Limp Bizkit's runaway success in the late 90s and early 2000s meant that they were able to produce some of the most obnoxious, over the top videos of the nu metal era. Whether it's the iconic Twin Towers performance from Rollin', the hilarious Mission Impossible tie-in of Take A Look Around, the fancy dress fun and games of My Way or, erm, Fred Durst screaming at Thora Birch in the woods for Eat You Alive, the Jacksonville icons always made sure to make an impression when it came to bringing their music to life on screen.
Nothing, however, has ever quite matched the chaos, energy and excitement of the riotous video for Nookie. Filmed in Long Island in spring 1999, the lead single from the band's sophomore record, Significant Other, saw Durst et al camp up in an alleyway with a small stage, a host of crazed fans, a handful of the band's 'Bizkette' dancers and a camera crew. No wild gimmicks, no high concepts, no nonsense: just one of the most full-on live bands of the day causing absolute pandemonium on the streets of New York.
"This is real, this is happening," remarks Durst in an official behind-the-scenes clip shot for MTV that you can now watch on Youtube. The rapper goes on to explain his original concept behind the Nookie video, adding: "I came up with this idea of this guerrilla campaign. Just show up, set up in an alley or on a building roof top, and play."
Despite the location of the shoot only being revealed hours beforehand, hundreds of excited Limp Bizkit acolytes managed to make their way onsite. The band split the crowd into male and female halves, with Durst leading the female section through the alleys of Long Island for the first portion of the video ("I couldn't think of anything cooler than me cruising through the city, having one chick, two chicks, a thousand chicks follow me around, while my band's really bored playing for a bunch of guys," jokes Durst in the MTV clip).
In another behind the scenes video since unearthed by the excellent Crazy Ass Moments In Nu Metal History Twitter account, Fred Durst - who actually directed the Nookie video - can be seen grabbing a camera for himself and buzzing around on stage, capturing all the madness up-close and personal. It offers a particularly candid look at a video that united a huge band with its fans in a way rarely seen on screen at the time.
The video would famously end with Durst getting 'arrested' for disturbing the peace, adding an extra layer of legend to an already epic video shoot. Over two decades on, Nookie remains a fabulously daft, cornerstone moment in nu metal's rise to becoming the biggest music genre in the world.
Watch the two behind the scenes clips below.
Fred Durst getting hands on during the "Nookie" video shoot (1999) pic.twitter.com/WdHS68kthyFebruary 22, 2023
