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Had to give this a dislike because you missed one huge reason that Wes quit the band. At the 2001 Big Day Out in Sydney, a teenage girl was crushed in the pit and later died. Limp Bizkit cancelled the 3 remaining BDO appearances because of that and Wes had a hard time dealing with that, which along with everything else you mentioned is why he left.
Hi finn. Studies on gambling say that it is just as, or even more addictive and destructive as drugs. As someone who has dealt with addiction and seems to promote sobriety, healthy living, and building healthy habits, I'm curious what your thoughts are on promoting a gambling site. Especially since children are able to view your content. I'm not trying to be a jerk or a pearl clutcher, I am genuinely curious what your thoughts on such an act are, whether you consider it hypocrisy, if you're ok with being seen as someone who will take money from a company despite your personal morals, etc.
I think Wes's biggest strength is that while he wrote great riffs, he always knew exactly when to quit adding to them. Rather than get overly buisy and cluttered his riffs always stay agressive, percussive, and memorable. Its pretty rare to find examples where a single musician defined an entire genre to such a degree, Korn sounded like Korn, but Wes basically became the sound of Nu-Metal.
What about Mike from LP? You say nu-metal and immediately his face comes to mind no hesitation. Between writing, producing, driving the bus constantly, promoting the band online when the internet was still brand new, he was that bands rock.
Well said! Obviously some bands tried to mimick Johnathan David’s vocal style but yea I totally agree the bouncy riffs is what made numetal what it was and Wes was the best at it and definitely a huge influence to a lot of bands
The older I get the more I appreciate everyone else in Limp Bizkit. I used to be a Borland fanboy (still technically am) but I've grown to appreciate how good Sam Rivers is as a bassist, John Otto as a drummer, DJ Lethal as a sampler/turntablist and Fred Durst as a frontman/marketer. They all just gel together
Everyone in the band except for Fred is pretty solid in terms of musical ability. People way over-exaggerated how bad they were just because people felt like they were way more popular than they deserved. And they got so popular because like you said, Fred is a great frontman, not only in marketing the band and making connections in the music industry, but also because he's great at getting the crowd going at live shows. He was the perfect guy for what limp bizkit was supposed to be, just some dumb, fun music people could party/let off some steam to
Fred is not the best singer in rock/metal, he is among the elite frontmen though, for creating a buzz, capturing attention, directing/crowd participation. He’s much more of an Emcee with those qualities, and honestly arguably the top rapper/singer combo in any rock/metal band.
Their recent comeback coupled with the changes fred made to his persona are working really well. Theyre putting on a great show and reintroducing an entire genre to a new generation. I think that may help their longevity at this point, seeing the kids today really appreciating 20+ year old music.
Bit of a delayed reply but i Had the pleasure of seeing them live at a festival this year and they absolutely killed it. Fred can still work a crowd like nothing else and all age ranges present were completely ready to throw themselves into it
Not giving a fuk and playing fun songs to a giant receptive crowd...they def. had the last laugh. All these new bands can't get people off their phones for even 2 songs
As someone who plays bass guitar, I must say Sam Rivers is also amazing! Great, groovy bass lines, as simple as they can be, in service of the song, but never too simple that they just go unnoticed or don't add to the song. Also, never so complicated that they just become a hindering factor. In fact, all of the musicians in Limp Bizkit's main lineup are top notch, and bringing them together was an incredible job by Fred Durst. Keeping them together wasn't as easy, but it sure is nice seeing them together and getting some recognition outside of their old fan base, after all these years!
They work very well together,and compliment each other's playing. I think Otto is probably the best musician in the bunch, but they are all pretty good in their own way
As a drummer, I can say John Otto is definitely underrated. Has a lot of pocket. There was always some nasty "funk" vibe going on in his grooves on the earlier records. Just wasn't common in heavy music at all (and probably still isn't).
