Limp Bizkit searches Louisiana for new guitarist
   Limp Bizkit’s search to replace departed guitarist Wes Borland will find its way to New Orleans Feb. 5, and the band is asking those who think they can fill his void to put their guitar where their mouth is.
The band, sponsored by Guitar World Magazine and Guitar Center retail chains, are scouring the country in their unprecedented “Put Your Guitar Where Your Mouth Is” tour.
Auditions will be held at Guitar Centers in 22 cities through Feb. 11. in sessions that run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
There have been reports of people showing up to get in line at 6 a.m. and Jason Caldarera, assistant manager of Guitar Center in New Orleans, said to get their early to go through a screening process.
“If you don’t look the part, you won’t get an audition,” Caldarera said other stores reported.
If guitarists pass the screening, they will meet the management, and audition an original song or riff. A handful of qualifiers have been worthy enough to play with bassist Sam Rivers, drummer John Otto and DJ Lethal, and past sessions lasted anywhere between 10 minutes and one hour.
Executives of lead singer Fred Durst’s Flawless Records will be on the tour while collecting demo tapes of unsigned bands. Many people see this as a great opportunity to push their own bands. Already, personnel from the company have collected hundreds of homemade CDs and tapes.
The band also setup a method to audition online. If guitarists don’t live within distance of a selected Guitar Center location or are outside of the United States, those interested can go to MP3.Com to setup an artist page and upload original MP3 sound clips to the Web site. Online submissions have a March 1 deadline.
The band is not looking for someone to duplicate Borland, but rather someone who is hungry and has an original sound.
“Wes is a legend in his own right,” said Durst to MTV News. “Like if Led Zeppelin needed a guitar player, you don’t get Jimmy Page, because you can’t. Wes is Wes. We don’t have any idea what we are gonna do with our next record. So [our new guitar player] has to bring something to the table. We are looking for a band member, not a hired gun.”
Borland, an original member of Limp Bizkit left the band last October with no specific reason, but management claims the departure was a friendly one. According to Durst, the concept of the tour was conceived shortly thereafter.
Everyone at Guitar Center is really anxious and looking forward to meeting the band.
“This is the single biggest event Guitar Center has been involved with, by far in 20 years,” says Caldarera. “Nationwide we have been hearing that up to 1500 people have been showing up.”
Having the tour in the midst of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras adds to excitement already in the city.
“It’s gonna be crazy,” Caldarera said.
With Limp Bizkit’s personal body guards and the Jefferson Parish Police Department, security will be heavy. Guitar Center of New Orleans is located on S. Clearview Parkway in Harahan. The store opens at 10 a.m. with tryouts commencing after opening.
Grant Widmer