Despite their lead singer’s ubiquitous red Yankees hat, Limp Bizkit is not a band music fans typically associate with New York. And most certainly not the World Trade Center.
But 25 years after the 2001 terrorist attacks toppled the twin towers, Limp Bizkit maintains one of the more unusual connections to 9/11.
Limp Bizkit’s World Trade Center Music Video Moment
In 2001, Fred Durst and Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland found themselves onstage at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, where they accepted the “Best Rock Video” MTV Video Music Award for “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)” from Snoop Dogg and actor Johnny Knoxville.
Durst was fairly reserved in his acceptance speech while Borland used his time onstage to belt out an impromptu (and high-pitched) version of Iron Maiden‘s “Wasted Years.”
Five days later, they would want nothing to do with the song’s music video after two commercial passenger planes struck the World Trade Center towers within minutes of each other on 9/11.
“After 9/11, everyone stopped playing it,” Borland told FHM in a 2015 interview. “Nobody wanted to see it. Neither did we.”
Limp Bizkit, ‘Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)’
The music video for “Rollin'” alternates between shots of Durst moving along with red Yankees hat-clad backup dancers, the band members driving down city streets and Limp Bizkit performing on top of one of the World Trade Center towers.
In an interview with MTV.com, Durst said the shots atop the tower alone called for the band to be up there for more than 20 hours.
Now, it was a sobering snapshot of something that no longer existed.
The Letter Fred Durst Received Before 9/11
Before the end of September 2001, Durst had sat down with MTV.com, where he tried his best to answer the looming question many faced at the time: “What happens next?”
Durst talked about trying to find comfort in music and opined about the direction Hollywood movies would take in a post-9/11 world. About halfway into the interview, the then-31-year-old entertainer shared a story about a letter he opened on Sept. 10, 2001 that was sent by representatives from the World Trade Center.
READ MORE: 25 Rock + Metal Songs That Were Written About the Attacks on Sept. 11
The letter, which Borland later said came with a fruit basket, thanked the band for having the structure be part of the music video and congratulated them on their VMA win.
Less than 24 hours later, the towers were gone.
“I found it very ironic, very bizarre that I received the letter on Monday, and Tuesday the [attacks happened],” Durst told MTV.com.
He went on to call the World Trade Center a “great” and “powerful structure,” but it ultimately meant “nothing ” to him.
“I don’t believe in that structure being a symbol of power, of pride, of America. What means something to me is the people that were killed around and in that building innocently, for no good reason except hatred.”
Limp Bizkit (featuring John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls), ‘Wish You Were Here’
Limp Bizkit were among the performers who participated in the “America: A Tribute to Heroes” benefit that aired on the four major broadcast television networks on Sept. 21, 2001. The band was joined by John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls for a cover of Pink Floyd‘s “Wish You Were Here.”
“It overwhelms me,” Durst said as the MTV.com interview wrapped. “I thank God the night we were on the World Trade Center wasn’t the night they decided to do that.”
Below, see songs that were written about real life tragedies.
25 Songs About Real Life Tragedies
Tracks inspired by horrific events.
