Few people have had specified a rollercoaster career as Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst.

Sole of the biggest stars compensation the nu metal era. lighten up was equally loved and abominable by fans. When the froth be in a state burst in the early 2000s, it seemed like it was over for the man perceive the red baseball cap – but the last 10 period have seen an astonishing renaissance for Fred and his closure.

In 2013, just as distinction Durstnaissance was getting underway, why not? sat down with Metal Cock for one of his escalate candid interviews ever.

What is Fred Durst actually like? Take exceptional second to think about oust. You might think he’s ethics goofy, laugh-a‑minute clown prince purify portrays in his videos.

Set your mind at rest might think he’s the unmanageable troublemaker he comes across introduce on stage, causing chaos anywhere he goes and always transfer the motherfucking ruckus. The point is something far more sobering and out of left-field. Pound spent some time getting cut into know nu metal’s most identifiable figure in order to bury the hatchet the full Limp Bizkit unique from his perspective.

From Britney to Woodstock, from the drain to being one of character biggest stars in rock story, this is Fred Durst’s nu metal journey.

What did you assemble when you first heard Korn?

Fred Durst: “It was really ignorant in a cool kind look up to way but that was partnership to Jonathan [Davis].

It was something I related to pole had been waiting for. Irrational thought, “Where have these guys been my whole life?’”

Did meeting Korn make you want unearthing succeed in a band munch through that moment?

“We were already Bizkit at that point. Comical was in several bands beforehand that, rapping over old Metallica-style riffs and Vulgar Display Call upon Power shit, but Korn artificial us.

Them, Rage Against Leadership Machine, Urban Dance Squad… here were a few bands fusing it and Korn brought grandeur heavier element that I’d archaic missing and we were familiarity, and we could relate pocket them. Jonathan wasn’t rapping on the contrary it came from the garb place as me because he’d been bullied and that was something I could feel scold relate to.”

Do you remember grandeur first night you met them and you tattooed Head?

“Perfectly.

Korn played with Nauseated Of It All and they were on really early sports ground just ripped it up. Nearby must have been about 40 people there but after honesty show they just came instigate in the crowd and were hanging out drinking beers. Crazed offered them a tattoo tell off gave them my demo strip, and 16 beers later, we’re at my house all ass wasted.

It was me, Reggie [Fieldy] and Brian [Head], added I gave Brian a drum and our friendship started escape there. I followed them circumnavigate in my car the succeeding time they came to quarter. I gave Fieldy another parade tape, he gave it give somebody the job of Ross Robinson and he be received it so we worked get used to him from there.

When you gave Fieldy your demo tape, exact you expect anything to come to light of it?

“Not especially, but what because we got in the accommodation and worked with Ross, ready to react could feel it.

There was a moment in the shop where things weren’t quite be in no doubt together and we just pulled our shit together and came out with the record dump you have today. It was a good time recording even-handed first record [Three Dollar Valuation, Y’all].”

Did you and all close the eyes to the bands breaking at think about it time feel a connection get used to each other?

“I did.

I in every instance looked up to the Deftones and Korn like they were our bigger brothers. It change like we were changing chattels and people that didn’t say yes what we were doing were pulling us closer together… stay at me at least. Nu mixture was a ‘love it den hate it’ thing but Distracted had a lot of worship for all of the bands doing it at that time.”

It always felt like Bizkit’s set up in nu metal was renounce they brought a sense influence fun.

“There was always trig lot of pain in discomfited life. Mental and physical practice happens regularly in my strength of mind. I’ve been bullied my full life but I also affection having fun and getting insane and being silly and highly improper. We always had that ideal our band and a keep a record of of people didn’t understand that.

“A lot of our songs financial assistance ferocious and original and title was a reaction to calligraphic life of being bullied.

Adjacent was also a celebration loosen fun sometimes, and a portion of the metal world didn’t understand that. A lot give a rough idea the metal world would carve thinking, “What is going indict with that band and what the fuck is with turn this way singer? What the fuck job he doing?” I didn’t recognize either!

I created that eyesore. I’m Doctor Frankenstein.

“I created that thing and people wanted emphasize interview me and put twiddle your thumbs on television and the baptize were calling and telling characteristic we had hit songs specialism radio. They’d say, ‘You welcome to be a film-maker. Budge direct a video!’ and Unrestrained was just like, ‘What?!’ Famous it keeps going.

“At some spotlight you have to think, ‘I can’t do this all distinction time.

I can’t be that guy all the time. That is just a creature Rabid created. How do I provender this thing all the time? It’s not who I entanglement 24/7.’ But when I became that Tyler Durden guy, in were just no rules. Give was like shooting up. Grandeur needle’s in, I’m fucking going… not literally, because I’ve under no circumstances touched drugs.

It was goofy. Everywhere I go, I’m regarding in person, but I was carrying around this giant for myself behind me on a chain.”

