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Fred Durst

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Fred Durst
Durst at the premiere of Baby Mama at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.
Durst at the premiere of Baby Mama at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival.
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Frederick Durst
OriginJacksonville, Florida, United States
GenresHip-hop, rapcore,nu-metal, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Musician, film director
InstrumentVocals
Years active1994–2006; 2009–present

Fred Durst (born August 20, 1970) is an American musician and film director from Jacksonville, Florida. Durst grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina and played in a number of local bands in Florida while mowing lawns and working as a tattoo artist for financial support. Durst is best known as the vocalist of the multi-platinum rock band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has released six studio albums. He is currently, and always will be, a dry guy.

Since 2006, Durst has also become known for his work in independent films. He costarred in the film Population 436, and made his directorial debut in 2007 with the film The Education of Charlie Banks. Durst directed a second film, The Longshots in 2008, and will direct another film, Pawn Shop Chronicles, which is currently in production.

Biography

Early life

Fred Durst was born and grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina, where he took an interest in breakdancing, hip hop, punk rock and heavy metal music. He began to rap, skate, beatbox and deejay. Durst's musical interests resulted in him being subjected to racism when he was younger. According to Durst, "Until the Beastie Boys came out, I was called 'nigger lover'."[1] After high school, he joined the U.S. Navy to impress his girlfriend and his father, but after he found that recruit training (boot camp) was too strenuous for him, he was chaptered out. Durst later stated "Being in the navy was like being in prison. I made the biggest mistake of my life". Straight after serving in the United States Navy, Durst returned to Jacksonville, Florida, where he mowed lawns and worked as a tattoo artist for money, and began developing an idea for a band that combined elements of rock and hip hop.[1][2]

Durst played with three other bands, Split 26, Malachi Sage, which were unsuccessful, and 10 Foot Shindig, which Durst left to form a new band.[3]

Formation of Limp Bizkit (1994–1998)

See also: Limp Bizkit and Limp Bizkit discography
Wes Borland and Fred Durst performing with Limp Bizkit at the Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile on July 21, 2011.

In 1994, Durst, Malachi Sage bassist Sam Rivers and Rivers' cousin John Otto, jammed and wrote three songs together, and Wes Borland later joined their band as a guitarist.[3] Durst named the band Limp Bizkit, because he wanted a name that would repel listeners.[3] Limp Bizkit developed a cult following in the underground music scene, attracting crowds by word of mouth and covering George Michael's "Faith" and Paula Abdul's "Straight Up".[3]

Later, when Korn performed in town as the opening act for Sick of It All, Durst invited Korn to drink beer and tattoo the band members. Although Durst's tattoos were unimpressive, he was able to persuade Reginald Arvizu to listen to a demo by Limp Bizkit, consisting of the songs "Pollution", "Counterfeit" and "Stuck". Korn added a then-unsigned Limp Bizkit to two tours, which gave the band a new audience.[3][4] DJ Lethal, formerly of the hip hop group House of Pain, joined the band as a turntablist; Durst's disagreements with Borland led the guitarist to quit and rejoin the band.[3]

In 1997, Limp Bizkit signed with Flip, a subsidiary of Interscope Records, and released their debut album, Three Dollar Bill, Yall$ to minimal response. However, despite the lukewarm response to his band's album, Durst was appointed Senior Vice President of A&R at Interscope.[5] On October 23, 1997, Durst met the band Staind, and reacted negatively to their album's cover, attempting to get them thrown off the bill due to its offensiveness.[5] However, Durst later praised the band's performance, telling them that they were "the best band he had seen in two years."[5] Subsequently, Durst drove to Florida and recorded a demo with the band, helping coach vocalist Aaron Lewis.[5] Durst also introduced producer Ross Robinson to the band Cold.[5]

After Limp Bizkit finished a tour with the band Deftones, Durst and DJ Lethal were asked by Max Cavalera, formerly of the band Sepultura, to appear on "Bleed", a song from the self-titled debut of his new band Soulfly. Cavalera stated that producer Ross Robinson recommended that he work with Durst.[6] Durst also made an appearance on Korn's album Follow the Leader. Jonathan Davis had intended to write a battle rap with B-Real of Cypress Hill, but the latter's label wouldn't let him do it, and Durst was tapped instead.[6] Davis and Durst wrote the lyrics for "All in the Family", which featured the two vocalists trading insults. Davis and Durst would often offer suggestions for each others lyrics; a lyric written by Durst as "tootin' on your bagpipe" was changed to "fagpipes" by Davis, who stated "I helped him bag on me better".[6]

Durst began to take an interest in directing, and directed a music video for Limp Bizkit's single "Faith" in promotion for its appearance in the film Very Bad Things, but was unsatisfied with it, and directed a second video which paid tribute to tourmates like Primus, Deftones and Mötley Crüe, who appeared in the video.[6]

