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Fred was born and raised in Gastonia, North Carolina. “I was definately not a good student in school” he confesses, “I was the teachers favorite dude, I passed cuz I was like kissing my teachers ass, and pretty much I never did my homework I don’t even know how I made it..it was like a social event for me it was a place to skateboard and rap and beatbox and break dance pretty much was school was for me.. but I did pass..I did graduate because they couldn’t stand me..but that’s it..I’m a loser..”
He moved to Jacksonville in his late teens and served time in the US Navy.
Fred later married at age 20 and had a daughter name Adriana Durst. When Fred found his wife was cheating on him he filed for divorce, and after he physically abused his ex-wifes new lover spent a month behind bars.
“I was living in San Francisco and I was married and I found out that my wife cheated on me. I got into a fight with the guy and her and I went to jail over it. I just spent a lot of time thinking in jail–it was the first time I had ever been in jail. It was terrible. I just said I gotta go start over again. So I went back to North Carolina to say good-bye to some friends and I worked at a skate-park for a while because I was a sponsored skate-boarder. Then I took my car and moved down to Florida and started all over again. I was working jobs doing art for people and I started tattooing and it was just getting nowhere.”
“I’ve sinned so many ways it’s unbelievable. I’ve robbed stores. I’ve had plenty of sex. I’ve lied terribly. I’ve cheated. I’ve been greedy. I’ve lusted. Everything. I’ve done it all. I need some support and help from above now. I grew up as a rebellious kid who was always locked up in his room. When I got out, I wasn’t bad–I just didn’t know what was right or wrong. My dad was an adoptive dad–we didn’t get along that killer. I have another brother that’s his son. My mom and I were always confronting. It was real easy for me to snap on my mom and for her to snap on me. It was just a weird thing. ”
The Music
“I came to Jacksonville five years ago. I was trying to put together some bands mixing all of the styles I like. I’ve been rapping since 1982, DJ’ing since 1985. I’ve been a punk rocker since 1983.
The band thing was a side thing and I was way serious but nobody was because there was no music scene here. So I just went to see every band I could and found that there was nobody serious but I’d pick one person. Like Sam stuck out of his band–he was serious and go-hard. Wes stuck out of his band and John in his. I said, “hey, I’m really serious. I wanna do this. I wanna mix a lot of things and these are my ideas.” I already had some songs written and we started playing those out and it caught on. Then we all started getting the chemistry and writing together and realized it was real. We gave a friend the demo and he passed it on to Ross , producer and people were vibing on us. I was acting like I was my own manager on the phone. I’d change my voice and I’d change my name and was talking shit to all these record companies. Everybody. Just bull- crap, not knowing a thing about the industry, but they were believing me because I’m a good bull-shitter. Then I really needed management because people were flying out too see us and there was no one here to talk to.”
The Inspiration
Fred favorite music includes Kiss, Blondie, Wu Tang, Suicidal Tendencies, Smashing Pumpkins, and Tool.
Interview Excerpts
If you had to isolate the three records or songs or albums that inspired you, could you name them?
“The only hard-core punk album, I would say, is Suicidal Tendencies’ debut album. I listened to that for so long when I was young. I felt like Mike Muir because I had parents telling me I was crazy for what I did. That song “Institutionalized” is a listened to that for so long when I was young. I felt like Mike Muir because I had parents telling me I was crazy for what I did. That song “Institutionalized” is a classic song. It’s the same thing he said.”
If you had to pick a hip-hop record that defines it all for you?
“Back in the days, I would probably say Erik B. and Rakim, “Follow The Leader.” The way he rhymed and would go into mind trips and move the crowd and just go crazy yet still is so monotone. He had so much power, I went and saw them in concert and I was like, “Oh my gosh, man.” This guy Rakim is insane. He moved me so much, I used to listen to them non-stop.”
Is there one metal album that would be indispensable?
“The new Deftones is amazing, as a matter of fact, and the Korn records. Back in them days I was listening to “Siamese Dream” by the Smashing Pumpkins–that was a big influence on me and so was Tool’s “Undertow.” Tool is one of my favorite bands in the world. Their new record is blowing my mind. They’re not really metal, metal…”
You’re always playing to the girls, signing breasts and carrying on.
“I play up the pimp thing on purpose. Like, when I’m on MTV, these chicks are fanning and massaging me. It’s not like I attracted ‘em off the street. We fucking hired ‘em. I want everybody to be thinking I’m having the time of my life, but I’m single and miserable. I’m lonely. I’m experiencing the best things in my life, with no one there to share them. I’m a hopeless romantic. I’m not the stereotypical rock star. People are having a problem that I’m not fitting my image, and they’re obviously not listening to the lyrics.”
