The events of September 11th, 2001 changed the world forever. As the Towers collapsed, an era of blissful naivete came to an abrupt end.
Limp Bizkit were one of the biggest bands in the world at the turn of the century. On September 6th, 2001, their song “Rollin’” won the VMA for Best Rock Video. The band received a letter and a fruit basket from an organization that managed the location of the video shoot, congratulating Limp Bizkit on their victory.
That organization was the Port Authority of New York. The video was shot on the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
In an interview with MTV, Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst said:
“We received a letter the day before the attack from the World Trade Center thanking us for letting them be a part of a video that just won an award [the 2001 VMA for Best Rock Video]. I had it framed. I found it very ironic, very bizarre that I received that letter on Monday, and Tuesday the [attacks occurred].
“For me to have gotten to go to the top of such a great, powerful structure … to have those people embrace me and let Limp Bizkit spend 22 hours on top of the World Trade Center doing what we do. … And for it to be taken down? The structure itself means nothing to me. 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 reason except hatred. It overwhelms me. I thank God the night we were on the World Trade Center wasn’t the night they decided to do that.”
Guitarist Wes Borland spoke to FHM about the video itself in the aftermath of the attacks, saying: “After 9/11 everyone stopped playing it. Nobody wanted to see it. Neither did we.”
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