Fred Durst spoke warmly about Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers, who recently passed away. In an Instagram video, he called him “the legend” and “such a gifted, unbelievably sweet and wonderful person.”
Fred Durst talks about Sam Rivers
Durst recalled first meeting Sam in Jacksonville, Florida, when he was trying to form a band that matched a specific “style and sound” he had in mind. After struggling to find the right players, Durst decided to scout musicians himself.
“I’d gone into this little tiny bar pub where this band was playing at Jack’s 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.”
Durst said that for him, building a great band started with “the rhythm section, the bass and the drums.” When he saw Rivers play, he was immediately struck by his skill and tone:
“He was playing a five-string bass… He was so smooth and good and he stood out. I could hear nothing else but Sam. Everything disappeared besides his gift.”
After the show, Durst approached Sam and pitched his idea for a band.
“I said, ‘Hey, man, you’re unbelievable… I got this idea for this band I want to do,’ and he looked at me and says, ‘Killer, I’m in.’”
That moment became the foundation of Limp Bizkit. Once the two began jamming together, Sam introduced Durst to his cousin, drummer John Otto —
“Sam said, ‘My cousin John’s a killer drummer. He’s a jazz drummer. He should jam with us.’”
Durst immediately recognized Otto’s talent, saying “he had the thing.” Soon after, Fred, Sam, and John were jamming in Sam’s garage, setting the stage for what would become one of the most defining lineups in nu metal history.
