Mike Einziger
A guitarist who fused rock with electronic pop, co-writing a global dance anthem while shaping Incubus's genre-defying sound.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American musician·Birthday: June 21·Generation X
Biography
Mike Einziger emerged from Calabasas, California, not just as a rock guitarist, but as a sonic polymath. As the co-founder and lead guitarist of Incubus, his playing—alternately textured, funky, and heavy—provided the backbone for the band's rise from funk-metal curiosities to multi-platinum alt-rock staples in the 2000s. His curiosity, however, refused to be confined to the stage. A self-taught composer with a passion for theory, Einziger began weaving orchestral arrangements into Incubus's later work, a path that led him to prestigious collaborations. He studied at Harvard, scored films, and formed a surprising creative partnership with electronic producer Avicii, co-writing the melody for the 2013 global megahit 'Wake Me Up.' This move cemented his reputation as a bridge-builder between the worlds of guitar-driven rock and mainstream electronic music, all while maintaining his role as Incubus's inventive six-string heart.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mike was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and served as lead guitarist for Incubus, a band that has sold over 23 million albums worldwide.
- Co-wrote the melody for Avicii and Aloe Blacc's global chart-topper 'Wake Me Up,' which dominated airwaves in 2013.
- Collaborated on music with film composer Hans Zimmer, contributing to scores like 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2.'
- Co-founded the wearable technology company, the wireless.
- Composed the string arrangements for Incubus's critically acclaimed album 'A Crow Left of the Murder.'
Did You Know?
He attended Harvard University, taking extension courses in music and physics while Incubus was on hiatus.
He is a classically trained violinist, having started playing at age seven.
He composed a piece for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra that was performed at the Sydney Opera House in 2011.
He has a condition called synesthesia, which causes him to perceive musical notes as having specific colors.
“I've always been interested in the science of sound and the physics of music. It's all connected.”
