal Training and Management center houses over 200 animals o ...

for two years before committing to

. Brandon grew up in Calabasas, California with Ricky Taylor who inspired him to write music. His parents, Priscilla "Dolly" Wiseman and Charles Boyd, both of whom had experience in

entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousan ...

, with his father being a former

Marlboro Man The Marlboro Man is a figure that was used in tobacco advertising campaigns for Marlboro cigarettes. In the United States, where the campaign originated, it was used from 1954 to 1999. The Marlboro Man was first conceived by Leo Burnett in 1954. ...

, had nurtured his artistic side since he was a child. Other notable family members include his younger brother, Jason Boyd, the former lead singer of the band

Audiovent Audiovent is an American alternative rock band from Calabasas, California. Initially forming as "Vent" in the early 1990s, the band changed their name to Audiovent upon signing with Atlantic Records in 2001. The band released their one and only a ...

, his cousi
Berto Boyd
an accomplished Flamenco guitarist and composer, as well as cousin Sam Boyd, a professional motocross rider. In an interview, Brandon explained that he had "yet to stumble across his best work" because he lacked the ability to read music.

Incubus

Boyd designed concert fliers that advertised Incubus' early performances. He occasionally plays guitar during live performances and is known for bringing unusual instruments into his songs, such as the didgeridoo and djembe. Boyd's voice was part of what enticed Sony's

Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film with heroic elements Epic or EPIC may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and medi ...

Immortal Records Immortal Records was an American independent record label/imprint label based in Los Angeles, California. The company helped launch the careers of such influential acts as Korn, Thirty Seconds To Mars, and Incubus over the years. The label had a ...

, along with the self-released album ''

Fungus Amongus ''Fungus Amongus'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Incubus, released November 1, 1995, on Stopuglynailfungus Music on Chillum, Incubus' own independent label. It was later re-released under Epic/Immortal on November 7, 2000, af ...

''. The band was signed in 1996. Boyd's singing style in Incubus has often been compared to

Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, producer, film composer and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techn ...

, vocalist of

Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before settling on the current name in July 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, k ...

and several other projects. Boyd has mentioned Patton as being an influence since he was an early teenager. Incubus' first two releases on the

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed d ...

, ''

Enjoy Incubus ''Enjoy Incubus'' is the major label debut EP by Incubus released on January 7, 1997, on Epic Records. It contained re-recordings of songs that featured on their previous, independent releases ''Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout Root Beer'' and ''Fungus Among ...

'' and ''

S.C.I.E.N.C.E. ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' is the second album by the American rock band Incubus, released on September 9, 1997, by Epic/Immortal Records. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA, and is the second and final Incubus release to feature Gavin Koppell (known ...

'' went largely unnoticed in the mainstream but subsequent releases ''

Make Yourself ''Make Yourself'' is the third studio album by American rock band Incubus, released through Epic Records on October 26, 1999. It is certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and produced three charting single ...

'' and ''

Morning View ''Morning View'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Incubus, released October 23, 2001, through Epic Records. A companion DVD, '' The Morning View Sessions'', was released on May 29, 2002. Continuing the move away from nu metal, th ...

'' were commercial successes. Boyd attracted a large number of female fans. In a 2001 interview, ''Spin'' wrote "Considering his

androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in ...

beauty and sweet demeanor, plus Incubus' kid-tested/mother-approved guitar rock, it's no surprise he's MTV's newest weapon of mass heartbreak. Girls scream for him to take his shirt off at Incubus shows (he usually obliges) and '' Teen People'' recently voted him one of 'The Hottest Guys in Music.' His sensitive-guy appeal sets him apart from today's testosterone-drunk rock". The band's 2004 release '' A Crow Left of the Murder...'' has continued their success, nominating the band for Best Hard Rock Performance in the 2005 Grammy Awards. On November 28, 2006, the band released ''

Light Grenades ''Light Grenades'' is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Incubus, released on November 28, 2006, on Epic. The album sold 359,000 copies during its first week of release worldwide, and debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200, sel ...

''. On June 16, 2009, Incubus released a greatest hits album titled ''

Monuments and Melodies ''Monuments and Melodies'' is the first greatest hits compilation album by American rock band Incubus released on June 16, 2009, through Epic Records.If Not Now, When?'', released on July 12, 2011, followed by a tour. It was their final release under

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

On December 13, 2014, they performed their upcoming single entitled "Trust Fall" at KROQ. They announced the release of two EP's in 2015 with the first, ''Trust Fall'', released on March 24, 2015, through

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, an ...

. On February 5, 2015, the single "Absolution Calling" was released. Two years later, in February 2017, Boyd and Incubus teamed with

Skrillex Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead sing ...

on a collaboration that was released under the title "8" in April 2017.