@@tijlvandermeulen3930 I'd say he retained this vibe (like David Silveria from Korn) all across their records, even the hated ones. A good example being Results May Vary which is still controversial as a whole but Otto's parts are funky as hell (especially on songs like Almost Over or Let Me Down), those high-hats and ghost notes are really distinct
@@tijlvandermeulen3930 I'm a musician as well. Wes has some solid riffs, but I've heard him play leads and they were average at best, but he is a good writer, and a solid player. Otto is a beast.
Limp Bizkit was actually full of talented musicians. Sam Rivers wrote amazing bass lines to go with Wes Borland's riffs. Their drummer John Otto could play a hip hop type beat you couldn't help but bob your head to and seamlessly transition into something heavy. DJ Lethal also had a lot of talent and was always used in just the right amount, never overbearing, but you knew he was there.
Having worked with Wes at a tiny coffee shop and jazz club, and occasionally jamming with him and his brother pre-LB, I knew he was something special. He is a true artist in every sense of the word. I remember going to a Primus show in Orange Park, and him talking about thumbing the guitar like Les which eventually turned into that 2 hand tapping riff in Sour. I remember Mesa Boogie cabinets covered in amazing artwork and rabbits and skulls and candles. I remember a barista that took making espresso drinks as a form of art.
Please tell me your talking about juice and Java on Hendricks Ave in Jacksonville... that's where I met wes originally and always thought he was just such a great down to earth guy. We stayed friends for a short time and he finally convinced me to come see him and the band play a small show at the milk bar. Think there were like 40 or 50 people there to see the show and thinking what the hell did I just see? Thought it was not so great but didn't have the heart to tell him... who knew they were so fabulous.
I have a really special place in my heart for LB. Without them, I would have never gotten into the music I love today. They were really a gateway band for me and I’m glad they’re getting their flowers again.
It was fun. That's it. For me, blasting that new Bizkit cd while I skated the local park's steps/rail. No I didn't take it seriously, I didn't know what "nookie" meant and still think I'm a little confused about it, doesn't matter. I kick-flipped a four stair in 2001 and a girl I liked might have even seen it. I can still hear that bass line.
I'm a huge Wes fan, I've seen Big Dumb Face and Black Light Burns live multiple times. What I respect about him is that he self funded every side project tour he did.
@@tad3830 BLB was featured in an episode of "Burn Notice" and i have been a fan ever since. "these 4 walls" was the song. Very good band. Very bad promotion and marketing.
The Fred Durst frat guy trope is hilarious. He's parodying the guys that bullied him growing up. LB is a pretty good band. Not all of their music speaks to me but they're super tight live and put on a great show
If it means anything, my father was a metal fan when Korn and Limp Bizkit were getting big, and even back then he said that he remembered liking only one part of Limp Bizkit: the guitar. We agree that Wes is truly gifted and very creative, and is, in a way, the nu metal version of Buckethead. (Please do a Buckethead video, we need that).
Fred’s no singer but he’s one hell of a marketer and businessman. He was able to pull the best of the best he could find and Wes is that best. Wes Borland’s talent was the secret frontman (whether he liked it or not), and when he left it practically pulled the plug on everything.
Crazy true story: I drove entertainer coaches (band buses) for yrs. including OzzFest, Warped Tour, Hatebreed, Mushroomhead, Gojira, etc... I got a call in 2003 "Bizkit just fired bus driver, we need someone NOW!" I drove 4 hrs. to St. Paul, MN, met Tour Manager & left for Chicago after show. I had Sam, Fred & Manager on this bus. Sam rode shotgun till 4 AM. I didn't even meet Fred (he was in his bunk the entire trip). When I parked at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, the Manager flew me home. Bizkit/Korn "Back to Basics" (theater) tour 2003.
I really like a story told in honesty like Wes's. He openly admits to his giant ego and ultimately accepts his reality, even though it may not be COMPLETELY ideal. He seems to know his place in the industry because of his early mistakes. Respect!
I think he found a way to use Limp Bizkit to essentially finance his solo work. His solo albums are totally experimental… world music, trip-hop… it’s not music for anyone but himself.
