Limp Bizkit

The band that energetically fuses metal, punk, and hip-hop owes much of its popularity to its willingness to offend. Named in homage to the condition of a pot smoking friend's brain, the band came together in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994 when tattoo artist and vocalist Fred Durst joined up with Sam Rivers (bass), Rivers' cousin John Otto (drums), and Wes Borland (guitar). The band was later supplemented by DJ Lethal. After touring with House of Pain and later the Deftones, the label contracts came pouring in. Their first album, Three Dollar Bill Y'All (1998), was helped along by their appearance on MTV Spring Break '98 Fashion Show. Their second album, Significant Other (1999), topped the charts for three weeks. At Woodstock '99, they were blamed for sparking the riots that ended the festival. Proving that controversy is always good for business, the band's next album, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000), broke all records by selling more than one million copies in its first week of release. Durst's back problems forced the band to cancel their 2001 summer concerts in Europe.