Mainstream success and controversies (1999–2005)

Limp Bizkit achieved mainstream success with the albums Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000). In the summer of 1999, Limp Bizkit played at the highly anticipated Woodstock '99 show in front of approximately 200,000 people. Violent action sprang up during and after their performance, including fans tearing plywood from the walls during a performance of the song "Break Stuff". Several sexual assaults, that included but were not limited to rapes, were reported in the aftermath of the concert.[5][7][4] Durst stated during the concert, "People are getting hurt. Don't let anybody get hurt. But I don't think you should mellow out. That's what Alanis Morissette had you motherfuckers do. If someone falls, pick 'em up. We already let the negative energy out. Now we wanna let out the positive energy".[5] Durst later stated in an interview, "I didn't see anybody getting hurt. You don't see that. When you're looking out on a sea of people and the stage is twenty feet in the air and you're performing, and you're feeling your music, how do they expect us to see something bad going on?"[5] Les Claypool told the San Francisco Examiner, "Woodstock was just Durst being Durst. His attitude is 'no press is bad press', so he brings it on himself. He wallows in it. Still, he's a great guy."[5]

In June 2000, Limp Bizkit performed at the WXRK Dysfunctional Family Picnic, but showed up an hour late for their set.[8] An Interscope spokesman stated that there was confusion over the band's set time.[8] During the band's performance, Durst criticized Creed singer Scott Stapp, calling him "an egomaniac".[8] Creed's representatives later presented Durst with an autographed anger management manual during a later appearance on Total Request Live.[8] In the summer, Limp Bizkit's tour was sponsored by the controversial file sharing service Napster. Durst was an outspoken advocate of file sharing.[4]

During the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, Durst performed Limp Bizkit's song "Livin' It Up", as a duet with Christina Aguilera. In response to the performance, Filter frontman Richard Patrick called Durst a "pop-lovin' piece of frozen dog shit" and claimed that "Fred getting onstage with Christina Aguilera embarrassed us all."[9] In response to the negative reactions to the performance, Durst remarked, "I already told you guys before, I did it all for the nookie, man."[9] Aguilera, in response to Durst's remark, commented, "He got no nookie."[10]

During a 2001 tour of Australia at the Big Day Out festival in Sydney, fans rushed the stage in the mosh pit, and teenager Jessica Michalik died of asphyxiation. In court, Durst testified he had warned the concert's organizers Aaron Jackson, Will Pearce and Amar Tailor and promoter Vivian Lees of the potential dangers of such minimal security.[11] After viewing videotapes and hearing witness testimony, however, the coroner said it was evident that the density of the crowd was dangerous at the time Limp Bizkit took the stage, and that a cage was put up around the band.[12] Durst stated that he was "emotionally scarred" because of the teenager's death.[13]

In 2002, Durst was tapped to write songs for Britney Spears, and later said that he was in a relationship with her. However, Spears denied Durst's claims.[14] In a 2009 interview, he explained that "I just guess at the time it was taboo for a guy like me to be associated with a gal like her."[14] In February 2005, a sex tape featuring Durst was released on the Internet. Durst filed a $70 million lawsuit against ten websites that posted the video.[15][16]

In March, Limp Bizkit participated on the Summer Sanitarium Tour, headlined by Metallica.[17] At the tour's stop in Chicago, IL, attendees of the concert threw items and heckled Durst from the moment he walked on stage. With the crowd chanting "Fuck Fred Durst" and continuing their assault on him, Durst threw the mic down after six songs and walked off stage, but not before heckling the crowd back.[18] An article in the Sun-Times stated that the hostility was started by radio personality Mancow.[19]

In May 2005, The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1) was released. Sammy Siegler took over drumming duties for the band for much of the album. At Durst's insistence, the album was released as an underground album, without any advertising or promotion.[20][21] The album sold over 1,000,000 copies worldwide, peaking at #24 on the Billboard 200.[22][23] Durst later announced that despite the album's title, no sequel to The Unquestionable Truth would be produced.[24] Later in the year, the band released a Greatest Hitz album.[25]

Film career (2006 onward)

While Limp Bizkit was on hiatus, Durst began working in independent films, earning higher acclaim for his film work than his music.[26] In 2006, Durst costarred in the film Population 436. His directorial debut, The Education of Charlie Banks was released the following year. The film, which starred Jesse Eisenberg, Chris Marquette and Jason Ritter, received mixed reviews; Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggravate, assigned the film a "Tomatometer" score of 46%. The website's consensus stated, "Unevenness and earnestness mire this otherwise sweet, surprising coming of age drama."[27] A second directorial effort, The Longshots, starring Ice Cube and Keke Palmer, was released in 2008. Rotten Tomatoes assigned the film a score of 39%, with the consensus indicating that the film was "a largely formulaic affair, rarely deviating from the inspirational sports movie playbook."[28] The same year, Durst appeared as a bartender in the House, M.D. episodes "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart".[29] Durst will direct and produce Pawn Shop Chronicles, starring Paul Walker.[30] Coproducer Jordan Schur described the film as "a hillbilly Pulp Fiction".[30]

