Limp Bizkit has announced the death of their bassist, Sam Rivers, who died aged 48
Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs on stage during day seven of Sziget festival at Obudai Island on August 16, 2015 in Budapest, Hungary(Image: Didier Messens/Redferns)
Sam Rivers, the bassist and backing vocalist of the US nu-metal group Limp Bizkit, has died at the age of 48, his bandmates have said.
The US band announced the news Saturday, as they honoured Rivers in a post shared across social media.
“In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers. Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat. Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player – he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound,” they wrote.
The band continued, “From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous. We shared so many moments – wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones – and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.”
Bass player Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs onstage at The Forum on March 14, 2015 in Inglewood, California
“He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends,” they added. “And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory.”
The band concluded, “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends. – Fred, Wes, John and DJ Lethal.”
The announcement arrives just a month before Limp Bizkit embarks on their Gringo Papi South America tour, reports the Mirror US.
Music dominated much of Sam’s life. Throughout his teenage years, he performed alongside the band’s percussionist, John Otto.
He hadn’t encountered Fred until the early 1990s when both were employed at the same Chick-fil-A restaurant.
In 1994, the trio formed the founding lineup of Limp Bizkit. It took another two years before they recruited guitarist Wes Borland and DJ Lethal into their ranks.
American rock band Limp Bizkit (American bassist Sam Rivers, wearing a black jacket, khaki trousers and a grey beanie, American singer, songwriter, rapper and film director Fred Durst, who wears a black ‘Tribal’ sweatshirt and reversed baseball cap, Latvian-American turntablist and music producer DJ Lethal, American guitarist Wes Borland, in a grey zip-front jacket and jeans, and American drummer John Otto, in a black hoodie) attend the MTV ‘TRL’ (Total Request Live) portrait photoshoot at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California, 21st February 2000(Image: Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
Across the following two decades, the group evolved into a global sensation, releasing chart-topping tracks such as Break Stuff, Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle), and My Way.
In 2015, Sam temporarily departed the band owing to his battle with liver disease that had emerged from years of heavy alcohol consumption.
Reflecting on the moment he required hospitalisation due to his illness, he told Metal Injection: “It got so bad I had to go to UCLA Hospital, and the doctor said, ‘If you don’t stop, you’re going to die. And right now, you’re looking like you need a new liver.'”.
He ultimately rejoined Limp Bizkit in 2018 following his commitment to improving his wellbeing.
“I quit drinking and did everything the doctors told me. I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match,” he told Loudwire. “I’m back, and I feel amazing.”
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.