Rest in Peace, Sam Rivers

On 18 October 2025, Sam Rivers, an important musician in the nu metal scene, passed away. He was the co-founder of Limp Bizkit and thus responsible for some of my absolute favourite tracks from my youth. I don't want to speculate about the cause of death here, nor does it matter. I would have seen him live with his band at Rock am Ring 2026, but instead I'm now watching a tearful Fred Durst talking about his deceased friend.

A brief explanation of why Sam Rivers' death affects me so deeply. In the 90s, there were only three bands that opened the door to metal for me: Metallica, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit. Linkin Park mixed rap and electronic music with metal, Metallica won me over with their symphony album (S&M) and Limp Bizkit also incorporated hip hop. As a big fan of genre crossovers, that was probably the deciding factor. Limp Bizkit completely struck a chord with me. Not always profound, but always authentic. They took the weight out of metal and focused on an energy that was particularly evident in live concerts. To this day.

Sam Rivers was and remains primarily responsible for this. As co-founder, he was the musical anchor of Limp Bizkit from the very beginning. In a recently released video, Fred Durst said that in 1994, when he was looking for the right band members, he focused primarily on rhythm and drums: ‘I saw him play and it blew me away. He also played a five-string bass. I had never seen anyone use one before. He was so smooth, he stood out, and I heard nothing but Sam. Everything else disappeared beside his talent.’ In fact, Sam Rivers was the secret hero of a band that was fortunate enough to consist of five top individualists.

Why am I mentioning crossovers? It was Rivers who first brought together Durst's hip-hop vocals, Wes Borland's anarchic riffs and DJ Lethal's scratches. He was also the one who suggested jazz drummer John Otto as the band's drummer back then. Together with him, he gave Limp Bizkit that unmistakable groove that set the band apart from other representatives of the genre. On Results May Vary, Sam also picked up the guitar during Wes Borland's hiatus and had a double influence on the album's arrangement. So when his grieving colleagues describe him today as the ‘heartbeat’ of the band, it's not just an emotional statement. It's true. Back in 2000, he was named ‘Best Rock Bass Player’ at the Orville H. Gibson Awards.

But there is also the human component, which of course can only be judged from the outside. Sam was more of a quiet guy, without scandals, always consciously subordinate to the two show-offs Durst and Borland. Nevertheless, he brought the halls to a boil with his iconic bounce interludes and music. Parallel to Bizkit, Rivers made it his mission to support local bands from Jacksonville and the surrounding area with their first recordings and gigs, e.g. Burn Season, The Embraced and Indorphine. DJ Lethal also praises Rivers' charity work and social commitment. In 2015, he left the band due to severe liver disease, later received a transplant, returned in 2018 and spoke openly about his alcohol problems and his recovery thanks to a new lifestyle – a comeback that emotionally bonded fans and the band.

The quiet representatives are usually the most important pillars within a band project. Sam Rivers had a significant influence on my love of music, without me even realising it at the time. That's what bassists, or good musicians in general, do when they devote themselves to music instead of the limelight. For the past few days, I've been listening to Bizkit over and over again and feeling Sam's basslines even more. He made nu metal danceable. On 24 August 2025, he performed with Limp Bizkit at the Leeds Festival in England. It was to be his last gig with his friends and colleagues Fred, Wes, John and Leors. Rest in peace and thanks for the music.