Rick Buckler obit

The Jam's drummer Rick Buckler dies aged 69 as bandmates pay tribute

The Jam drummer Rick Buckler has sadly died at the age of 69 after a short illness, his bandmates Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton have confirmed in separate statements

 

He was not on the list.

The music world is mourning the loss of The Jam's drummer Rick Buckler, who died at 69 following a brief illness on February 17. His former bandmates Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton have each paid tribute.

Weller expressed his grief, saying: "I'm shocked and saddened by Rick's passing. I'm thinking back to us all rehearsing in my bedroom in Stanley Road, Woking. To all the pubs and clubs we played at as kids, to eventually making a record. What a journey! We went far beyond our dreams and what we made stands the test of time. My deepest sympathy to all family and friends - P.W x."

Foxton also shared his sentiments: "I was shocked and devastated to hear the very sad news today. Rick was a good guy and a great drummer whose innovative drum patterns helped shape our songs. I'm glad we had the chance to work together as much as we did. My thoughts are with Leslie and his family at this very difficult time,".

Buckler had recently had to cancel a spoken word tour due to health problems. On February 1, a message was posted on Facebook regarding the cancellation: "Rick and his team want all the fans of Rick and The Jam to know that due to ongoing health issues Rick has been advised to take a break from touring his spoken word events booked for the frst quarter of 2025.

"Rick has been really touched by the number of fans who have booked to see the shows, but presently he has been advised to rest, repair and build his physical strength in order to deal with touring up and down the UK.", reports the Express.

"Rick was really excited to bring his updated "in conversation" show to life in so many new venues and to both loyal fans and new audiences. Once again thank you for you continued love, support and understanding. We will keep you up to date as time goes along. Rick looks forward to seeing you all down the road."

Hailing from Woking, Rick attended Sheerwater Secondary School, where he joined forces with fellow students Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton to form the iconic band The Jam in the early 1970s. He remained a key member until the group's dissolution in 1982.

The split was initiated by Weller, and in a later interview with The Strange Brew, Buckler reflected: "One thing that struck me immediately...was how we just got on with it. We spoke about Paul leaving, and then we just got back into what we were doing, we immersed ourselves in the recording, we were in a recording studio, where Paul made the announcement. We got straight back into work.

"And it was almost not mentioned again, the reasons why Paul wanted to leave...There was no reason. There was no great scheme. The reason that Paul gave us was about why he wanted to leave the band in that initial meeting was rubbish, basically," he said.

Following The Jam's breakup, Buckler went on to form a new band, Time UK, and after they disbanded, he transitioned into production, operating a studio in Islington. In the mid-1990s, he took a break from music and started working as a carpenter in Woking, Surrey, creating cabinets and 'distressed' furniture.

He made a comeback to the music industry in 2005 when he formed a new band called the Gift, which exclusively played old songs from the Jam's repertoire. In 2007, Bruce Foxton joined him and they started touring under the name From the Jam.

However, Buckler left From the Jam in September 2009, fearing that continuing without Weller could lead to them becoming a Jam tribute band. After leaving, he worked in various roles in the music industry and wrote several books about The Jam's history.

He is survived by his wife Lesley and their two children, Jason and Holly.