cungar

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/goss...p-267255c.html

Here's a novel approach to marketing an album:
1. Tell as few people about it as possible.

2. Don't tour.

3. Don't go on TV to blab about it.

4. Don't encourage radio stations to play it.

5. Don't talk to the press or even mail out copies to anyone who could
possibly spread the message about your baby. Sound like a five-step
formula for success? Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit thought so.

It was his Einstein of an idea to shoot the seven-song EP "The
Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)" into stores this month while barely
whispering a word to anyone outside his record company and his official
Web site.

The philosophy, according to a knowledgeable source, was to build a
buzz through the fan site to prove the power of Durst's connection to
"the people." Media, be damned.

Unfortunately for the band, it hasn't quite worked out that way.

The stealth CD opened on the Billboard charts at an awful No. 24 with
flaccid sales of 37,083. In this, its second week, it free-fell to No.
82 and is sure to dive-bomb further from there.

Of course, Durst was right to try an end run around music scribes. To
the press, he's the step beyond Saddam Hussein. Recently, the Internet
site Allmusicguide.com referred to him as "the most singularly
unpleasant, absurd front man in rock."

And that was one of the nicer comments.

But, as far as certain fans go, this could have been a sweet moment.
"Unquestionable Truth" reunites Durst with key guitarist Wes Borland.

The front man's folly came in grossly misunderstanding the character of
the people who bought the band's hit CDs. Most were conformists by
nature, coming more from the culture of jocks than music. They're not
the sorts to seek out CDs on their own, the way cultish or more serious
fans would. Neither does this demo remain loyal once the crowd has
moved on. And it had started to abandon Limp Bizkit several years
before Durst's hara-kiri moves. The band's peak CD, 2000's "Chocolate
Starfish," sold 6.6 million copies. Its next one, 2003's "Results May
Vary," sunk to 1.4 million.

If ever there was a time to get on the megaphone and make your presence
known, this was it. But, again, Durst seems not to know his place in
youth culture. For a band whose image befits the macho mainstream, not
the arty margins, it's a little late to try to build yourself back up
on grassroots "street cred."

In other chart news: The novelty factor seems to have quickly faded for
Lisa Marie Presley. The singer's debut CD, 2003's "To Whom It May
Concern," sold nearly 600,000 copies. But it seems many of those sales
came from sheer curiosity, given the belly flop of her followup. The
second CD by The King's spawn has slid down to No. 111 in just six
weeks, with sales of only 125,954 copies.

Ironically, the CD's title offers the perfect query for Presley's
current career: "Now What?"

Goat3001

Let me get this straight. Durst thinks that fans of his band are the underground music-seeking type and not the MTV crowd? Someone should send Fred to Mariah Carey's therapist.

DRG

That article makes some good points, especially in its analysis of LB's fanbase. The band already seems dated to me and tied forever to that 1998-2000 era.

Brain Stew

I actually previewed some tracks on iTunes and the music sounds GREAT! Like RATM only harder. But, the lyrics are awful, perhaps even worse than their previous works.

Fielding Mellish

Haa! Haa!

cungar

Any guess as to where the majority of the 6.6 million copies of "Chocolate Starfish" are right now?

cdollaz

At the bottom of 20-23 year olds' closets.

Either that or the cut out bins.

darqleo

And in less than 5 years time (if it hasn't already happened yet), you'll be hard pressed to find anyone to admit that they were into them "back then".

PopcornTreeCt

Yep. I have to admit to that. I was in high school for the years of 96-00 and Limp Bizkit was pretty popular even saw them in concert. But yeah, I've moved on and closed that chapter of my life.

UAIOE

Well even Korn's popularity seems to have died down as people moved on.

Am i sad to see Limp Bizkit go? Not really.

Poink

If I hadn't turned 24 about 2 months ago I'd almost be offended. Hmph.

funkyryno

Limp Bizkit's popularity has been usurped by The Bravery.

RyoHazuki

Im no fan, but when did it become the cool thing to do to bash Limp Bizkit?

UAIOE

Probably the moment their crappy music inundated the airwaves.

I'm sorry, but i've always seen Limp Bizkit as a really crappy wannabe Korn.

And i dont like Korn...so that tells you how much i dislike Limp Bizkit.

meritocracy

Not a fan either, and I may have been in the minority not so long ago, but I've always felt it was cool to bash them since day one. Didn't hear anything about this new release, and I'm glad to hear the masses are spending their dollars elsewhere. Anyone who listened to this band's output had to have known it had a four year lifespan at most.

AeroStone

Never liked their music..never liked him as a front man. I'm a proud basher from way back when....simply cause their music SUCKED Baboon Balls.

To be fair though (cause I never let my hate cloud my objectivity) I caught Fred Dursts' ACTING performance (he was a Satanist in that mini series Revelations) and the dude is a damn natural when it comes to acting.

Goldberg74

Gotta agree with Aerostone, looks like his small role in NBC's Revelations didn't bring in any new fans.

Rypro 525

the only way I found out about the album is because squizz on xm radio has been playing "the truth" a couple of times.

Giles

he aint "Limp" he's "Lame"

JHosk

My friend just loaned me the disc to give it a spin. The music itself is pretty decent. They've always had some decent guitar riffs, etc. But I agree with everyone. Durst's style is just so dated now. His singing attempts are horrible, and his rapping attempts are even worse. Especially when his voice changes, etc.

UAIOE

While not a great indicator of overall culture...I asked a high school girl i work with (who happens to be really into music) if she knew of anyone in her school that listened to Limp BIZZZkit.

She replied with a laugh.

I guess Limp really is passe.

Rogue588

wait...limpbizkit tanked?



they are still "limpbizkit", right?

Michael Corvin

Same here on all accounts.

Goldberg74

I third that.

cungar

I'd start looking for new friends