Brandon Charles Boyd (born February 15, 1976, in California) is an American musician, author, and visual artist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Incubus.
Graduated from Calabasas High School in 1994 and attended Moorpark College for two years before committing to Incubus. Brandon grew up in Calabasas, CA with Ricky Taylor who inspired him to write music. His best friends were DJ Buchanan and Shawn Becker. His parents, Dolly and Charles Boyd, both of whom had experience in entertainment, had nurtured his artistic side since he was a child. His younger brother, Jason Boyd, was also the lead singer of a band called Audiovent, which has since broken up. Other musical family members include cousin Robert "Berto Chico" Boyd who is an accomplished Flamenco guitarist and composer. He had first met José Pasillas in elementary school in the 1980s, but it was not until high school that he was asked to join a band that already included Pasillas, Mike Einziger and Alex Katunich. Boyd's vocal abilities, which were for the most part self-taught (he had taken two lessons before he ran out of money, but he claims he learned everything he would need), proved to be the final essential element for the band. In an interview, Boyd explained that he had "yet to stumble across his best work" because he lacked the ability to read music.
Brandon Boyd has written two books. The first, written in 2003, was White Fluffy Clouds: Found Inspiration Moving Forward. It was published by Endophasia Publications and mainly consists of his artwork, photography, song lyrics from Incubus, and additional writings and thoughts. His more recent publication, From the Murks of the Sultry Abyss, was also published by Endophasia in 2007. In recent years, Brandon Boyd has focused on making fine art, specifically painting, and on September 8, 2008 celebrated the opening of his first solo show, titled "Ectoplasm," at Mr. Musichead Gallery in Los Angeles, California.
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.
He is also known for his mostly self-designed tattoos. On his forearms he carries the widely known Buddhist mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, referring to the qualities of generosity, ethics, patience, diligence, renunciation and wisdom. Underneath that is a koi fish in red ink designed by friend and fellow bandmate, José Pasillas II. On the inside of his right arm he has several tattoos, one once again incorporating the Tibetan mantra and another designed after a crop circle. 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 on his right ankle. Other tattoos include his parents' names (Priscila and Charles) on his forearms, an owl on his back, one tear drop on his index finger on both hands, and a picture inspired by Aubrey Beardsley famous art, "The Peacock Skirt" on his left arm.
