IF BRANDON Boyd were not a rock singer, he would be a painter.

So says the lead singer of the five-member alternative rock band Incubus in a recent phone interview from Venice Beach, California. The band, famous for their high energy live shows, will be playing here at Fort Canning Park on March 7.

The band, which produced hit singles like Drive, Megalomaniac and Anna Molly, have reached multi-platinum status with albums such as Make Yourself (1999) and A Crow Left Of The Murder (2004).

Boyd, 32, says he would love to visit 1930s Paris: 'It was very alive and there was a lot of influential art coming out of there. Paris itself is such a wonderful place and particularly during that time, it just seems very fascinating.'

For the Californian-born singer, the other arts feed his own career as singer-songwriter. He reads voraciously, naming American writer Tom Robbins and Henry Miller among his favourites, and dabbles in painting and writing.

His creative bent came from family influences. His father Charles was an actor and model in the 1970s and his grandfather plays the guitar. His brother Jason sang for now-defunct rock band Audiovent.

Hence, he knew from an early age that he wanted to pursue something creative for a career: 'I didn't know I was going to be in a rock band but I knew that it was going to be something creative, whether it was painting, animation, writing or music.'

He wears his interests proudly, and literally, in the form of extravagant tattoos all over his body.

His love of art is accompanied by strong social and political awareness as well. The band's 2004 album, A Crow Left Of The Murder, was noted for its political nuances and references to war with lyrics such as 'Hey megalomaniac/ You're no Jesus' in Megalomaniac and 'It fell like a tear from my eye/ Flying machines so up high/ Well, there goes the neighborhood' in Made For TV Movie.

He says: 'All our records have a level of social and political commentary as well as songs about love and loss and emotional and spiritual discovery.'

Boyd and his band, together for 16 years now, put their money where their beliefs are. They set up a non-profit organisation, the Make Yourself Foundation, in 2003 that funds causes and charities around the world. The band funds it with part of the proceeds from touring, royalties and special events. In 2004, it donated US$100,000 to the Red Cross for the Asian tsunami victims.

On what to expect from their upcoming concert here, Boyd hopes people will go with an open mind and open heart.

'Music is a wonderful, highly evolved form of communication and it is an amazing opportunity to be able to make music for people all around,' he says.

Incubus may be the star attraction but LAMC Productions, which is organising the gig, has just confirmed that upcoming emo-rock band Saosin from Southern California will be the opening act.

Incubus is playing at Fort Canning Park on March 7 at 8pm. Tickets priced at $125 from Sistic outlets (Tel: 6348-5555).