Rick Buckler, The Jam drummer, dead at 69
Rick Buckler, drumming icon known for laying down the backbeat for British legends The Jam, has passed away after a short battle with illness.
Buckler was known as the core of the original trio, playing with the group until their final album, The Gift, in 1982. This came after Butler had to cancel numerous spoken word tours due to his ailments in February 2025. When talking about his ongoing health concerns, Buckler’s team announced that he was advised to take a break from touring based on doctor’s orders.
Ever since The Jam had split, Buckler had turned in time working in a variety of different bands. While he had worked with the band Time in 1983 following the legendary punk act, Buckler would eventually reunite with Jam bassist Bruce Foxton in the band Sharp in the 1990s. While the band never released a full album, their singles were salvaged in a collection of singles of Time, later rechristened Time UK.
After leaving a music career behind to go into business, Buckler re-entered the industry in the 2000s to form the group The Gift, which celebrated the group’s legacy and faced considerable pushback from Weller. Despite Foxton joining the group and eventually calling themselves From the Jam, Buckler ended up leaving the group in 2007.
Up until his passing, Buckler had lived a fairly quiet life outside of the limelight. Outside of his recent tours as a spoken word act, he also moved behind the scenes of the industry, eventually working as a management consultant for various up-and-coming artists.
In a statement, The Jam frontman Paul Weller posted a tribute to his fallen bandmate, 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.”
One of the true icons of Britain’s new wave of punk, Buckler will long be remembered for his contribution to music.
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