Fred Durst is remembering Sam Rivers. Following the Limp Bizkit bassist’s death, the band’s frontman took to Instagram to share a lengthy video tribute to his longtime pal, who died on Oct. 18 of undisclosed causes. He was 48.
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Durst began the video by calling Rivers a “legend,” and “such a gifted, unbelievably sweet and wonderful person.”
He then moved to sharing how he met Rivers at a time when was trying to put a band together, but couldn’t find the just right people to do so. It was then that he came upon Rivers playing at a beach bar.
“I went, ‘Oh, my gosh, this guy’s amazing,’” Durst recalled. “… I saw Sam play and I was blown away… He was so smooth and good. He stood out and I could hear nothing else but Sam. Everything disappeared besides his gift.”
After the show, Durst pitched his band idea to Rivers. The bassist responded by saying, “Killer, I’m in. Let’s do it.”
The rest, as they say, was history. Durst and Rivers began putting together their band starting with the latter’s cousin, a drummer named John Otto.
“John and Sam, it was a magical thing, the two of them,” Durst said. “I felt like, ‘This is it. This is it. This is this is what I’ve been looking for.’”
Durst continued his post by once again praising Rivers’ musical talent.
“He had this kind of ability to pull this beautiful sadness out of the out of the bass that I’d never heard,” Durst said. “He was just so talented. I can’t explain.”
Fred Durst Praises “Legend” Sam Rivers
Durst then moved on to Rivers’ untimely death, stating, “It’s so tragic that he’s not here right now. I’ve gone through gallons and gallons of tears since yesterday.”
“Sam’s a legend. He did it. He lived it,” Durst said. “… [We’ve] been around the world together, shared so many moments together. I know that wherever Sam is right now, he’s smiling and feeling like, ‘Man, I did it. I did it.’ And man, did he do it. What he’s left us behind is priceless.”
It’s not just Rivers’ talent that made him great, but his heart too.
“He’s a very, very special, genuine person,” Durst said. “When he got on that stage, he said, ‘Sam, I am.’ Sam Rivers came out and just he’s a beast, just an amazing, amazing person.”
Durst concluded his video by thinking back on his relationship with Rivers, stating, “Sam was the first guy that really came in and helped make this dream come true.”
“I just knew that I was very, very, very fortunate to have him in my life,” he said. “I’m so grateful, so incredibly grateful, to have shared part of this journey with Sam Rivers… I miss him terribly already.”
“All the support and love out there I’ve seen online, it’s overwhelming,” Durst added. “He really did have an impact on the world. His music and his gift is the one that’s going to keep on giving. I just love him so much.”
Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images
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