Rick Buckler, Drummer for The Jam, Dies at 69

Mar. 15, 2025

Rick Buckler in 1982.Photo:Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock

Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock

Rick Buckler, the drummer for the British rock band The Jam, has died. He was 69.

In a statementshared with the BBC, Buckler’s family called him a “loving husband, father and grandfather” who was “devoted to many” and will be “greatly missed.”

“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.”

Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton and Paul Weller in San Francisco in 1977.Chris Walter/WireImage

Chris Walter/WireImage

Bruce Foxton, The Jam’s bassist, also shared via Weller’sX account, “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.”

He added: “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.”

PerRolling Stone, The Jam formed in 1972 and was best known for their songs “In the City,” “Going Underground,” “That’s Entertainment” and “Just Who Is the 5 O’Clock Hero?” The Jam dissolved in 1982. Their sound combined punk, new wave and soul genres.

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Buckley would go on to perform with another British band called Time UK. He also formed another band called Sharp in the mid-’80s, which included his The Jam bandmates.

Buckler eventually transitioned to production and would go on to become a carpenter, building cabinets and other furniture.

He returned to the stage briefly in 2005 as part of a band called The Gift. The drummer went on to write an autobiography titledThat’s Entertainment: My Life in the Jamand a book about The Jam’s final year calledThe Jam 1982.

Rick Buckler in London.Steve Morley/Redferns

Steve Morley/Redferns

When discussing the legacy of The Jam with UK publication,The Strange Brew, Buckler found it surreal that The Jam was still relevant. “It’s just the fact that we’re still talking about it, and that people are still interested in it, the records are still selling,” he reflected. “I have to pinch myself every morning and think well, wow.”

“We didn’t set out to do that, we set out to be for ourselves, we set out to be a great band. That was it, that was all, like playing live and touring. That’s quite a simple ambition as far as we were concerned. So to have this still being listened to all these years later just blows you away.”

source: people.com