Sam Rivers and John Otto are one of the best rhythm sections of all time! Wes only enhances that! An absolute genius in his own right! Amazing use of Add9th chords!
Had a guest seminar at my guitar college with Wes years ago. He said "you guys are better guitarists than me"....yes, there were some very technically accomplished players I saw everyday, but how many of them have sold millions of records! It's not all about virtuosity. Creativity is always more pleasing to the ear, in my opinion. Wes is a very underrated player.
Yeah art and music is funny that way you can master a technical skill, but without the creativity your nothing. Like painting. There's millions of great painters but only a few oddballs with shoddy technical skills got famous lol
I remember seeing them live in 2010 Fred had a bunch of girls come up on stage at the end of the show before they'd perform Faith and he warned them not to get close to Wes because he'd kick them and everyone laughed it off but one girl did get close to Wed and indeed he kicked her. I thought that summed Wes up perfectly.
Lol that time he thought he could talk down on Manson as if it made him look better. Not that I think Manson deserves other chances, I'm js. At him throwing ppl under the bus.
Don’t care what anyone says the first Limp Bizkit album is killer!! Enjoy the entire album! The rest of there collection is hit or miss for me. If you ever get the chance to see them live DO IT!!! One of the best live shows I’ve ever experienced! Caught them at 2 different Family Values tour event! Astonishing!
Pollution, Counterfeit, Stuck, Sour, Clunk, Faith Yeah. That album is pretty good Also, saw them live last year in London and seeing them again at Download 2024. They are a really fun band live
Let's be real, the musicianship in Limp Bizkit is pretty excellent. The entire band is like one giant rhythm section. Sam Rivers and John Otto are extremely tight as well.
The only thing wrong with Limp Bizkit is Fred Durst. And really if he had just fallen into the background like 311 or something they woulda stood the test of time.
@@Melo7849 I agree a lot, if you take out Durst singing, the drums and bass are groovie and catchy as hell and the guitar comes with full non stop agression and technical experimentation that makes the listening experience way too fresh... Then comes Fred vocals and it kinda dies a little bit for me...
Limp has been my favorite band since 10 years old. I’ll be seeing them twice this year. Idk who I’d be without their influence. Wes was always loud with his costumes which made me feel confident to be who I wanted to be from a young age. Fucking love these guys
I was a very, VERY late bloomer to LB. It’s just fun music, cringey at times but just overall fun. And Wes’ riffs are top tier. Not ashamed to say I’m a legitimate fan of them
I like Limp Bizkit too if I just look for mindless fun. Fred's vocals and lyrics are just bad but Wes riffs are what makes the songs fun Hot Dog for example. Lyrics are god awful but the riffs by Wes are just really good. LB has really groovy and fun riffs IMHO Probably why Results May Vary is LB worst album. No wes and the only album were LB tried being serious which was a band that was known to never take themselves seriously Also have to give credit to the other band members like DJ Lethal, John Otto and Sam Rivers (All very talented). Its just Fred's cringe lyrics and bad sounding vocals. Even though I think Durts marketing and stage presence are great 🤷♂️
I think a lot of fans have to knock Fred because they’re afraid of just saying they like limp bizkit without a caveat. Say what you will but music of the last 10 years makes Fred seem like Kurt Cobain lol
I'm glad Wes is getting recognized for his greatness. If you really look at music without what the media says it should be, you can see how amazingly talented he is. Popularity and talent don't always go hand in hand sadly.
What i have always loved about limp bizkit is how dissimilar each member was. Obviously the costumes really put wes at the forefront of that. In the age of TRL and homogenous boy bands, the fact they appeared to be a random group of wildly different characters smashed together as a ragtag bunch was something I've always been drawn to. As someone who can wake up feeling like a different person each day of the week, it was comforting to see a bunch of weirdos managing to come together as something with a greater value than the sum of their parts.