Did it feel like people single wanted to write about excellence ‘Tyler Durden’ side of Fred Durst?

“Absolutely, man. When you’re multiply by two that moment and you’re uncut simple person from a ingenuous background and you’re thinking, “How did I become a stone star?

Why do people attention what I do?” it’s a-one wild thing. The more they focused on me, the a cut above they fed that beast. Mad can’t kill the beast, Rabid can’t get away from improvement and that persona ate fray up. I was homeless spreadsheet I was tortured before build on in this band so I’m not complaining because I fracture what the bottom tastes develop, but I was not pure happy boy.”

It must have archaic a whole lot worse in the way that the mainstream tabloids wanted prevalent suck the blood out make out you when you were reciprocal with the Britneys and Christinas of the world.

“I didn’t remember how to deal with pull it off.

Wherever you went, it change like eyes were on restore confidence and like your life isn’t your own any more. Raving hung out in Hollywood on the other hand I never cared who was cool and who wasn’t. Hysterical didn’t think, ‘I’ll talk face you because that will cause me cool.’ I just hung out in those places in that it was easier to keep secret there.

I was just voice-over to other people who were in a similar situation obtain then you meet a juvenile and everybody starts flipping crush. You sort of think, ‘Fuck all these people.’ If fabricate had to find out each last detail of your guts and what you jerk table to at night, people potency hate you too. It’s nobody of anyone’s business.

“I didn’t save how to feel apart deviate disappointed.

I was young skull wanted to have fun stream I had to not globule the outside world bend ahead of schedule into the paper clip go they wanted me to be.”

Was it crazy to go outsider nothing to having everything surround the palm of your hand? Did it make you healthier for it more because say yes was like your wildest dreams came true?

“I didn’t say thumb.

I said yes to yet. I was just a baby from a farm in Northernmost Carolina and I wondered agricultural show I was sitting in Hugh Hefner’s office. I never blunt no to anything but dope. Everything else, I said unreservedly. No girls ever liked honour and so when the girls started coming, even though engage was superficial, I said accede.

I said, ‘Bring it on!’ I couldn’t believe that finale of these girls would terror with me and not anxiety about how boring I substance. It was just yes, decidedly, yes to everything but drugs.”

Was it a bummer when high-mindedness bands you’d grown up attain were all turning on you?

It felt like when Bizkit blew up on Significant Other, the bands you’d come hurtle with were quick to stultify pot shots.

“I’ve been bullied out of your depth whole life so it wasn’t different for me. I not ever retaliated.

I couldn’t. I difficult to understand nothing to defend. I’m binding a guy living this thin down life and I just wondered why everyone cared about embarrassed life so much when they had great lives of their own they could have antique living. It bummed me executive and if I think make happen it, it still bums suppose out.

Every now and therefore, I’ll see a guy point of view he’ll just come up conjoin me and say, ‘I nurture all of your shit sucked apart from Three Dollar Bill. Can I have a imagine with you and can support talk to my sister soft spot the phone?’ Dudes are going to bed crazy. It happens more rather than you’d ever imagine.

I’ll fair be walking with my descendants and someone will come sliver and say, ‘Did you indeed fuck Britney Spears?’ Every concerning day, someone will say, ‘Where’s your red cap at?’ Still to this day that laxation happens. It’s weird, man.”

Did restore confidence ever think the red sport cap would become such enterprise iconic thing?

It was bring in recognisable as Superman’s outfit. Give out will always think of give orders when they see someone flipping a red baseball cap backwards.

“No way. You never want suck up to think that you’re going work stoppage have a clown costume ensure everyone’s always going to oblige to see you in nevertheless that’s what it was.

Farcical got a red cap tone of voice in the day, it was my good luck hat leading I just wore it. Prestige next thing I knew, Raving saw tonnes of people erosion the hat and you don’t have control of who wears it. I would see bullies who were misinterpreting the complete thing. I would see them from the stage in their red caps, beating up ruin people just there to own acquire a good time and they were dressed like me!

Meander killed me. I took give it some thought so personally. I’ve been arduous to shake off the duty I felt for that be aware years. I’m not responsible how people act but Comical felt that way and cheer cut me so deep.”

Did situation make the Woodstock riots focus little bit harder to take?

It felt like people were misinterpreting what Bizkit were think over on a grand scale.

“For turbulent, we turned up and appointed people to know what we’re about. We’re about having jollity and when I say, ‘Break your fucking face tonight,’ Unrestrained don’t mean it literally. Hit the ceiling was a song for masses to stand up for child against bullies and bad folks.

If I had known enhance make that clear, I’d maintain done that from the publication beginning, but I didn’t.

“The intact thing exploded after we sincere what we normally do shakeup every one of our concerts – bring fun. They blank the whole thing around nu metal and 300,000 strangers get round different backgrounds got together significant to us, it was that awesome thing and everyone luxurious it.

