The Entire Story - The Book

July 21, 2000

Does anybody else think Creed is just a little too preoccupied with baiting loudmouth Fred Durst lately? The ongoing verbal battle between the two camps entered round two this week, as the Creed crew blasted Durst for his abusive treatment of the band TapRoot � an episode that isn't exactly breaking news to the rest of the music industry.
Here's the blow by blow to date: The square-off started June 23 at the "K-Rock
Dysfunctional Family Picnic" radio festival in Holmdel, N.J., where Durst launched into an
obscenity-strewn tirade against Creed leader Scott Stapp, calling him an "egomaniac." A
few days later, Durst told MTV's Total Request Live that, after the show, Creed presented
him with a book on anger management.
Creed responded to Durst's attacks June 27, with a statement asserting that the Bizkit
frontman had lashed out at them because he was furious that "Limp Bizkit was
performing � before Creed." Durst retaliated with his own statement, saying he stood by
his criticism of Creed, and then blasted them again a few weeks later on K-Rock. In the
interim, Stapp challenged Durst to a charity boxing match to settle their differences.
On Wednesday, apparently feeling the need to kick the proverbial dead horse, Creed
issued a new statement attacking Durst:
Until now, Creed hasn't felt the need to defend itself against Fred Durst's
numerous on-air tirades, believing that his ongoing string of unsolicited negative
opinions would eventually ruin any credibility that his band's great music and hard
work had earned him.
Having heard his recent comments about TapRoot and their manager, after they
refused to sign to his Flawless/Interscope label, we feel that Fred has worn out his
welcome as an artist spokesperson for our industry. Fred's vulgar comments and
violent threats are totally indicative of a mobster mentality that this industry has
tried to rid itself of in recent years. If Fred wants to represent our industry as a
major-label senior vice president, then he should consider actually reading the
anger management book that we sent to him or just return to being an artist that
lets his music speak for itself.
As for Scott Stapp's challenging Fred Durst to a boxing match, that challenge still
stands. Our only request is that it be a paid event with the proceeds being
donated to charity. It is our intention to take this negative "he said, she said"
situation and turn it into a positive one.
The Creed statement refers to an episode where Durst, a VP at Interscope Records,
allegedly left a threatening phone message for TapRoot singer Steve Richards after
learning that the group was entertaining offers from other labels (it eventually signed with Atlantic), despite his patronage.
On Thursday, Durst responded to the latest flaming with this succinct statement:
So far Creed has responded to anything other than what I said about them.
Obviously, I must be right. Creed should take a hint and spend more time signing
autographs than writing about me. The boxing match sounds like fun, but I'd
rather not resort to violence. Besides, I'm busy doing a free tour for my fans.