Reminds me of my friends in that era; two bands that bridged the gap, no matter your preference for hip hop, rap, metal, or whatever, were KoRn and Limp Bizkit.
I kind of love Limp Bizkit now days, I like how Fred Durst and totally embraced his middled aged dad persona and I love that they have this super artistic and wildly talented guitarist that is Wes Borland.
What has bugged me about Limp Bizkit has always been how it sounds as whole. Wes Borland however is however the most interesting element in the band, and at times it has felt like he played in the wrong band. Wes has a creative and inventive approach to guitar playing and he isn't just playing simple power chords or shredding mindlessly. Black Light Burns, Eat the Day and his solo albums really show what he can do and it certainly isn't the conventional way.
100% agreed. I always thought he would have fit in better with like Marilyn Manson. Or if he wanted to keep the contrast, like the Def Tones. Coulda been their new bassist when their old one died. That would have been interesting.
Always blew my mind when people would say this. He’s in the perfect band. Any other vocalist he has worked with doesn’t add the energy to his riffs that Fred does and the groove behind it like Sam and John do. Limp Bizkit was the perfect band for Wes. Everything about them complements his riffs and ambient style incredibly well.
I've always loved Wes, since the early Bizkit days, Black Light Burns, his artwork, and everything else. It's cool to see his influence over 20yrs later!
Great piece on one of the most important artists of that generation. I know personally, Wes has had a massive influence on my guitar playing that's apparent even 20+ years after I first heard them. Players like him, Head/Munky, Clint and John from Sevendust, and Dan from Disturbed really informed a LOT of my early years playing guitar.
"Wes has had a massive influence on my guitar playing" yeah, in mine too, although I don't play that heavy now in comparison. One of the cool stuffs at Nu-Metal for musicians is: It is relatively easy to play and sounds massive, which is cool for beginners (I learned classical guitar first for 8 years). The band that influenced me the most was SOAD (we played Prison Song, ATWA, Toxicity, Sugar, Aerials and Spiders in our first years as a band, SOAD was a third of our setlist back in the days 😁) Wanna hear my newest song? Recorded 2 days ago, it's still fresh and hot: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6_uxGJW2pww.html
Fucking love Limp Bizkit man! Musically they are great with Wes, John, Sam and Lethal and yeah the lyrics may not be much a lot of the time but they are fun to sing along to with friends and Fred is a great front man and is brilliant live!
I just saw them perform in NJ. Packed concert venue, so much energy. A dream come true to see Limp Bizkit live. Interestingly, the crowd was incredibly mixed concerning age ranges. We had 5-year-old kids with their parents to young teenagers and old rust buckets.
the contrast between Wes and Fred makes them my favorite band. I always been interested in nümetal, rap and goth music. Limp Bizkit merges all of that in a funny and simplistic way.
I always loved Limp Bizkit sound, period. Fred Durst aside, their sound is just incredible, love the atmospheric vibes, beats, riffs, bass lines, drum grooves. It's just awesome.
Wes is a BEAST!!! I was fortunate enough to meet him & grab some drumhead art… Dude is next level & those who can’t comprehend that are missing out! Black Light Burns is THE SH*T!!!
Side note: getting to meet and chill with Wes after a show in Baltimore was so cool. The rest of the guys were tired and, while sweet, weren't that invested in the interaction. Wes lit up when I asked him if there was going to be another art show or clinic session. So relaxed and comfortable with just shooting the shit.
When Limp Bizkit was so hated its weird they made the title track for Mission Impossible and were featuring Xzibit and DMX while also having Eminem and Dre in their video... OH RIGHT thats because they were incredible at that time fitting perfectly into the upcoming skate and hiphop culture.
If you were a teenager when they came out they were just fun. You have to have balance between thought provoking, emotional, and just silly fun music you listen to, especially in your teens. Embrace the eclectic.