The Future
Fred was recently apointed Senior Vice President of Interscope Records. He has directed two Limp Bizkit videos (Faith, Nookie), one Korn video (Falling Away From Me), has written two screen plays, and hopes to start directing movies.
John Otto
Name: John Otto
Limp Bizkit: Drums
Age: 23
John Otto is the cousin of Sam Rivers and was introduced to Limp Bizkit when Sam and Fred started a new band. John was formerly in a jazz band, after learning jazz style drumming at the age of 17.
Dj Lethal
Name: Leor Dimant
Limp Bizkit: DJ
Age: 27
In 1991, House of Pain exploded upon the hip hop scene with their breakthrough hit “Jump Around,” unleashing their particular brand of strength, guts, and talent. The result was platinum certification, echoed on their debut self titled album House of Pain nationally as well as internationally. Follow up singles, “Boom Sha Lock Lock Boom” and “Who’s The Man” continued their tradition of Irish poetics and American hooliganism. They followed their success with the release of their 1994 gold album Same As It Ever Was, proving that House of Pain was not running on the steam of one pop single, but on the hard won backbone of loyal audience. Their formula was unique: Everlast (Erik Schrody) just let the lyrics come straight out of his angst and muscles, Danny Boy (Danny O’Connor) was continually turning the band on to interesting and dangerous novelties for inspiration, while DJ Lethal (Leor Dimant) provided beats worthy of his namesake.
Leor “DJ Lethal” Dimant, the DJ for House of Pain from 1992 to 1996. His true talent never came out until “(Truth Crushed To Earth Shall) Rise Again". The reason being DJ Muggs was featured on the first two albums. After the second release ("Same As It Ever Was"), House of Pain and Cypress Hill had a falling out so that meant the third (and final) album would be all House of Pain. The beats that DJ Lethal brought to the table were nothing short of amazing. The CD may have sold only about 250,000 copies but DJ Lethal’s greatest work can be heard on this.
After touring with the House of Pain, Limp Bizkit kept in touch with DJ Lethal, and in 1996 when House of Paid disbanded, he joined the band as their DJ, and was the perfect choice with a background in rap rock with HOP hits such as Shamrocks and Shenanigans, and Legend.
Lethal Executive Produced Sugar Ray’s first album “Lemonade and Brownies” and most of the scratches. He also remixed a song on Rob Zombie’s album “American Made Music to Strip By".
Sam Rivers
Name: Sam Rivers
Limp Bizkit: Bass
Age: 22
The youngest member of the band, and only 19 when Three Dollar Bill Y’all was released, Sam is an accomplished bassist, inspired by Seattle grunge and old rock including #800000 Sabbath and Megadeath.
Sam brings in the funky bassline on the band’s tracks and has been compared to good friend Fieldy of Korn. They share a bass-playin’ style of holding the bass upright. Whatever the style, Sam’s brothers in Bizkit give him much props for his bass-playin’ abilities. Sam hooked up with Fred in Bizkit’s early days to form the band and their style of play. Looks like his hard work is paying off.
Sam’s first job was at Chik-fil-A a mall in Jacksonville. He also played the tuba in a band at Arlington Middle.
Sam is sponsored by Ibanez.
Wes Borland
Name: Wes Borland
Limp Bizkit: Guitar
Age: 25
Date of Birth: 7 February, 1975
Wes was born in Nashville where his father was a Presbyterian minister, before his family moved to Jacksonville, FL.
Before picking up guitar Wes wanted to play drums, but his parents didn’t want the noise that would accompany them, so bought him a guitar when he was 12. He took lessons with a guitar teacher at the church his Dad worked for where he learnt blues and country, before studying three years of jazz at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts (where Sam Rivers also attended studying the arts). Wes had a difficult time learning to read music after his first guitar teacher had taught him to play by ear.
He led his own band in Jackonsville in which he sung and provided guitar. In 1994 Fred was looking for potential band members and after checking out several bands he found Sam, Wes and John, all from different bands. The four of them got together and started Limp Bizkit
Wes now plays a 7-string Ibanez UV7 guitar and also has a custom axe which is made himself.
Wes’ favorite music includes Davis Bowie, Tori Amos, Ministry, Ice Cube, Megadeath, and Testament. His influences include Minor Threat, Circle Jerks, #800000 Flag, Metallica and Testament.
Wes’ stage appearance can only be described as “freaky". A big fan of science fiction and horror, Wes wanted to work with special effects and make up before choosing a career in music, which explains his bizarre costumes and face paint.
Wes married his girlfriend Heather McMillan on April 10th, 1998, and spent their honeymoon at amusement parks across the US.
Wes is sponsored by Ibanez.
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