Rick Buckler Dies: The Jam's Drummer Was 69

Rick Buckler, founding drummer for popular and influential British rock trio The Jam, died February 17 after a short illness, his management company said in a statement. He was 69.
'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,' the statement reads. 'Rick was a loving husband, father and grandfather and was a devoted friend to many, who will be greatly missed.'
More from Deadline
2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries
Marianne Faithfull Dies: Singer, Actor And Rolling Stones Muse Was 78
Kim Sae-ron Cause Of Death Revealed
Buckler joined up with frontman singer-guitarist Paul Weller and bassist Bruce Foxton to form The Jam in 1972 and remained with the group until its 1982 breakup. Recording from 1977-82, it was among the era's most popular band in the UK, where The Jam racked up 18 consecutive Top 40 singles, nine Top 10s and four No. 1s: 1980's 'Going Underground' and 'Start,' followed by 'Town Called Malice' — which debuted atop the chart — and 'Beat Surrender' in 1982.
Schooled in soul and R&B music, the group embraced and was embraced by the punk scene and later the new wave craze and Mod revival. It scored 11 Top 10 LPs in the UK, hitting No. 1 with The Gift in 1982 and No. 2 the year before with Sound Affects, later also reaching No. 2 with a live album and two compilation discs. Among its other memorable tracks were 'Absolute Beginners,' 'Just Who Is the 5 O'clock Hero?' and 'Funeral Pyre.'
The band enjoyed only moderate success Stateside, with Sound Affects and The Gift cracking the top half of the Billboard 200 chart. 'Town Called Malice,' with its rollicking Motownesque rhythm and Kinks-like tale of working-class ennui, was its only U.S. singles chart success peaking at No. 31. Sample lyric: 'To either cut down on beer or the kids' new gear/it's a big decision in a town called malice.' Watch the video here:
The Jam would break up in 1982 — at the height of its popularity — when Weller split, to the dismay of Buckler and Foxton, who wanted to continue and wouldn't speak with their singer again. Weller joined with Mick Talbot to form The Style Council, whose first three albums from 1984-87 reached No. 1 or No. 2 in the UK.
Born on December 6, 1955, in Woking, Surrey, Buckley went on to played in bands through the 1980s before taking a break from the music business. He and Foxton reunited in the mid-2000s in From the Jam, which lasted about four years. Buckley later worked in a few other groups and published his memoir That's Entertainment: My Life in the Jam in 2015.
DEADLINE RELATED VIDEO:
He is survived by his wife, Lesley, and their children Jason and Holly.
Weller remembered his bandmate on social media, and also posted a reaction from Foxton:
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 – Bruce Foxton(4/4) pic.twitter.com/aaQgimiQM1
— Paul Weller (@paulwellerHQ) February 18, 2025
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! (1/4 – P.W) pic.twitter.com/UzWBFeWRvJ
— Paul Weller (@paulwellerHQ) February 18, 2025
Best of Deadline
2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries
2025 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Spirits, Tonys, Guilds & More
How To Watch Sunday's 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special' Online & On TV

