More Limp BizkitFounding Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers has passed away at the age of 48. The cause of death has not been announced, with the band announcing Rivers’ passing in a post on social media.
“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat. Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic,” the group wrote. “The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound. 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. He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends.
“And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory,” they concluded. “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother.”
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Band member DJ Lethal urged fans to respect the family’s privacy and to “give Sam his flowers and play Sam Rivers basslines all day”.
Rivers was a founding member of Limp Bizkit, becoming friends with vocalist Fred Durst after the pair met during a retail job. The two formed their first band, Malachi Sage, before later regrouping as Limp Bizkit.
Together, they would go on to become one of the most influential acts at the turn of the century, bringing together their love for skating and nu-metal in a powerful combination that resonated with teens across the globe.
Songs like Nookie, Rollin’, Break Stuff and Take A Look Around cemented their place as the voice of a generation, while their cover of The Who’s Behind Blue Eyes took them to new mainstream heights in 2003.
The band’s first Australian tour was the 2001 Big Day Out, with the performance ending in tragic circumstances following the death of teenager Jessica Michalik in the Sydney mosh pit. Their remaining shows were cancelled. It took eleven years for the band to return with a triumphant set at Soundwave in 2012, with those shows dedicated to Michalik.
The band went on hiatus in 2004 at which time Rivers became a producer, working with local Jacksonville bands until the band’s reunion later in the decade. It was reported in 2015 that Rivers had left Limp Bizkit following medical issues, however in a 2020 interview he revealed his departure was due to liver disease brought on by drinking. He subsequently received a liver transplant and rejoined the band in recent years.
The band’s last Australian tour was for the 2023 edition of the Good Things Festival, which followed on from the release of their first album in a decade, 2021’s Still Sucks. Just last month, the group released their latest single, Making Love To Morgan Wallen, which gave the band their first No. 1 single in decades.
As fans around the world mourn the sad loss today, Limp Bizkit’s DJ Lethal added his own tribute in a comment on the band’s main post.
“You will live on through your music and the lives you helped save with your music, charity work and friendships,” he wrote. “We are heartbroken. Enjoy every millisecond of life. It’s not guaranteed.”