Rick Buckler, drummer in The Jam, has died at the age of 69. The news was confirmed by his ex-bandmates on social media.
The band was led by singer and guitarist Paul Weller, who posted on X: “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.”
Bass player Bruce Foxton added: “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.”
In a statement, his family described him as a “loving husband, father and grandfather” who was “devoted to many” and will be “greatly missed.”
The statement added that he “passed away peacefully on Monday evening in Woking after a short illness with family by his side.”
In 2015, Buckler spoke to MOJO’s Chris Catchpole and explained the origins of The Jam, who were active from 1972-1982. The band became quite popular in the punk and new wave era of the late 1970s. They are also widely credited with inspiring a revival in mod fashion and music.
“Me and Paul sort of knew each other at school. Anybody who was interested in music used to hang around the music room and swap albums. Paul and Steve [Brookes, original Jam guitarist] had a gig and needed someone to play drums. He gave me a big stack of albums that were sort of Chuck Berry-style things and said, ‘Go away and learn some of those.’”
Later on in the interview, Buckler, who was born in Woking, England, reflected on the band’s history. “The band was evolving all the way along the line and it almost stares you in the face when you look at it from a retrospective point of view. We were always pushing the boundaries of what we could do with a three-piece band. It meant that each album had its own identity. Just the diversity of tracks.
“The difference between ‘Ghosts’ and ‘Absolute Beginners’ and ‘Funeral Pyre’ and ‘Start!.’ They’re all totally different in the way they’ve been approached and recorded. I think in the early days we felt we had to prove ourselves to the record company or prove ourselves to an audience so that we could gain our own fan base. It just seemed to be an ethic that we carried on.”
