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Limp Bizkit\u2019s Fred Durst remembered Sam Rivers as \u201csuch a gifted, unbelievably sweet and wonderful person\u201d after the bassist died over the weekend<\/a> at the age of 48.<\/p>\n In a lengthy and emotional video shared on Instagram<\/a>, Durst recounted the story of how he met and recruited Rivers for Limp Bizkit. The frontman said he\u2019d been struggling to find the right musicians to help him actualize the \u201cidea and vision\u201d he had for the rap-rock outfit, until stumbling upon Rivers playing with another band at a local bar in Jacksonville, Florida.<\/p>\n More from Rolling Stone<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThere Sam was on stage with his band, killing it on the bass, and I went, \u2018Oh my gosh, this guy\u2019s amazing,\u2019\u201d Durst recalled. He noted, too, that Rivers was playing a five-string bass, something he\u2019d never seen before: \u201cHe was so smooth and good, and he stood out, and I could hear nothing else but Sam. Everything else disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n After the show, Durst approached Rivers, complimented his playing, and pitched his idea for Limp Bizkit. Rivers replied, \u201cKiller, I\u2019m in. Let\u2019s do it!\u201d<\/p>\n After they\u2019d been jamming for a while, Rivers suggested the burgeoning group recruit his cousin, John Otto, who was a jazz drummer. With Durst having previously noted how important the rhythm section was to a band like Limp Bizkit, he said listening to Rivers and Otto play together was \u201ca magical thing\u201d and exactly what he\u2019d long been searching for.<\/p>\n Durst went on to praise Rivers\u2019 knack for playing any idea Durst threw out \u2014 \u201cand do it a thousand times better than I could hear it in my head\u201d \u2014 as well as his \u201cability to pull this beautiful sadness out of the bass that I\u2019d never heard.\u201d The frontman called his old friend a \u201clegend\u201d who \u201cdid it\u201d and \u201clived it.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cWith Limp Bizkit, we\u2019ve been on such a journey, it\u2019s been a massive roller coaster, and here we are just having this incredible moment, man, and it\u2019s going so, so beautifully smooth. And Sam was just really happy about it. Rocked stadiums together, been around the world together, shared so many moments together. And I know that, wherever Sam is right now, he\u2019s smiling and feeling like, \u2018Man, I did it. I did it.\u2019 And, man, did he do it. What he\u2019s left us behind is priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n Durst closed by saying he already missed Rivers terribly, and expressed his gratitude for \u201call the support and love\u201d he\u2019s seen from fans. \u201cHe really did have an impact on the world,\u201d Durst said. \u201cHis music and his gift is one that\u2019s gonna keep on giving. I just love him so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Limp Bizkit confirmed Rivers\u2019 death over the weekend, though a cause of death was not disclosed. \u201cToday we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,\u201d Limp Bizkit said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cSam Rivers wasn\u2019t just our bass player \u2014 he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.\u201d<\/p>\n Best of Rolling Stone<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for RollingStone’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n