Rick Buckler Dead: The Jam Drummer Was 69

Rick Buckler, the drummer for seminal mod-punk band the Jam, died Feb. 17 in Woking, U.K. He was 69.

Buckler’s death was confirmed by his bandmates Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton on social media. Buckler’s death comes a few weeks after he had to cancel an ongoing spoken-word tour due to health complications.

“I’m shocked and saddened by Rick’s passing,” Weller shared in a tribute on X. “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.”

The Jam was formed in 1972 while the members were still in secondary school, and after starting out playing covers they began to gravitate toward a modern mod sound. The trio’s first album “In the City” was released in 1977, with the influential “All Mod Cons” coming the next year. With a propulsive, melodic sound that melded punk, new wave and soul, the Jam had 18 consecutive U.K. Top 40 singles, with their song “That’s Entertainment” becoming one of the U.K.’s top import singles of all time. Other notable songs included “A Town Called Malice” and “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.” They broke up in 1982.

Following the Jam’s success in the United Kingdom, Buckler created a new band called Time UK with Jimmy Edwards, Ray Simone, Danny Kustow and bassist Martin Gordon, and later played in Sharp with Foxton. After leaving the music industry in the ’90s, Buckler helped create the Gift in 2005 and joined as a drummer in 2011.

Jam bandmate Foxton also shared a statement: “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.”

Most recently, Buckler published his autobiography, “That’s Entertainment: My Life in the Jam,” in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Lesley, and two children.