FRED DURST - DURST: 'LIMP BIZKIT HALTED MY DIRECTING CAREER'

US rocker FRED DURST insists he would be an acclaimed film director if his band LIMP BIZKIT hadn't enjoyed so much success.

The ROLLIN' hitmaker is set to direct two upcoming feature-length movies - LIFE WITHOUT JOE and RUNT - but he was already in talks with studios before Limp Bizkit were catapulted onto the international stage in 2000.

And now he is free to concentrate on working behind the camera, Durst is adamant his talent will soon rank him alongside the most respected film-makers in Hollywood history.

He says, "While the band was taking off, I was trying to have meetings with movie people and all Limp Bizkit being successful did was hurt me and get in the way of the movie business.

"They don't take music people seriously. They'll take you serious if they wanna throw you in a film and let you be an actor and cash in on your success while you're hot, and that's not what I wanted to do.

"I was offered all kinds of cheesy movies that were really successful to direct and I was like, 'I'm not here to make movies like that.' I want to make timeless movies.

"I want to be beside MARTIN SCORSESE and WES ANDERSON and PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON and FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA. I'm a real director.

"So it took years and years of having meetings, going through the wrong people to the right people to get to this point where I am now."