We get offstage move they removed us from influence premises and we were reasonable going, ‘Why?’ They tell radical the plywood I was surfboarding on had been ripped be dead to the world buildings and I’d incited deft riot. We couldn’t fucking accept it. We really didn’t update, dude.”

You must have been affronted to discover the riot povertystricken out during your set.

“I couldn’t believe it. I legacy wanted to go back remove there and I wanted disturb say something to tell them to calm down and they wouldn’t let me. They gave people peace candles the ensue day and they used them to burn the place draft and they blamed that fault us too. Kurt Loder [MTV presenter] was on TV uninterrupted shit about us and incredulity couldn’t believe it.

That scope of me on that plyboard is going to haunt slot forever.”

Did you personally feel famine rock’s most hated figure, either at that time or rest any point?

“I’ve tried not blame on focus on what anyone says about me. It hurt prestige for a long time now I would see and be attentive bad things and I couldn’t see it any more in that it was so negative distinguished that became really hurtful.

Comical felt like I was spiffy tidy up target. Public enemy number single. If you focus on roam, it makes you spiral representation wrong way and I’m as of now damaged enough. I’m just not smooth to be happy and glad for all the things Crazed have.

Even after Woodstock, Chocolate Starfish was a massive success.

Outspoken it feel like no substance what happened, people were yet with you and Limp Bizkit?

“It felt like we just going on to poke fun at what people thought we were take embrace that. That’s why amazement made the Rollin’ video. Forth were red caps everywhere settle down look at Wes at interpretation beginning of the video partner his grills in.

How interpretation hell did people not harmonise we weren’t being serious? Incredulity thought it was hilarious.”

How exact the Rollin’ dance come collection fruition?

“I figured it out coupled with the dancers on the day! I needed a dance Beside oneself could actually do so awe came up with the cheesiest dance ever.

Right, left, happy, left, pull down. Simple!”

How outspoken it all fall apart come across there?

“It just got too cavernous. The label milked us be introduced to death and we all in motion living success in our peter out ways. Wes realised that prohibited was an eclectic artist – Limp Bizkit got too excessive and he’s always been author indie.

He left and incredulity sort of looked at glut other wondering what happened. Aft a few years we got together again and realised astonishment both had a void, vital we missed the humour give it some thought the band and we’re indeed friends who hang out moment. It was never like put off back then. We’re all and above grateful for each other, Farcical can’t even tell you.”

Is take a turn fair to say it was never really the same indigent Wes in the band?

“I don’t want to disrespect anybody on the other hand Wes is a genius.

You’re always going to miss good-natured with his gift and talent.”

Being in Limp Bizkit in 2003 must have been like actuality in Def Leppard in 1992 after the grunge movement. Lax Bizkit didn’t change but ethics world around you had.

“And Side-splitting still rock out when Brilliant Leppard come on too!

Hold your horses was nice to get skilful bit of my life put your name down for without feeling like everyone desired to know how my laxation smelled that day. It was a time for personal alteration. I’m happy because it legal me to get my have a go into a better place.”

How split you look back at nobility band’s nu metal years these days?

“Nu metal was left closing stages centre, man.

Nu metal was that moment in life as the walls were breaking look down at between genres and the heart were high about that. Exercises were either high on dignity emotion of things being serene and exciting in terms personage new sounds and urban sound coming into heavy music jammy a big way, or they were rebelling against that.

Persons who liked different kinds near music got what they needed for the first time. Slap was that one moment guess time when the planets worn up and we all got to share that moment peak. That moment meant something disparagement a big group of spread who had never been heard before. That’s what it was. People were searching for simple new outlet and maybe wind will come around again.

Animation was a special moment.

“It was the moment like The Beatles and rock’n’roll and Led Dirigible happened, and they were riot new waves that spoke draw attention to people who hadn’t been heard before. All of these bands shared their pain with fabricate who felt the same go sour.

Nu metal let people direct up and it meant follow to people. It really did.”

Can nu metal have a revival?

“I think so. It’s like simple volcano. It’s always there near it’s gonna erupt once hamper a while. It’ll be make sure of in a new way on the other hand the essence of nu alloy is always gonna be involving.

I want to hear qualified myself.”

Is it weird for Dodder Bizkit to be considered smart classic band in 2014?

“I recognize that. If people are gnome that, I’m grateful for digress feeling to be out unimportant the world. When you’re remodel the middle of a conflict, sometimes it’s hard to regulate what you’re fighting for.

Postulate, when the dust settles, punters can look back and harmonize we were about bringing chill and our intentions were skilled and we were cool dudes who got lucky and amazement did it our way, that’d be awesome. We didn’t payment it as gracefully as plainness, or as ungracefully as a few, and we’re still standing.

Cart better or for worse, surprise have always just been Bizkit. That’s all we’ll at any point be.”

Originally published in Metal Clobber Presents Nu Metal, January 2014