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Elle

3 hours ago

• Elle

'The Gilded Age' Season 3 Kicks Off with Some Serious Power Moves

Spoilers below. Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) was the clear victor of the Opera Wars that dominated the second season of The Gilded Age. The Metropolitan Opera House's grand opening was a triumph, adding another jewel to the nouveau riche Bertha's society crown. Now, Bertha has an even shinier target: a British duke. But her daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) has different ideas about who she might wed. Bertha faces stiff competition as the Russell patriarch, robber baron George (Morgan Spector), has promised Gladys that she can marry for love. 'Who Is in Charge Here?' is the premiere title, which applies to more than just the Russells. The lavish HBO period drama kicks off with myriad attempts to grab power or assert control in a society with a fondness for rules that rarely favor women. One such incident underscores how divorce in 1880s New York City could be life-ruining even if you aren't the one who committed adultery. It is an eye-opening moment in a season premiere as decadent as the dazzling costumes from Emmy-nominated Kasia Walicka-Maimone. Read on to find out who is at loggerheads, get an update on the clock plot, and learn who is being painted by legendary portrait artist John Singer Sargent. Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) almost lost everything after her son Oscar (Blake Ritson) fell for a con that drained the family finances. Or rather, Agnes lost everything, but a surprise inheritance from Ada's (Cynthia Nixon) husband, Luke Forte (Robert Sean Leonard), saved them from downsizing. Luke's tragic death left Ada with a hole in her heart and the financial means to save her sister. Ada is now the mistress of the house, but that doesn't mean Agnes is falling in line behind her younger sister, especially with the new cause Ada is championing. One early point of contention stems from Ada hosting a temperance meeting. 'Let the sober circus begin,' Agnes quips as people arrive at East 61st Street in the snow. Ada won't let her sister bully her, though, explaining that she has chosen this cause because she wants to honor Luke's memory. 'He cared about people and I will too,' Ada reasons. Of course, Agnes points out the flaws as Luke drank wine with dinner and served Holy Communion. No one does withering delivery quite like Baranski as she takes pleasure in every barb and eye roll. A highlight of this new dynamic is that Ada no longer allows herself to be a doormat. Ada pushes back, instantly making this dynamic even more compelling. Agnes takes her pettiness to new heights and won't let her sister use the good silver for the meeting, prompting confusion regarding the conflicting orders. They want Bannister (Simon Jones ), the butler, to resolve this issue, as they can't have two mistresses. However, it is not as simple as that because Agnes always speaks her mind. On Bridgerton and The Buccaneers, marrying a duke is mainly seen as desirable. However, on The Gilded Age, Gladys only has eyes for sweet Billy Carlton (Matt Walker). Knowing their mother will object, Larry (Harry Richardson) helps his sister meet up with Billy in secret so the couple can discuss their plans to wed. Billy wants to talk to George about proposing, who is currently on business in Arizona. Later at the opera, Billy is concerned about the gossip items he has read in the newspapers that indicate Hector, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), is returning to New York to be with Gladys. However, Gladys thinks her father will ensure she can marry for love, not a title. By now, Gladys should realize that Bertha rules the domestic roost. So much so that when Billy's mother thinks she will find common ground with Bertha about the happy union, Bertha immediately shuts down this talk of celebration. Mamie Fish (Ashlie Atkinson) helped with the whole opera meet-up. 'I'll suffer for that,' she says. However, Mamie also lives for the drama, making this spat worth it. When Bertha confronts Larry about the ruse, she mentions that Mrs. Fish loves gossip more than anything, and he was stupid to involve her. Larry won't be bullied by his mother, insisting Gladys should have a choice. Bertha thinks her children are young and foolish, and even though Larry puts up a fight, there is no winning. Unknown to Bertha, Larry is also in love and, like his sister, he is unofficially betrothed. Marian (Louisa Jacobson) doesn't want to go public yet, as it has only been a few months since she broke off her second engagement. She still has to pass the Bertha Russell test. At the end of season 2, Bertha promised Gladys's hand in marriage (and sizable dowry) to Hector. It would be uncouth to admit that she is planting stories about this forthcoming union in the newspapers, but Bertha is doing everything she can to make this happen. Part of this scheme to ensure her daughter becomes the face of society is commissioning a painting by John Singer Sargent. The Gilded Age has long sprinkled real-life figures amid the fictitious, from regular characters like Caroline Astor (Donna Murphy) and Mrs. Fish to Oscar