Rick Buckler, drummer with The Jam, died in Woking on 17 February 2025, aged 69, after a short illness. A management statement said he died peacefully with his family by his side. No specific cause of death was disclosed in the reports.
What happened to Rick Buckler?
The Jam’s management said Buckler died on Monday evening in Woking after a short illness, with family at his side. The statement, reproduced by RTÉ on 18 February 2025, did not identify the illness or give a specific cause of death.
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Rick Buckler’s place in The Jam
Born in Woking, Surrey, on 6 December 1955, Buckler met Paul Weller and other early members of The Jam at school. He joined the band soon after Weller formed it in 1972. The classic trio comprised Buckler on drums, Bruce Foxton on bass and Weller on vocals and guitar.
Buckler played on all six of The Jam’s studio albums. The Guardian’s 2025 obituary credits the band with 18 consecutive UK Top 40 singles, including four that reached No. 1. The group’s sound changed over time, moving from sharper punk-influenced songs toward more reflective material. Buckler’s drumming was part of that evolving three-piece sound, rather than the work of one member alone.
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Music and work after The Jam
After The Jam, Buckler played with Time UK, Sharp and the Highliners. The Gift became From the Jam in 2007; Buckler left From the Jam in 2009. He also worked in music production and as a roadie, and later worked as a carpenter and cabinet maker.
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Buckler’s Jam-related books include the co-authored The Jam: Our Story (1993), That’s Entertainment: My Life in the Jam (2015), and the co-authored The Jam 1982 (2022). In the Guardian’s obituary, he reflected on his approach: “I’m not the greatest in the world, but I did take a leaf out of Ringo Starr’s book,” adding, “He realised that the song is the star.” The obituary does not give the original interview date.
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Foxton’s tribute, as reported by the Guardian, described Buckler as “a good guy and a great drummer whose innovative drum patterns helped shape our songs.”
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