With all the attention on the industry's music mega-centers, L.A. and New York, a rock group from the South can seem like a fish out of water, OR the group can become a sensational hit. This is the path Limp Bizkit from Jacksonville, Florida, chose. This emerging rapcore band with a curious name and an even more intriguing sound shakes it down with an energetic combination of metal, punk, rap and hip-hop.

In a move reminiscent of the naming of Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant had complained that a previous musical effort had crashed like a lead zeppelin), Limp Bizkit got its name from a conversation about a roadie's burned-out brain being as dead as a limp biscuit. Like Zep, the name stuck, and the spelling was changed. The band was formed in 1994 by vocalist/tattoo artist Fred Durst with his friend, Sam Rivers, on bass and Rivers' cousin, drummer John Otto. Before long, they were joined by guitarist Wes Borland, and eventually the group was rounded out by the arrival of Fifth Bizkit DJ Lethal (House of Pain).

As luck (along with a few mutual friends and good word of mouth) would have it, Durst met Korn bassist, Fieldy, and guitarist Head when that band was in Jacksonville for a 1995 concert. Since band members needed some fresh tattoos anyway, the three went to Durst's place for a little skin art and established a friendship. During a later trip to Jacksonville, Korn grabbed Limp Bizkit's demo tape and played it for a producer. He was so impressed that he set the wheels in motion for the start of Limp Bizkit's musical success.

The band landed a gig touring with House of Pain and also with The Deftones. In July 1997, the group signed with Flip/Interscope and released its first album, Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$. It was a commercial hit and sold 1.5 million copies.

About this time, the band was touring with its own Ladies Night In Cambodia show where, each night, the first 200 women to attend were admitted free. An unusual promotional angle, this helped draw media and fan attention.

By the middle of 1998, Limp Bizkit had become one of the more highly promoted bands known as rapcore. The group added fuel to the promotional fire with a fairly strong tour schedule, traveling with Faith No More and Primus. Further exposure came with a gig on MTV's Spring Break '98 show, Fashionably Loud. Limp Bizkit made a repeat appearance on MTV at New Year's in the company of the ex-House of Pain rapper, Everlast, and Kid Rock.

Fred Durst has several irons in the creative fire. He's an artist who has worked the other side of the fence in the record industry (he was an A&R rep for Flip Records). He also directed the video for the band's cover of George Michaels' "Faith" as well as the video for "Nookie." The singer also helps design and create the elaborate stages used in the group's videos and performances.

With all this attention paid to Limp Bizkit, will fame change the group's direction and reduce its heavy touring schedule? Not according to Fred Durst who stated on Limp Bizkit's Interscope Record site that, "I've never been so confident about our focus until right now. I cannot wait to go on tour, and I'm usually the one who can't wait to go home!"

Those tours would include the Warped Tour in 1998 and the Family Values Tour in 1999. In 2000, their album, Chocolate Starfish and The Hot Dog Flavored Water, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.