A co-founding member of a popular rock/nu metal band is dead at age 48.

Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers died on Saturday, the group announced on social media. A cause of death was not given, but Rivers reportedly had a history of alcohol-related liver disease.

“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” Limp Bizkit said. “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.”

Rivers began playing music in middle school as a tuba player before switching to bass and guitar. He and singer-rapper Fred Durst initially formed a band called Malachi Sage in Florida, then formed Limp Bizkit in 1994 with drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland and, later, former House of Pain turntablist DJ Lethal.

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