The Jam Drummer Rick Buckler Dead at 69

Rick Buckler, the drummer for the legendary rock band The Jam, has died after a brief illness.

His death in Woking, UK was confirmed on X by his former bandmates, with Paul Weller reflecting on their journey from bedroom rehearsals to achieving more than they ever dreamed -- saying what they created still stands the test of time.

Rick's other former bandmate, Bruce Foxton, called him a great drummer whose innovative beats helped shape their iconic songs, including "Going Underground" -- and he also expressed how grateful he was to have had the chance to work with him as much as they did.

Rick's death comes just two weeks after he had to cancel a recent spoken word tour due to ongoing health issues, which he shared in a Facebook post.

The trio met in school, and they formed The Jam in '72. Their debut album, "In the City," dropped in '77, and they went on to release several albums and four number-one singles before breaking up in '82.

Rick took a break from music in the mid-'90s to work as a carpenter, but made a comeback in 2005 with a new band, The Gift -- which Bruce later joined -- and they toured together from 2007 to 2009.

Rick is survived by his wife, Lesley, and two children.

He was 69.