Rick Buckler, drummer from The Jam, passed away on February 17th after a short illness. Buckler was the only drummer for The Jam from their formation as teens in the early ‘70s until their last show in 1982. He drummed for many bands after The Jam, some with Jam bassist Bruce Foxton, some celebrating the band’s catalog, but The Jam never reunited, and without leader Paul Weller, the rhythm section never quite reached that level of success or adoration after the band split.
I first heard about The Jam a couple years after they broke up from my pal Burk, who would pontificate about their genius late into the morning hours of many a Michigan Upper Peninsula night while All Mod Cons welcomed the sunrise. I borrowed each album, rather coveted in those days, many with a “Property of WBKX” stamp, two at a time, and recorded them to cassette, starting with the greatest hits SNAP! Compilation and ending with their swan song, The Gift. I wore those tapes out, then the CDs, and full circle, the vinyl. A few years ago, a box arrived on the porch; Burk had gifted me the entire Jam 7” collection, recently procured from an estate sale in Minnesota. What a gift.
The Jam sit at or near the top of my favorite bands I’ll never get to see. Somewhere the Minutemen are opening for them, and I’ve got front row seats. RIP Rick Buckler.
Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit, fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos, and plays acoustic shows all over the place. Follow them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
www.thetucos.com
www.facebook.com/jeremyportermusic
www.rockandrollrestrooms.com
Twitter: @jeremyportermi | Instagram: @onetogive & @jeremyportermusic
