By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
January 24, 2002
Ryan DeFord is smiling ear-to-ear.
The 15-year-old guitarist has just finished auditioning for Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, who critiqued his performance with an enthusiastic, “Man, you rock!”
Unflustered, the Indiana high school freshman hands a demo tape to the rock star and waltzes out of the room where his father, Steve–a keyboardist who has played with Eric Clapton, Rufus and Chubby Checker–beams his approval.
DeFord was the 137th of 300 musicians to audition to become Limp Bizkit’s new guitarist Wednesday at the Guitar Center in northwest suburban Arlington Heights. When Wes Borland quit the hard rock group in October, Durst and company hit the road for a highly publicized open audition to replace him.
Whether the search is authentic or merely a ploy to drum up publicity for the band is inconsequential to the 3,000 musicians and fans who streamed through the store throughout the day and evening.
“I don’t care if it’s a PR stunt,” said DeFord, who has been playing guitar since he was 6.
“It’s for fun and a once in a lifetime chance,” he added.
That’s a sentiment echoed by John Seyringer, 29, of Lake Station, Ind.
“This is a case of opportunity meeting preparation,” said Seyringer, who is tattooed to the hilt and looks like he would fit right into the Bizkit lineup.
The guitarist arrived at 7 p.m. Tuesday night to ensure he would get an early slot to audition. It worked. Seyringer was the first person to audition for the band. Afterward, he waited around to check out his competitors and notes everyone has done a really great job–but he places himself in the top 10 percent of the group.
“I started playing when I was 2 years old, so I should be pretty good at this,” he said. “I took to guitar like other kids took to baseball. It was always something I was good at and enjoyed. If I was picked, I would definitely go. I’d love to go on tour with them.”
Though a handful of young women auditioned, the majority of wannabe Bizkits were young men.
At No. 297, Gus Cryns was the youngest there. The 12-year-old was six years under the band’s cut-off age.
“My mom would let me go on the road if I was picked,” said the seventh-grader from Richmond. “I am a little nervous though.”
When his number is called, Cryns–who touts Metallica as his favorite band–gives it his all. After his audition, he pushed back his floppy hair and said he had fun, and thinks he did OK. But he added, “I don’t think they liked me too much.”
Around 7:30 p.m., 10 of the guitarists were selected to perform with the band. Neither the Guitar Center nor the band’s representatives have released those names yet.
“Everyone who has tried out has been talented in their own way,” Leor “DJ Lethal” Dimant, Limp Bizkit’s disc jockey, said diplomatically.
When one fan lamented he’d have to work at a guitar store if he doesn’t get picked for the band, he quickly noted, “It beats working at McDonald’s. You can get discounts on all your instruments.”
The search, which hit 22 locations nationwide, ends Feb. 11 in Los Angeles. But guitarists still may audition for the chance to be in the band by uploading a song or guitar jam online at limpbizkit.com and MP3.com.
Only original material will be accepted.