Wilde and Booker T. Washington. Having Gladys sit for Sargent is another example of how the series marries historical authenticity with the outlandish antics playing out. Bertha is enamored with Sargent and finds the whole Madame X scandal alluring. That particular painting (a personal favorite of many, including myself) now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and recently was on loan at Tate Britain in London (I have seen it in both locations). Bertha references the Mrs. Burckhardt painting ('Lady with the Rose') as capturing a young woman becoming a woman, which is what she wants for Gladys's portrait. While Gladys doesn't understand the fuss, Bertha recognizes the value. Later, Gladys tries to reason that her mother would have loved to see her daughter married to someone from a family like Billy's, but Bertha says they have overtaken them. Now, Gladys needs someone who matches her station. The two can't agree, but Bertha doesn't foresee her daughter running away in the middle of the night. Gladys isn't waiting for her father to get home to fix this mess, but is she eloping? Speaking of George, he is on a business trip out west (Morenci, Arizona, to be precise) because he has grand plans to build a railway line from New York to Chicago and Chicago to Los Angeles. If it comes together, it will be his crowning glory, but it is a huge gamble. For starters, George needs to persuade the land owners that it is a good deal to sell off their mines, which gets off to a slow start.. It is a precocious time for the banks in New York, with George getting called back to the city as there is a 'run on' another financial institution. If too many people withdraw cash, it will go under, and George will lose a fortune. It seems unlikely that George will have too much time to deal with Bertha's plans to wed Gladys—or the funds for the dowry. Will this cause cracks in their own marriage? Theirs is not the only union under strain, and perhaps the most shocking moment of the premiere comes courtesy of Charles Fane (Ward Horton). Until now, Charles hasn't left much of an impression beyond his pearly white smile, but I was ready to fight for his wife Aurora (Kelli O'Hara) when he arrived home late and announced he was leaving her. Aurora could not believe her ears when Charles dropped the mistress bombshell. Aurora has always been sweet and supportive to her family and newcomers like Bertha, but a divorce will end her social life. It might sound incredibly dramatic, yet this exile is likely even though she did nothing wrong. For starters, it is Aurora who will have to file for divorce because Charles is the adulterer, and she needs to establish residency in Newport because New York courts allow the press to enter. Aurora refuses to do so, but Charles makes it clear he will marry the other woman. When Aurora tells Agnes, Ada, and Marian, they are as aghast as Aurora. Marian thinks their friends will surely not turn their backs because she is innocent in all of this. 'Society is not known for its logic, especially where women are concerned,' Aurora responds. Sadly, history tends to show Aurora is right. Another person struggling with their place in the world is footman Jack (Ben Ahlers), who continues to work on his clock invention with Larry as his partner. But some characters view his ambition with suspicion or jealousy. When Jack meets with Larry at the Russell household, there is confusion about whether the Russell footman should serve Jack refreshments. Larry thinks it is ridiculous that his staff assumed otherwise, but the Russell employees make their dissatisfaction known to Jack when he leaves. Adelheid (Erin Wilhelmi) tells Jack he is getting in over his head, which is not true. In fact, Jack needs to speak up and let Larry know he needs to be at the meetings with potential investors, as Larry has no idea about the clock mechanics. Thankfully, Jack's colleagues are far more supportive (Armstrong aside) and dismiss Adelheid's cruel words. They support and want the best for Jack, giving him the boost he needs for confidence. Another person moving up is Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), who traveled to her parents' home in Brooklyn to pick up some mail: the Christian Recorder wants to publish an extract from her work-in-progress novel. After traveling back to the Van Rhijn/Forte residence in the snow, Peggy tries to write new chapters throughout the episode, but gets sicker and sicker. At first, Peggy dismisses the concerns, saying she probably picked something minor up in the cold. But as her cough worsens, Agnes sends for the family physician. However, the doctor refuses to see Peggy because she is Black. Agnes is horrified, especially as Peggy sounds rather ill. In this emergency, Oscar says they must send for her parents, with Jack taking the message. Peggy's father is a pharmacist, and they probably should have contacted the Scotts earlier. For all the frivolity of storylines about socialite marriage and other silly plotlines, Peggy's dilemma is a reminder of the racist 19th-century realities. Despite Agnes thinking she has the power in this household, there are matters she cannot control, which are far more egregious than her sister's new status.