As always great video... Wes is defo one of my guitar influences and his talent is undeniable on top of him being a complete artist. Sometimes I find a bit puzzling when a couple of videos back Finn said something about not liking doing videos on bands like Mudvayne (I don't recall if it was in this channel or in his other one). I do find Mudvayne to be a massively misunderstood and underrated band with fantastic musicians, and top songs with their own creative flavor that drastically deviates from other NuMetal bands of the time, it's not drastically different to me to make parallels between Limp Bizkit and Mudvayne (not when it comes to songs, but the fact people dismiss those 2 bands without realising how amazing and unique these 2 bands always were).
I really enjoy the Black Light Burns sound. I've been trying to find another band with a similar vibe ever since, but the atmosphere and Borland's vocals are just too unique and special that makes it of one of a kind.
Wes Borland was a role model for me as a songwriter and guitarist. Ever since I was 10, I could pick out his sound. He has such a penchant for atmosphere. His hammer-on percussive tapping, his signature sticatto delay-EQ melodies, his tremelo whammy making his harmonic riffs sound like an alien wrote them, and especially how sharp his heavy riffs were; octaves and all. Eat the Day, BLB and that Damning Well track were all so beautiful and unique to his style. Even he himself being a Tool fan boy, it's no wonder he was invited to be the guitarist for A Perfect Circle. (Listen to the Weak and Powerless "Tilling my Grave" remix - that's Wes playing)
I never cared for Limp in their heyday but I caught them at a festival last year and that band killed. I can take or leave Fred but the band was tight and funky as hell. Turned out to be a great show.
I absolutely adore some of his solo stuff. It's clearly what he wanted to be able to make for a long time and he was finally in a position to be able to comfortably put them out
I was a Limp Bizkit superfan and I will always love them. They were not Mozart but man they were so much fun. Honestly, going back and listening again... Man, they had some absolute hidden gems in there. They saved my life in 2001 when I was suicidal. I was fortunate enough to meet them for an MTV competition where I presented a Platinum disc on stage at their London gig for that tour. Also got to hang out with them for about 30 minutes backstage afterwards. Fred was actually incredibly shy and self deprecating to the point of downplaying the band. Cannot remember what he said exactly but words to the effect of "We are the dumbest band in the world, com'n dude do not idolise us". 17 Year old didn't care and this remains one of the greatest days of my life in terms of WTF moments.
friend of mine used to play the instrumental version of My Way all the time, and he said he was not a fan of Bizkit but of Wes. I can see why. That riff is perfect
Limp bizkit was also easily the most popular band at one time u couldnt turn on a tv or open a magazine without seeing them, because at the time they are what music needed. Have u seen mtv's driven episode about fred durst? So cool and he is very talented and the band have many songs that most people know almost 3 decades later
Black Light Burns first 2 albums are some of the best "side project" albums of all time imo... Cruel Melody is just front to back incredible and ...The moment you realize you're going to fall is a damn solid follow up
I saw them live as part of the Weenie Roast, I was there for other bands, but as soon as Wes hit those first chords I couldn’t stop watching him. To me he was the frontman. And holy shit they put on an epic show.
There are only two types of people when it comes to Limp Bizkit's music: those who truly enjoy it, and the narcissists who believe they're "too sophisticated" to admit they enjoy it.
I'm sorry, you just gave us a summary of Wes's Linkedin profile. I thought this was going to be a review of his musicmanship. You didn't really tell us much
@@jakeallen7993 it's in the title "The Insane Genius of Wes Borland". Please kindly point to the timestamp when said genius is discussed. This is just another chatgpt filler channel with nothing to say really
@graphikeye what you're doing is called projecting you complained. I pointed out that's a you problem. I could care less if you make fun of this dorky youtube music journalist it's just annoying when someone complains about how a long running series should be made. All of his videos unless longer than 20 minutes is a LinkedIn bio. Also saying go touch grass when you are clearly chronically online yourself is top shelf cringe
I remember as a 13-year-old skateboarder growing up in Maple Valley that the first time I saw Limp Bizkit I was not at all into it and then I noticed Wes in the background and was like OK maybe him though
Spoken like someone who wasn't alive back then. This is my high school years. Trust me. Fred Durst is embarrassing. They were massively popular, yet NO ONE would admit to liking them, exclusively because of that cornball.
