It’s been about eight months since the untimely death of Limp Bizkit’s Sam Rivers. Now, Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland is opening up about losing his bandmate and friend, who he says “was the heartbeat” of the band.
Speaking to Consequence, Borland confessed that he’s still “very emotional” when talking about Rivers. “He was like family,” the guitarist shared. “I’m gonna try not to cry. It’s just like we lost a piece of our DNA… It’s too hard to talk about right now in depth.”
Rivers “can’t ever be replaced,” Borland added. However, the band still feels “so lucky” to have Richie Buxton (aka Kid Not) as their new bassist. “He’s such a great player,” Borland said, “and he’s just a wonderful guy, and we’re gonna hold onto him for as long as we can.”
Drawing a line in the sand, Borland then added, “[But] Sam is not a replaceable person. He was the heartbeat. It’s very emotional talking about it. I think that last year when it happened, we were all kind of in shock, and now we’re all grieving.”
Sam Rivers was 48 years old at the time of his death
Limp Bizkit’s founding bassist, Rivers, passed away on October 28, 2025. He died at his home in Florida. Reports indicated that he suffered a cardiac arrest, though his official cause of death remains unclear.
In the wake of Rivers’ death, Limp Bizkit issued a joint statement honoring their fallen bandmate. “Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” the statement read. “Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player—he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, 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,” the joint statement continued. “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,” Limp Bizkit added. “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.
Finally, the band concluded their message: “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends. — Fred, Wes, John & DJ Lethal.”
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