The Day Incubus SWAPPED Monster Energy for Herbal Tea…The Story of Morning View

Incubus reached a turning point after the success of Make Yourself and the pressure that came with being labeled part of the nu metal scene. Instead of cutting the next album in a traditional studio, they chose an unconventional setup: living and recording together in a Malibu beach house on Morning View Drive, a move their label and management thought was risky.

That gamble changed everything. The house became both home and studio, and the environment shaped the music’s sound and feel, giving Morning View a mix of heavy riffs, relaxed grooves, and oceanic atmosphere. The video highlights how songs like “Wish You Were Here,” “Are You In?,” and “Aqueous Transmission” reflected that setting, including unusual touches like the ending frog sounds recorded outside the house and the use of a Chinese pipa on the closing track.

The album released in October 2001, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and became a major commercial and artistic success. Even though some critics accused the band of softening their edge, the video argues that Morning View was really an expansion of Incubus’ sound, not a betrayal of it, and it ultimately helped turn them into a bigger, long-lasting rock act.