LIMP BIZKIT

biography


One of the most energetic groups in the fusion
 of metal, punk, and hip-hop sometimes known as rapcore, Limp Bizkit
 was formed in Florida in 1994 by vocalist Fred Durst and his friend Sam Rivers on bass. Rivers' cousin John Otto soon joined on drums, and guitarist Wes Borland completed the original foursome (later supplemented by DJ Lethal). After Korn played the Jacksonville area in 1995, bassist Fieldy got several tattoos from Durst (a tattoo artist) and the two became friends. The next time Korn were in the area, they picked up Limp Bizkit's demo tape and were so impressed that they passed it on to their producer, Ross Robinson. Thanks mostly to word-of-mouth publicity, the band was chosen to tour with House of Pain and the Deftones. The label contracts came pouring in, and after signing with Flip/Interscope, Limp Bizkit released their debut album, Three Dollar Bill Y'All. By mid-1998, Limp Bizkit had become one of the more hyped bands in underground rapcore, helped as well by more touring action -- this time with Faith No More and later, Primus -- as well as an appearance on MTV's Spring Break '98 fashion show. The biggest break, however, was a spot on that summer's Family Values Tour, which greatly raised the group's profile.

Limp Bizkit's much-anticipated second album, Significant Other, was released in June 1999, and it and the accompanying video for "Nookie" made the group superstars. Significant Other debuted at number one and had sold over four million copies by year's end, also helping push Three Dollar Bill Y'All past the platinum mark. Durst, meanwhile, was tapped for a position as a senior vice president at Interscope Records in early July. However, in the midst of this massive success, controversy dogged the band following that summer's performance at Woodstock '99. In the wake of the riots and sexual assaults that proved to be the festival's unfortunate legacy, Durst was heavily criticized for egging on the already rowdy crowd and inciting them to "break stuff." Not only was at least one mosh-pit rape reported during the group's set (in addition to numerous other injuries), but the ensuing chaos forced festival organizers to pull the plug in the middle of their show. Even though Limp Bizkit's performance took place the day before the infamous festival-closing riots, the band was raked over the coals in the media, who blamed them for touching off the spark that inflamed a potentially volatile atmosphere. Undaunted, Limp Bizkit headlined that year's Family Values Tour, with the newly controversial Durst grabbing headlines for periodic clashes with Bizkit's tourmates. During the Napster flap of 2000, Durst became one of the most outspoken advocates of online music trading; that summer, Limp Bizkit embarked on a free, Napster-sponsored tour. All of this set the stage for the October release of the band's third album, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

interviews

Whether you choose to call it "hip-rock" (because of its hard edge) or "hip-pop" (because of the millions of albums sold), the fusion of hip-hop and metal has become one of the most sought-after sounds of today, and has given both genres new definitions. But while many bands have ridden the wave generated by the rap-metal explosion, none have ridden to such heights of success quite like the movement's reigning poster boy, Fred Durst, and his rowdy band of brothers, Limp Bizkit.

Durst's Jacksonville, Florida-based wrecking crew has been hard at work since '94, but it wasn't until Bizkit's 1997 debut, Three Dollar Bill, Y'all, that the furious five began to really bring the noise. Since then, they've enjoyed their fair share of road rage on hot tickets like the Ozzfest and Warped tours, not to mention their Family Values touring fest. Their most recent release, New Old Songs, blurs the rock/rap genre boundaries even further, as it's a collection of remixes of tracks from their three hit albums (Three Dollar Bill, Y'all, 1999's Significant Other, and 2000's Chocolate Starfish And The Hotdog Flavored Water). "It's just a good remix record for a lot of the rock kids who just wanna hear it mixed up a little bit," Durst explains. "It's more for the cats who walk both lines, who really love hip-hop, instead of hip-hop-heads who don't walk both lines and will like it just because it's Timbaland and Premier."

In addition to the production duties provided by Timbaland and DJ Premier, New Old Songs also features remixes, production work, and/or performances by the Neptunes, P. Diddy, Limp Bizkit's own DJ Lethal, Garbage's Butch Vig, Everlast, E-40, Eightball, the Dub Pistols, Bubba Sparxxx, Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland, and Madonna collaborator/electronica auteur William Orbit, among others. Durst, a longtime hip-hop junkie, has been writing raps since his early teen years and admits that on this album he selfishly handpicked his favorites in the game to work with on this project. "I love who I love in hip-hop, and I wanna collaborate with them, and it's for me, kinda."

This stopgap remix compilation give Limp fans something to bang until the band's next studio LP is ready, which is a good thing, since the guys need time to find a replacement for original guitarist Wes Borland, who left the group in October 2001. Fred and company are currently conducting open auditions at Guitar Center stores across the country, via their "Put Your Guitar Where Your Mouth Is" search, but the loss of a founding band member isn't the only thing slowing up their creative process: In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks, Durst is very concerned about our country's current state.

"I'm always grateful to be alive every second," confesses the normally loutish frontman, who recently performed on the all-star benefit album What's Going On raise money for both the United Way's September 11th Fund and Artists Against AIDS Worldwide. "I'm really scared of dying, and this just made it more real." Although he's best known for his cocky lyrics, macho persona, and angry lyrics, a surprisingly humbled Durst has experienced somewhat of a change of heart since September 11, he admits. "If you got problems with other people or you got things going on, it's obvious how quick life can be taken away. I'm real happy to be alive. I'm much more willing to accept the next man then I've ever been."