Limp Bizkit reunion (2009 onward)

In 2009, the original lineup of Limp Bizkit reunited and began touring. Durst announced that they had begun to record a new album, which would be titled Gold Cobra.[31] The album was released on June 28, 2011, receiving mixed reviews.[32] It peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200.[23] Durst has a nine year old son named Dallas from another relationship.[33] In 2009, Durst married Esther Nazarov and split after three months.[34] Durst currently lives in Los Angeles, California.[35]

Filmography

Year Title
2007 The Education of Charlie Banks
2008 The Longshots
TBA Pawn Shop Chronicles

References

  1. ^ a b Devenish, Colin (2000). Limp Bizkit. St. Martin's. pp. 1–20. ISBN 031226349X.
  2. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Fred Durst Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Devenish, Colin (2000). Limp Bizkit. St. Martin's. pp. 21–51. ISBN 031226349X.
  4. ^ a b c Bush, John (2006). "Limp Bizkit – Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Devenish, Colin (2000). Limp Bizkit. St. Martin's. pp. 127–153. ISBN 031226349X.
  6. ^ a b c d Devenish, Colin (2000). Limp Bizkit. St. Martin's. pp. 51–78. ISBN 031226349X.
  7. ^ "Police Investigate Reports of Rapes at Woodstock". Washingtonpost.com. July 29, 1999. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d Manning, Kara (June 26, 2000). "Limp, Creed Trade Barbs At KROCK Show". MTV News. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  9. ^ a b "Limp's Durst Explains Aguilera Duet". MTV News. October 3 2000. Retrieved 17 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Aguilera Responds To Durst's "Nookie" Comment". MTV News. October 10, 2000. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  11. ^ "Limp Bizkit 'devastated' by fan death". BBC News. February 1, 2001. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
  12. ^ D'Angelo, Joe (November 8, 2002). "Organizers Blamed In Limp Bizkit Mosh-Pit Death". MTV News. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  13. ^ "Limp Bizkit singer tells of emotional scars from Big Day Out tragedy". The Age. Melbourne. June 18, 2002.
  14. ^ a b Jacks, Brian (2009-03-19). "Fred Durst Looks Back At His Relationship With Britney Spears". MTV. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  15. ^ Moss, Corey (2005-02-25). "Fred Durst Says Sex Video Stolen From His PC". MTV. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  16. ^ "Limp Bizkit rocker sues over Web sex tape". USA Today. Associated Press. 2005-03-09. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  17. ^ Montgomery, James (March 2, 2005). "Mudvayne Lose The Makeup, Find Inspiration In Isolation". MTV News. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  18. ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 28, 2003). "Limp Bizkit Walk Offstage After Chicago Crowd Gets Hostile – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  19. ^ Susman, Gary (July 29, 2003). "Throw Stuff". EW.com. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  20. ^ Harris, Chris (November 18, 2005). "Music Ruined Wes Borland's Life, So He's Formed A New Band". MTV News. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  21. ^ Harris, Chris (March 17, 2006). "Bye Bye Bizkit? Wes Borland Says Limp Are Pretty Much Done". MTV News. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  22. ^ Moss, Corey. "Limp Bizkit: What Happened?". MTV News. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Limp Bizkit - Charts & Awars". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  24. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Gold Cobra - Limp Bizkit". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  25. ^ Moss, Corey (November 3, 2005). "Fred Durst Says Limp Bizkit Are About To Bring On The Gravy – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  26. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Gold Cobra - Limp Bizkit". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  27. ^ "The Education of Charlie Banks Tomatometer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  28. ^ "The Longshots Tomatometer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  29. ^ Romero, Michelle (2008-05-13). "'House': Head Case". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-10-17. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ a b Kit, Borys (February 12, 2011). "Paul Walker to Star in Fred Durst's 'Pawn Shop Chronicles'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  31. ^ Simon (November 30, 2009). "World exclusive! Limp Bizkit name new album". Kerrang.com. Bauer Performance. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
  32. ^ "Gold Cobra at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  33. ^ "Limp Bizkit'S Fred Durst Gets Married". Blabbermouth.Net.
  34. ^ "Fred Durst confirms split with wife of three months, Esther Nazarov, on Twitter". Daily News. New York.
  35. ^ "House in Los Angeles' Bel-Air area that rocker Fred Durst once owned comes back on the market for $6.45 million".
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