Limp Bizkit’s singer Fred Durst has shared a heartfelt video tribute to his late bandmate Sam Rivers following the bassist’s passing. On Saturday, the band announced that Sam had died at age 48 after a battle with liver disease. To the group, he was more than just their bassist, he was also a brother and the driving force behind their sound. As tributes flooded in from fans around the world, Fred opened up about the deep sadness he feels over losing one of his closest friends. In a video posted on social media, he described Sam as “gifted, unbelievably sweet and a wonderful person.”
He spoke fondly of the first time he met Sam, and how he knew he was the right person for the band. “I had this idea and vision for this particular type of style and sound, and I just couldn’t get it together right,” he shared. “And so I decided, ‘I’m gonna go out and find the right players to do this and bring this thing together.’ I went into this little tiny bar/pub where this band was playing at Jax Beach called Pier 7. And there Sam was on the stage with his band, killing it on the bass. And I went, ‘Oh my gosh, this guy’s amazing.'”
“And in my mind, it was, you had to start with the, the rhythm section, the bass and the drums, and [I] didn’t know who I was gonna meet first,” the singer went on. “To put this idea together. Didn’t know if it’d be the drummer or the bass player, but it was the bass player. I saw Sam play and I was blown away. He’s playing a five-string bass, too. I’d never really seen someone using a five-string bass and just, he was so smooth and good and he stood out, and I could hear nothing else but Sam, you know? Everything disappeared besides his gift.”
© InstagramAfter speaking with Sam about his vision, the bassist agreed to join, and Fred went about piecing the band together. Sam invited his cousin John Otto to join as drummer. “John and Sam – it was a magical thing, the two of them,” Fred said.
© Getty ImagesFred also talked about how Sam was a very private person. “He’s a very, very special, genuine person, and when he got on that stage, it’s that Sam – that Sam Rivers came out and just… he’s a beast.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images“I’m very fortunate to have him in my life, and, and I’m so grateful, so incredibly grateful to have shared part of this journey with Sam Rivers,” he shared, concluding: “A huge part of this journey, a huge part of my journey. I’m super, super grateful and I miss him terribly already. All the support and love out there I’ve seen online, it’s overwhelming. He really did have an impact on the world, and his music and his gift is the one that’s gonna keep on giving. And I just love him so much.”
