Rick Buckler, famed for his role as the drummer in The Jam, passed away on February 17 at the age of 69 following a brief illness.

Rick had been a member of the band, which was active from 1972 to 1982 and is known for songs like Town Called Malice, alongside Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton. His former bandmates confirmed the news of his death in separate statements, and fans have paid tribute in posts on social media too.

Paul wrote: “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.”

Paying tribute, Bruce said: “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,”

The news comes after Rick had been forced to cancel a recent spoken word tour due to “ongoing health issues”. On February 1 his team posted a message about the cancellation on Facebook, which read: “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 first 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.

“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.”

Born in Woking, Rick attended Sheerwater Secondary School, where he joined forces with fellow pupils Paul and Bruce to form The Jam in the early 1970s. He remained an integral part of the group until they disbanded in 1982. The split was instigated by Paul, and in a later interview with The Strange Brew, Rick 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.”

Following the split, Rick went on to form Time UK, and after that venture 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 joined him and they started touring as From the Jam. However, Rick left From the Jam in September 2009 because he felt that continuing to perform without Paul could lead to him and Bruce becoming a Jam tribute band. After leaving, he worked in various other roles in the music industry over the years and also wrote several books on The Jam’s history. He is survived by his wife Lesley and their two children, Jason and Holly.

The news of his death has prompted tributes on social media. One fan wrote: “RIP Rick Buckler. Thanks for all the good times and great memories.” Another said: “So sad to hear the news of Rick Buckler of the Jam passing. First band I ever saw live and still the best I’ve ever seen. RIP Rick.” A third wrote on X: “I have just heard the devastating news about #RickBuckler. Not only was he a brilliant drummer but he was the driving force behind so many of the songs by The Jam we all know and love. Thank you for the memories Rick. There will be an extra star shining in the sky tonight.”

Someone else commented: “RIP Rick Buckler! Thanks for the music, memories, and inspiration!” Another fan wrote: “Sad to hear that Rick Buckler has died. He leaves some legacy that he will always be a big part of The best band that has ever been. Thank you & God bless.”

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