- Music
- 20 Jun 01
LIMP BIZKIT are a rock'n'roll phenomenon. Notching up in excess of 20 million album sales over the past two years, they're in the vanguard of the nu-metal movement that has seen guitar rock reclaiming its place at the top of the singles charts. In Madrid to catch the band live, PHIL UDELL first hears passionate words from the frontman, FRED DURST. But, amid a welter of controversy, the raging music is put on hold as Limp Bizkit's show in the Spanish capital is cancelled – an ominous foreshadowing of the events that will see their UK, German and Irish dates also sensationally cancelled
The man behind the Madrid airline desk takes a drag on his cigarette and a withering look at the traveller currently resting his head on the counter. In response to the not unreasonable question “where is my suitcase?”, he blows out a lungful of smoke, makes a few half-hearted stabs at his computer and gives a shrug in the international language of ‘not giving a toss’. Our 24 hours in search of Limp Bizkit has not started well…
hotpress has made the two and a half hour journey to Spain to coincide with the visit of perhaps the most talked about, controversial, derided, adored and just plain biggest rock band in the world right now.
Formed in Jacksonville, Florida in the mid-nineties, Limp Bizkit have been a platinum concern in their native country since the off, helped in no small way by their ‘Three Dollar Bill, Y’all$’ lead single, a full-on metal mashing of George Michael’s ‘Faith’. 1999’s Significant Other followed suit, debuting on the Billboard chart at number one and shifting over six million copies.