Wes Borland says Limp Bizkit “lost a piece of our DNA” with Sam Rivers’ death: “He can’t ever be replaced”
Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland has opened up about the death of bassist Sam Rivers, saying the band are still deeply affected eight months after his passing.
Rivers, who died last October at the age of 48, was one of the founding members of Limp Bizkit, forming the band in 1994 alongside frontman Fred Durst and drummer John Otto. Borland and DJ Lethal joined shortly after in 1996, completing the lineup behind some of nu-metal’s most recognisable hits.
READ MORE: Jackson’s first ever Wes Borland signature model is here: Behold, the Pro Series Wes Borland King V KV
Speaking to Consequence in a recent interview, Borland admits the loss of his bandmate is still difficult to articulate: “[Sam] was like family. I’m gonna try not to cry. It’s just like we lost a piece of our DNA,” he says. “It’s too hard to talk about right now in depth.”
The guitarist adds that Rivers played a critical role in the band’s identity – both musically and personally.
“He can’t ever be replaced. We’re so lucky for Richie [Buxton], who’s playing with us right now. He’s such a great player, and he’s just a wonderful guy, and we’re gonna hold onto him for as long as we can,” says Borland.
“[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.”
Rivers had previously stepped away from Limp Bizkit in 2015 due to health issues later revealed to be liver disease caused by alcohol abuse. He then underwent treatment and received a liver transplant after leaving the band.
“I got liver disease from excessive drinking… I had to leave Limp Bizkit in 2015 because I felt so horrible, and a few months after that I realised I had to change everything because I had really bad liver disease,” Rivers revealed in Jon Wiederhorn’s book Raising Hell (Backstage Tales From The Lives Of Metal Legends). “I quit drinking and did everything the doctors told me. I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match.”
Meanwhile, Limp Bizkit recently made their long-awaited Download Festival headline debut – 23 years after they were first scheduled to play the event. The band are also set to return to the festival circuit with appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock, with tickets now on sale for upcoming dates.
The post Wes Borland says Limp Bizkit “lost a piece of our DNA” with Sam Rivers’ death: “He can’t ever be replaced” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
