Jim Gordon drummer, did you know this?

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
In 1983 he was diagnosed as schizophrenic, attacked his mother with a hammer, then fatally stabbed her. He was given 16 years to life in 1984. This is according to Wiki.

I decided to read up on Blaine, Keltner and Gordon, I started with Gordon, and found this.
Does anyone know if he got out and if so what he's been up to? Kinda shocked, I wasn't expecting this.
 
In 1983 he was diagnosed as schizophrenic, attacked his mother with a hammer, then fatally stabbed her. He was given 16 years to life in 1984. This is according to Wiki.

I decided to read up on Blaine, Keltner and Gordon, I started with Gordon, and found this.
Does anyone know if he got out and if so what he's been up to? Kinda shocked, I wasn't expecting this.

I believe he's still incarcerated. There was a lengthy Rolling Stone article from the 80's that detailed his sad story, that you might be able to find on the web (that's where I found it, some years ago).

I recently bought the Beach Boys' Smile Sessions box, and noticed that Jim Gordon played on a fair amount of the sessions (like "Heroes and Villains"). I think he was only around 20 or 21 at the time (this was 1966-1967), and was just breaking into L.A. session work (I think Blaine was referring him for work that he (Blaine) was unavailable for).

Ed
 
...

Wow, didnt know this.. what a shame...

I loved his playing on Derek & the Dominos, and some of the old Traffic tunes. He, like Bonham, was well ahead of his time, and playing drums at a different level from his contemporaries..
 
I heard a few years ago that he is still in a mental hospital.

He has been pretty much financially independent all these years due to his royalties for his co-writing credit on Layla.

Many think that his drug use contributed greatly to his mental condition. If he was in the same situation today with all the awareness, treatments, etc.. he may have never gotten so ill that he would have killed his mother.

It's a shame. Great drummer.

I've often wondered whether he still plays drums at all these days.
 
As far as I know, he is still locked up.

I always like this picture.
jimgordon4.jpg


One of the top studio drummers at the time, and his toms not only don't match, they they aren't even the same brand. It is a reminder how caught up we tend to get with having all our gear just so, when the guys who made legendary albums didn't care how it looked, or if it matched, or was even the same brand, as long as it sounded right and got the job done.
 
yeah he's legendary, obviously not cool what he did. but a great musician.
 
He's still locked up. There's a petition out there to try and get him out on parole. http://jamiethompson.net/jim_gordon.htm

The lineage of busy LA studio drummers kind of went from Earl Palmer to Hal Blaine to Jim Gordon to Jim Keltner to Jeff Porcaro. As one guy got too busy, he'd pass work on to the next guy. The golden age of studio drumming.

That's Jim Gordon on Steely Dan's Rikki Don't Lose That Number.

Tragic story..
 
Indeed a very, very sad story. Real shame. I was aware of the petition to get him out but he keeps being ruled to stay in, I guess a risk to re-offend. Mental illness can creep in the background for years. While his was not totally drug-related, apparently his problems did increase after intense drug use, starting with the Derek/Domino sessions. I read this in one of Claptons books.
 
While his was not totally drug-related, apparently his problems did increase after intense drug use, starting with the Derek/Domino sessions. I read this in one of Claptons books.
The Derek and the Dominoes sessions were notoriously drug fueled. Everyone, not just Jim was high for weeks and that's way up in the air, sky high.
 
Just reading about this a few days ago. I guess 'tragic' covers it.
 
As far as I know, he is still locked up.

I always like this picture.
jimgordon4.jpg


One of the top studio drummers at the time, and his toms not only don't match, they they aren't even the same brand. It is a reminder how caught up we tend to get with having all our gear just so, when the guys who made legendary albums didn't care how it looked, or if it matched, or was even the same brand, as long as it sounded right and got the job done.

Looks like a Camco/Rogers combo... IIRC he was never a endorser for anyone, he used that same Oaklawn era Camco kit for ages. A piece of rock and roll history IMHO.
 
Looks like a Camco/Rogers combo... IIRC he was never a endorser for anyone, he used that same Oaklawn era Camco kit for ages. A piece of rock and roll history IMHO.

Close.That tom is a 70's vintage Tama superstar.The lugs are very similar to Rogers beavertail.

It really is a tragedy.This may have been avoided with proper diagnosis,and treatment.I saw him play twice in the 70's.Once with the Dominoes at the Fillmore East,and a year or two later in Central Park with the Souther,Hillman and Furay band.Great drummer,and definately an influence.

Steve B
 
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fantastic drummer, Clapton has said he's the best he ever played with.

Cool list of people he played for too, Delaney and Bonnie, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, when Eric was Derek (obv) etc etc etc.

I heard that they found a hit list on him at some point and Clapton was top, that sounds creepy, but could obviously be just a story and not real.

Big influence on me, the music side that is,
 
Yeah, the group that performed "Bellbottom Blues",Derek and the Dominoes, had a pretty tragic history. Carl Radle, the bass player, was said to have died penniless in New Orleans. Duane Allman, one of the lead guitarists, was killed in a motorcycle accident, Eric Clapton lost a son and Jim Gordon has been in a mental home for quite a while now. I'm sure about the singer Bobby Whitlock. A damn shame really.
 
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