A New Morning View
Morning View XXIII And Some News
Roughly 23 years ago we rented a house at the sea to do an art experiment. The novel and expansive environment combined with a healthy dose of momentum helped us find that ever sought after FLOW state and the songs that became known as ‘Morning View’ have since become indelible and deeply important parts of our lives. This album helped propel our little art experiment called ‘Incubus’ into a way of life and here we are today, some 23 years later about to introduce a new/next phase of it’s existence. ‘Morning View xxiii’ is a re-recording/re-think of the 2001 album and is the result of our desire to honor this burgeoning legacy but also reimagine it as musicians who have been lovingly performing these songs night after night for the last 23 years.
Why? OK, so beyond the criminally uninteresting language of “re-record rights” there was a creative challenge here in the attempt to reimagine something we made so long ago that became a soundtrack of sorts to our own experiences but as well to the lives of so many people who allowed this album to penetrate beyond mere casual listenings. So with great enthusiasm we are not only releasing this new version of the album but we are also planning a 10 show arena tour through the United States where we will perform the album from front to back. After our October 2023 concert at the Hollywood Bowl where we played Morning View in it’s entirety, it became an obvious next step for us to take this show on the road, so to speak. So in late summer of ’24 Incubus will be coming to an arena near you to share that love.
It’s an understatement to say that a lot changes in a couple of decades. In our cultural environment today it appears that the poles shift every day at noon. But in that spirit of movement I suppose this is as good an opportunity as any to let you know that our friend and bass player of over 20 years, Ben Kenney, has decided to step away from Incubus. We are saddened at his departure but honor his decision and we are so grateful that we had the opportunity to make music with such a talented and generous artist for two decades. I’m sure it’s inevitable that everyone will have questions as to the details surrounding his departure and that is fair, but in honoring our long friendship with Ben, it feels appropriate to allow for him to answer those queries in a time frame he himself feels comfortable with. We wish him only the best of fortunes and we tip our hat to Ben, one of the greats.
There is never only a closed door though, at least not the way I like to observe our strange and wondrous universe. A window opened soon after and in came a breath of fresh air in the form of Nicole Row. (Insert whooshing sound effect!) What started as a suggestion from Ben Kenney himself for someone to step in during his absence has become a fast friendship and creative kinship that we are so grateful for and deeply excited about. We’d like to welcome Nicole to the Incubus family! She spent most of 2023 on tour with us and has quickly proven herself indispensable. We love her and her delightful presence, and it’s a real dollop of icing on the proverbial cake that she is a monster of a musician. We are thrilled for you to hear her contributions to Morning View xxiii and witness her energy on stage.
Recap! We’re putting out a redux/re-recording of Morning View entitled ‘Morning View xxiii’ and come summer, we are doing a ten date area tour (in the US) in support of it. We’re welcoming musician and professional bass slayer Nicole Row into our Incubus Family! Additionally, we are currently writing a new Incubus album and it’s already sounding really exciting! It’s been seven years since we released a new LP so we have high hopes that this one reminds our listeners why and how we love making art together.
You know, being in a band is not unlike being an author, except in our case we have been writing the book for 33 years now. Some of the chapters have been triumphant, some of them stupid, some tragic, some odd and some surprising, as any book worth reading has. One thing that is certain though is that we are far from being done, and this tome is one we are crafting with a decided glee! Our process is one of a continual refinement that we hope can bring some modicum of joy to and for anyone who decides to keep reading on. So, with your participation and your attention we will keep the ink flowing. See you on the road soon!
With Love,
Brandon Boyd
My eyes swelled up with tears, reading and learning of Ben’s departure from Incubus. Change is certain in this life, Nicole is such a refreshing perfect fit. I had the privilege of seeing her play with y’all last September in Sacramento, her vibe is so down to earth with amazing musical talent. I hope to make one your upcoming concerts. It feels so good to look forward to a brand new album coming from you guys! Congrats on your growth and exciting news and all the best to Ben in his new chapter. ❤️
Morning View is such a big comfort album for me. I can sing every song on it, and I listen to it when I'm drawing, when I need to decompress after a long day, when I feel like belting some tunes out, when I'm happy, when I'm anxious and need something to calm and ground me... basically, it's an "anytime album" for me. It's the very album that made me fall so deeply in love with your music, and for that it will always have a special place in my heart.
Woke up with a huge mix of emotions this morning at the news. Currently isolated in my bedroom for the next few days because I caught the Rona...but the tour announcement, your beautiful writing, and the news of Nicole joining have been bright rays of sunshine on an otherwise gloomy day. I am going to miss Ben a ton. He's talented, and I'm so grateful I got to meet him and see him perform with all of you. I wrote a bit of a thank you note to him on Instagram and cried a bit as I was writing it. I'm gonna miss him. The whole fam is gonna miss him, and we wish him the best for whatever he does in the future. At the same time, there is no better person to fill his shoes than Nicole, who is indeed a monster of a musician and her talent and onstage energy are incredible! I love seeing the friendship that she has forged with you guys...she really is part of the family. I still smile remembering when I met all of you in Bonner and showed her the drawings I made, how she grinned and excitedly replied "sick!!". That, and how when I mentioned she was an Abyssinian like Jose, Jose chuckled and said "we're the coolest ones." That was a magical experience, one I'll never forget.
Morning View XXIII is gonna be a masterpiece, I already know it. I find myself coming back to that video you made singing the new version of "Echo" and listening to it on repeat. Echo is already one of my favorite songs, but this new version and THAT OUTRO...it makes me shed happy tears because it's just. So. Beautiful! Side note: visiting Zuma Beach and the Morning View house is a bucketlist item for me.
I've been meaning to pay a visit to San Francisco for a while...it's been a plan for a hot minute, and now I have an even bigger reason to go! My fingers are crossed that I'll be able to snag some tickets to that one, and if I do, I will absolutely let you know!
All the love, all the light, and all the well wishes and gratitude for you guys 💖 from the PNW with love. Thank you, always, for being such a bright light, in my life and in so many others.