Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Rick Buckler, 1955-2025
Rick Buckler passed away peacefully Monday night according to a statement from his management company. For those who were alive and aware of British music in the 1970s and 1980s, Mr. Buckler formed a third of the most important trio to come out of that era, the Jam. His drumming was not the typical punk-rock fast and furious all the time. He could pound out rhythms with the best of that lot while at the same time could provide a subtlety that let ballads shine. After the Jam, he continued playing music, wrote a few books and became a furniture designer and restorer. That he passed away in Woking, the same town in which the Jam started, sums him up. He never forgot where he came from and who he was. In the music business, that is an achievement.
"I'm shocked and saddened by Rick's passing," Jam band-mate Paul Weller said 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 other third of the trio, Bruce Foxton, issued a statement that read in part, "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."
The group formed in 1972 and released their first single, "In the City," in 1977. During those years, Mr. Buckler was playing drums at night and on weekends after his job as a draftsman during the day. He was able to give up the job as the band took off.
SkyNews reported, "They had 18 consecutive UK top 40 singles, including four number ones, and also had a UK number one album -- The Gift. The Jam are best remembered for tracks such as Town Called Malice, Going Underground, and Down In The Tube Station At Midnight."
In 1982, at the height of the band's popularity, Paul Weller announced he was quitting the group. It seems he did this without consulting his bandmates before he announced it. Messrs. Foxton and Buckler were stunned, and it took them a while to move on.
"Buckler formed a number of groups including Time UK, Sharp -- which also featured Foxton, and The Gift, named after The Jam's last studio album and playing music from the band's back catalogue," Sky News also said, "He toured with From The Jam, a new band playing covers of his first group, from 2007 to 2009, where he was joined by Foxton, who is still touring with the group."
There is not a Jam fan alive who did not hope for a reunion. Mr. Weller was never going to do it, though. He said he would rather eat his own excrement than do a reunion gig. He has always had a focus on tomorrow rather than yesterday. In the 1990s, the band sued each other over royalties, with Paul and John Weller (father of Paul and band manager) allegedly owing Messrs. Foxton and Buckler £200,000.
That was the end of any hope for a reunion. As Mr. Buckler said, best friends do not take each other to court. He and Mr. Weller do not appear to have spoken in years. It's too bad, but money changes people.
In the end, the drive to do something new does not seem to have left him. He and Mr. Foxton formed From the Jam, and played the old 1970s and 1980s tunes. But fearing it would become just a tribute band, Mr. Buckler quit.
"There's nothing more boring than hearing the same album again," he said in a 2015 interview. "When we made In The City, everyone expected the next album [This Is The Modern World] to be In The City II. But I like all the albums: In The City is that pub rock thing, Sound Affects was where we were at that time. We wanted to make every album different and not do things twice."
Thanks, Rick.
© Copyright 2025 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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