Literature and fine art

Although Boyd had been drawing his entire life, between 2003 and 2008 he focused more seriously on creating fine art, specifically painting. During this time he participated in many different group and solo art shows, using his artwork as a means for environmental activism. September 8, 2008, marked the opening of his first solo show, "Ectoplasm," at Mr. Musichead Gallery in Los Angeles, California. In March 2020, Boyd had planned to debut a new large-scale solo exhibit, "Impossible Knots," at the Samuel Lynne Galleries in Dallas, Texas. However, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

, the in-person exhibit had to be postponed. On April 18, 2020, his work debuted online via a virtual exhibition preview on

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

LIVE. This online debut will be followed by the in-person exhibition in Fall 2020 or Spring 2021. Boyd released a card-matching game called "Two Doors/Deux Portes," based on a series of his watercolor paintings. Boyd has written and curated three books, each of which comprise his personal illustrations, photography, song lyrics, and additional thoughts and writings. His books are ''White Fluffy Clouds (2003)'', ''From the Murks of the Sultry Abyss (2007)'', and ''So the Echo (2013),'' all published under his book imprint, Endophasia Publications. ''So the Echo'' "visually weaves" the years that Boyd spent honing his craft and his talents, both in music and art.

Charity and activism

In the spring of 2011, Boyd made a large mural at the Hurley Space Gallery in order to raise awareness about single use plastics and their harmful effects on the world's oceans. Boyd is involved with many organizations and charitable causes and in 2003, along with his Incubus bandmates, he founded the 501(c)(3) non-profit The Make Yourself Foundation, which has raised over $1.4 million for various philanthropic causes locally and globally. The organization has awarded grant funding to over 60 nonprofit organizations.

Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular 2014

Boyd was selected to play the role of

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (; grc-x-biblical, Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης; syc, ܝܗܘܕܐ ܣܟܪܝܘܛܐ; died AD) was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. According to all four canonical gospels, Judas betray ...

for the North American arena tour of

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musica ...

rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

''. He was to play the role starting June 9 through August 17. On May 31, the tour was canceled.

Solo career

On July 6, 2010, Boyd announced that his debut solo album, '' The Wild Trapeze'' was released. On June 21, 2010, a music video for Boyd's first single from ''The Wild Trapeze,'' entitled "Runaway Train," was released online. A second music video was released for the album, for the song "Last Night a Passenger" in October 2010. On January 18, 2013, Brandon announced his band, Sons of the Sea. With Incubus on hiatus, Sons of the Sea toured in 2013 and 2014. On May 29, 2013, Brandon released a teaser video announcing the name of the album, ''

''. That same year, he embarked on a book-signing tour of the Northeast to coincide with his latest publication "So The Echo," as well as the release of "Sons of the Sea"'s eponymous record. On March 11, 2022, Brandon released his first solo album in 12 years, ''Echoes & Cocoons'', produced by John Congleton.

Tattoos

Boyd is known for his wide variety of tattoos. On his forearms he carries the widely known mantra

Om Mani Padme Hum ' ( sa, ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ, ) is the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. It first appeared in the Mahayana ''Kāraṇ ...

, referring to the qualities of generosity, ethics, patience, diligence, renunciation and wisdom. Underneath that is a koi fish in red ink by Lars Johansson. On the inside of his right arm he has several tattoos, one once again incorporating the Tibetan mantra. Following the release of their album "A Crow Left of the Murder," he got an elaborate back tattoo featuring the common image of the All Seeing-Eye embedded in a pyramid. He also has a tattoo of the

Eye of Horus The Eye of Horus, ''wedjat'' eye or ''udjat'' eye is a concept and symbol in ancient Egyptian religion that represents well-being, healing, and protection. It derives from the mythical conflict between the god Horus with his rival Set, in ...

on his right ankle. Other tattoos include his parents' names (Priscilla and Charles) on his forearms, an owl on his back, one teardrop on his index finger on both hands, and a picture inspired by

Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He was a leading figure in the ...

's famous piece, '' The Peacock Skirt'', on his left arm.

Discography

;With

*''

'' (1995) *''

'' (EP) (1997) *''

'' (1997) *''

'' (1999) *''

'' (2001) *'' A Crow Left of the Murder...'' (2004) *''

'' (2006) *''

Monuments and Melodies ''Monuments and Melodies'' is the first greatest hits compilation album by American rock band Incubus released on June 16, 2009, through Epic Records.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

*''Compass'' (EP) (2013) *''

'' (2013) ; Guest Appearances *'' Strait Up'' -

Snot Snot may refer to: * Snot, slang for nasal mucus or dried nasal mucus * Snotter, Scottish slang for nasal mucus or dried nasal mucus * Snot, a character from the US television show ''American Dad!'' * Sid Snot, an ageing biker character performed ...

(2000) * Leave on Your Makeup - Ben Kenney (2013)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyd, Brandon 1976 births Living people 21st-century American writers 21st-century American painters Alternative metal musicians American male singers American rock singers American tenors Incubus (band) members Moorpark College alumni Singers from California People from Van Nuys, Los Angeles People from Calabasas, California American male painters Nu metal singers 21st-century American singers Didgeridoo players