Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers has died, aged 48

Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers has died. The 48-year-old’s passing was announced via the band’s Instagram.

“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” they wrote in a message to fans. “Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player – he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, a 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. We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always.”

Sam was a founding member of Limp Bizkit, having formed the band with Fred Durst and John Otto in 1994, and appeared on all of their albums, as well as contributing guitar to 2003’s Results May Vary. In 2015, health issues as a result of excessive drinking led to him leaving until he rejoined in 2018.

No cause of death has been announced. Kerrang! sends our deepest condolences to Sam’s family, friends and bandmates at this time.

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