USA Today

5 hours ago

• USA Today

Johnny Depp doesn't regret Amber Heard trial, calls himself a 'crash test dummy for MeToo'

To some, Johnny Depp's headline-making defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard was a stain on his gleaming Hollywood career. But despite the legal drama, Depp wouldn't change a thing. The Oscar-nominated actor reflected on the 2022 court battle in an interview with The Sunday Times published June 21. "Look, none of this was going (to) be easy, but I didn't care," he told the British outlet. "I thought, 'I'll fight until the bitter (expletive) end.' And if I end up pumping gas? That's all right. I've done that before." Depp sued Heard in 2019, claiming she defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she said she was a victim of domestic abuse without specifically naming him. A Virginia jury in 2022 awarded him more than $10 million in damages following six weeks of widely watched testimony, during which both parties and witnesses testified about alleged abuse throughout their 15-month marriage. 'A soap opera': Johnny Depp shades Amber Heard defamation trial "Look, it had gone far enough," Depp, 62, continued. "If I don't try to represent the truth it will be like I've actually committed the acts I am accused of. And my kids will have to live with it. Their kids. Kids that I've met in hospitals. So the night before the trial in Virginia I didn't feel nervous. If you don't have to memories lines, if you're just speaking the truth? Roll the dice." Heard won $2 million in damages from her countersuit over Depp's lawyer calling her claims a hoax. In December 2022, the former couple agreed to a settlement in the defamation case, with Heard paying Depp $1 million that he pledged to charity. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" alum also reflected on the professional fallout from the trial, including testimony from his former agent Tracey Jacobs. According to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Jacobs testified that Depp's industry status was being increasingly undermined by his "unprofessional" on-set behavior, which allegedly included frequent tardiness. "There are people, and I'm thinking of three, who did me dirty. Those people were at my kids' parties. Throwing them in the air," Depp said. "And, look, I understand people who could not stand up (for me) because the most frightening thing to them was making the right choice. I was pre-MeToo. I was like a crash test dummy for MeToo. It was before Harvey Weinstein." 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé The legal troubles of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who was indicted in May 2018 on charges of five sex crimes, are widely regarded as the tipping point for the #MeToo movement's impact on Hollywood. Weinstein was convicted on June 11 of a first-degree criminal sexual act in the retrial of his 2020 conviction on sexual assault and rape charges. Following the conclusion of his trial with Heard, Depp resumed his entertainment career with a starring role in 2023's "Jeanne du Barry," and directed the 2024 period drama "Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness." "Honestly? I didn't go anywhere," said Depp of his showbiz reemergence. "If I actually had the chance to split, I would never come back." Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

UPI

14 hours ago

• UPI

Former Babyshambles guitarist Patrick Walden dead at 46

June 22 (UPI) -- Former Babyshambles guitarist Patrick Walden has died at the age of 46. "It is with deep regret and sadness that we share the news of Patrick Walden's death," the British rock band posted on Instagram Saturday. "We feel very fortunate to have known/loved and worked with him and we kindly ask for respect and privacy during these difficult times. Peter, Drew, Mik, Adam." Details regarding the cause and circumstances of his death were not specified. Variety noted that Walden was an original member of the band when singer Pete Doherty and Drew McConnell formed it in 2004. Walden co-wrote six songs on the group's debut album, Down in Albion, then quit the band in 2005 to deal with substance-abuse and legal issues. Walden -- who also performed with the bands Fluid and White Sport -- reunited with Babyshambles for numerous shows over the years, but never officially rejoined the group. The current lineup of Babyshambles includes Doherty, McConnell, Mick Whitnall and Adam Ficek. Their other albums include 2007's Shotter's Nation and 2013's Sequel to the Prequel. Notable deaths of 2025