Rick Buckler, famous as the drummer with mod revivalists The Jam, has died at the age of 69. The news was confirmed in a statement by his agent, a month after Buckler was obliged to cancel a run of spoken word engagements due to "ongoing health issues."
The statement read: "Rick Buckler, best known as the legendary drummer of The Jam, passed away peacefully on Monday evening in Woking after a short illness with family by his side.
"Rick was a loving husband, father and grandfather and was a devoted friend to many, who will be greatly missed. His family have asked for privacy and respect during this time.
"Formed in 1972 in Woking, Surrey, the powerhouse three-piece comprised of singer, guitarist Paul Weller and drummer Rick Buckler and later bassist Bruce Foxton. The Jam had 18 consecutive UK Top 40 singles from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1982, including four number 1 hits.
"Rick was also successful with other avenues following The Jam which included furniture design and restoration, writing a number of books and keeping a strong relationship with his fans through his Q and A's."
Buckler was born in Woking in 1955 and formed The Jam – who quickly developed a reputation as an electrifying live act – with Weller and Foxton while still at school.
"There is no place to hide, and we learned that quite early on," he told writer Malcolm Wyatt in 2018. "I think we were struggling to be a four-piece, so really felt we had to work hard, and that alone justified what the band were about.
"I think that’s why we were so powerful on stage – the fact that everybody’s pulling their weight and filling all those gaps with interesting things. We were big fans of cutting out the rubbish. If we thought it was getting boring or irrelevant, we’d drop it straight away – cut straight to the chase."
After Weller broke up the band at the height of their success, Buckler formed Time UK and embarked on a short-lived career in production before leaving the music business. He returned in 2005 with a new band, The Gift – named after the final album by The Jam – before hooking up with Foxton again in From The Jam.
After four years, Buckler left From The Jam, unhappy at their reliance on The Jam's catalogue and reluctance to write new material, and apparently annoyed by Foxton's decision to work with Weller again.
"I’m shocked and saddened by Rick’s passing," posted Weller in the wake of the news of Buckler's death. "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.”
"I was shocked and devastated to hear the very sad news today," wrote Foxton. "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."