I dont care what anyone says, LB has some catchy stuff. There were a few songs that amazed me with their sound (Boiler, Rearranged) and made me a huge fan as a non-aggressive teenager. I get a kick out of the entire operating room singing Break Stuff together when it comes on our playlist at work. They are a mood
Dude this band is a legend. People probably hated them back then. But oh boy today their music is on fire. Young people are all over it. The new music they released is also FIRE 🔥🔥🔥 🚒🚒🚒
Sam Rivers, John Otto and Wes Borland are all three top tier musicians who no-one can disrespect. So I wonder how Limp Bizkit would've turned out with a different front man. Maybe a better band, but probably less succesful from a commercial point of view.
I've always loved Limp Bizkit, and Stalemate was a perfect example of the artistic side of the band. I remember the first time I heard it, and it's still one of my favorite riffs.
Wes was always what drew me to the band, loved his creativity and amazing face paint/outfits. Black Light Burns was one of his side projects I liked alot as well. Wes has always been the man and the best part of LB
Dude is an 8nsane guitarist. And his Project Black Light Burns was pretty sick. Dude has great vocals! Saw them Live at Pain in the Grass years ago. And they were amazing!
All l.b musicians are highly talented but wes was special. L.b will always have a special place in my heart. Before death metal, 80's speed and heavy metal and etc i started my metal journey with l.b in 2001.
Wes with The guitar riffs were sick. The bass lines were cool as hell too. Fred came with good lyrics sometimes too. He was more catchy than lyrical. It was a perfect storm for that time to win. That era of music is over. But i don't get why they got so much hate. They weren't trying to change the world. They just wanted to have fun and make some music.
As a teenager in the 90's who loved punk rock, metal, nu metal, and hip-hop, Limp Bizkit felt like a guilty pleasure. I loved the music, but couldn't stand that I loved the music. Decades later, I am one of those Wes Borland cult fans. Wes: If you watch this video and read these comments... you were/ are the redeeming quality of Bizkit. You're the element people love and respect. You're an icon in Nu-Metal and music in general. Your riffs and artistry are iconic. Much love ❤️
I was a fan when I was 14, then moved on. But their recent resurgence and me growing up has given me new appreciation for them. It's not even some meme comback. They're actually better than every at are putting on amazing shows for old fans and the new kids alike. They're tight and sound awesome together. Real pros. I want to catch them on their next tour. I know they just finished one, so it'll probably have to wait a bit.
I've always had a soft spot for early Limp Bizkit. It's taken me years to realize why but it's all about the "band". While there is no denying Fred's talent at being a front man as far as his "instrument" many have done it better. By luck or skill he brought together some of the most unique and talented people to play with him. I think that's what truly elevated them to the powerhouse band that they are.
I started to really pay attention to Limp Bizkit and West Borland in particular during Covid. Seeing their live show from Hellfest really impressed me. I then started going down the rabbit hole of finding everything about Wes’s playing and LP.
Awesome video! Wes is definitely a huge inspiration, great riffs, big stage presence, an irreplaceable part of Limp Bizkit. Mike Smith couldnt even play Re-Arranged when he replaced Wes.
I worked on the metal festival circuit and have close friends that basically toured with heavy bands of this era all the way up to today’s bands. Having seen LB many times live, I can say without a doubt they are AMAZING live. Super tight, high energy yet still raw and powerful. They are fully aware of their clownish like parody of themselves which they have really always embraced. Fantastic band from front to back. I am a fan and always will be.
“Counterfeit” came on my playlist today at work, and I couldn’t help thinking how great their first album was, and how cool they were then. Before they blew up I thought of them kinda like Zebrahead or 311. I remember hearing “Sour” on the radio and that was my first Limp Bizkit song. It was loud, cathartic, angry, with rapping and screaming and hard metal riffs.
