The California-based, five-piece Incubus, well-known for hit singles that include "Pardon Me," "Drive," "Nice to Know You," and "Wish You Were Here" has been touring this summer to promote their latest compilation "Monuments and Melodies" released June 16. The two-CD set features previously released singles as well as a collection of rarities, B-sides and never released tracks.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with the group's guitarist Mike Einziger at the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco. He spoke candidly about his thoughts on the environment, the group's non-profit The Make Yourself Foundation (MYF), as well as his experiences as a student at Harvard University where he's currently enrolled.

GGN: Since Incubus launched the Make Yourself Foundation (MYF) in 2003 as a non-profit organization, you've raised more than $1.2 million to date and funded a variety of worthwhile causes including Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, Save the Music and Operation Smile, how often do you guys actually link up and talk about which causes to fund?

Mike: We usually talk about which causes to fund when we're on the road touring. It's pretty open, everyone makes suggestions and if someone hears about an organization that could possibly benefit from MYF then we check it out. We don't really have a set schedule for talking about these things.

GGN: I've looked at the website www.makeyourselffoundation.org and there's quite an eclectic mix of projects MYF funds including a $100,000 donation to Red Cross to benefit victims of the 2004 Tsunami in Asia. Do you tend to gravitate towards funding more local causes or global ones?

Mike: It's actually split, we don't lean to one side or the other - we came to realize and understand that MYF could make an impact funding causes both locally and globally and it seems to have worked out with the Foundation raising something like $1.5 Million to-date. 

GGN: I noticed there is a link on the MYF website (www.makeyourselffoundation.org/page/donate-1) for people to donate directly. Where do most of the funds actually come from, ticket sales?

Mike: Most of it comes from our tours but we also raise money from auctions of Incubus concert tickets, memorabilia, royalties as well as the donation link online.

GGN: Very cool. As you may know there is a lot of 'green-washing' out there, a lot of big talk getting thrown around from small-businesses and mega-corporations that like to make claims about their environmental efforts. How are you able to verify that your greening efforts are really making a positive impact?

Mike: There is actually a director for the MYF who oversees the whole project. They look into the causes and do research into them to determine the validity and to make sure that the funds go to the people that would benefit from them the most.

GGN: It's no secret that you've been enrolled for the past year as a student at Harvard. That sounds fabulous, but how can you even handle that kind of load with a touring schedule and what courses are you taking?

Mike: I just realized that I wanted to do this. It's something I had always wanted to do so I went to the other guys and they were completely cool with it. We've been traveling and working for so long that it was time, plus some of the other guys have other projects and things they want to pursue too. As for the courses - I'm enrolled in a music composition course as well as biological evolution.

GGN: The professors probably know of you and your involvement with the band, or are at least aware you're in their courses, do you feel like you have been given any special treatment or allowed some slack?

Mike: [laughs] Not at all. I think they actually make things harder knowing my background, but it's great. The courses are interesting and I've had the opportunity to make some great friends too.

GGN: With all this time between touring for the new album and being a student at an Ivy League university do you still find time for yourself to just relax?

Mike: Yea, I've started to really get into golf recently. Kilmore [Chris Kilmore is the turntablist and keyboardist for the band] and I try to get out on a course whenever we can.

GGN: Well, good luck with your swing and your studies as well as the foundation and please let us know if the GGN community can help out at all.

- Exclusive interview by Casey Cochran / GGN , San Francisco, August 29, 2009

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