A Grammy Award-winning drummer accountable for cowriting the seminal rock ballad Layla has died in a California psychological hospital, after being jailed for almost 40 years for killing his mom throughout a schizophrenic episode.
Hailed for his stints with a few of rock’s greatest names within the 60s and 70s, Jim Gordon died of pure causes Monday on the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, his publicist introduced Tuesday – revealing the fallen star was now at relaxation ‘after a protracted incarceration and lifelong battle with psychological sickness.’ He was 77.
A Los Angeles native, Gordon’s story serves as probably the most stark falls from grace in all of rock ‘n’ roll.
As soon as a founding member of Eric Clapton’s Derek and the Dominos and one of many major drummers on George Harrison‘s All Issues Should Move, his oeuvre consists of lots of of recognizable songs.
Along with being a credited co-writer of Clapton’s’ 1970 traditional, his stick work will be heard on notable albums just like the Seaside Boys’ Pet Sounds, and singles reminiscent of Carly Simon’s ‘You are So Useless’.
Jim Gordon, a founding member of Eric Clapton’s Derek and the Dominos and one of many major drummers on George Harrison’s All Issues Should Move, died in a California psychological hospital on Monday, after an almost 40 12 months incarceration for killing his mom in 1983
As soon as a founding member of Eric Clapton’s group, Gordon’s oeuvre consists of lots of of recognizable songs – together with the Grammy-winning Layla, which he cowrote. The pair are seen collectively circa 1970
Different bigtime collaborators embrace Steely Dan, Little Richard, Sonny and Cher, Nancy Sinatra, Glen Campbell, the Everly Brothers and even the Byrds with fellow LA rocker David Crosby, who additionally died this 12 months.
Furthermore, most will inform you that if a listing existed of one of the best drummers of the 60s and 70s, Gordon, indisputably, could be in direction of the highest – together with his drum breaks being sampled by rappers reminiscent of Nas and Jay-Z to today.
That stated, a prolonged, improperly dealt with bout with psychological sickness would in the end upend his profession and outcome within the brutal stabbing homicide of his 72-year-old mom, Osa Marie Gordon, on June 3, 1983.
It would not be till after his arrest that medical doctors correctly identified the more and more unstable drummer with schizophrenia – although throughout an ensuing trial, jurists prohibited his use of madness as a protection as a result of modifications to state legislation on the time.
The California court docket, nevertheless, did settle for the star had acute schizophrenia, however nonetheless slapped him with a 16 year-to-life sentence in state jail.
On the time, the ruling represented a stark and sudden fall from grace for the rocker, who on the top of his profession was reportedly so busy that he would fly from LA to Vegas each day in order that he might have time to participate in recording periods earlier than returning to play at Caesars Palace.
It was later revealed that the star had been exhibiting indicators of psychological sickness – in addition to more and more unstable habits – since within the late 60s, although medical doctors would repeatedly misdiagnose the issues and as an alternative handled deal with the rocker for alcohol abuse.
Throughout this time, Gordon would start to listen to voices – together with his mom’s – which he later stated throughout his trial compelled him to starve himself and prevented him from sleeping, and at instances enjoying drums.
Along with being a credited co-writer of Clapton’s’ 1970 traditional, his stick work will be heard on albums just like the Seaside Boys’ Pet Sounds, and singles reminiscent of Carly Simon’s ‘You are So Useless’
Gordon (second from proper) is seen with fellow Derek and the Dominos members Claton, Bobby Whitlock and Carl Radle circa 1970
Gordon, hailed for stints with a few of rock’s greatest names within the 70s, is seen right here on this undated photograph from the California Medical Facility, the place he died on Monday
Over the following decade, warning indicators of the star’s instability would proceed to floor, together with his alleged assault of his then-girlfriend, famed singer-songwriter Rita Coolidge, in a lodge in 1970.
The incident ended the pair’s one-year relationship, however was chalked as much as the standard habits related to rockers on the time.
Apart from the incident, the drummer did effectively to masks his deteriorating psyche, persevering with to supply hits whereas exhibiting few, if any, indicators of his growing instability.
‘He was a tremendous man, simply actually so charismatic, Coolidge lately was quoted as saying in Buffalo Tom rocker Invoice Janovitz’s Leon Russell biography.
‘[But] after every little thing occurred, I began to acknowledge that look in his eye and knew that he was not enjoying with a full deck.’
Finally, Gordon’s internal turmoil would come to a head in the summertime of 1983 Gordon fatally attacked his mom Osa at her LA house with a hammer.
Through the assault, Gordon would then brandish a knife and stab his mom to demise. Following his arrest, he confessed to cops a voice inside his head instructed him to hold out the deed.
He was promptly put to trial and convicted, placing an finish to his storied profession.
Over the course of his incarceration, which started in 1984, Gordon would admit to changing into ‘institutionalized’ earlier than being transferred to the California psychological facility, exhibiting now actual need to be launched.
He was put up for parole a number of instances between 1991 and 2018, all of which had been denied.
In 2014, forward of his ninth parole listening to, he declined to attend, with an LA deputy DA acknowledged on the time stating that he was nonetheless ‘critically psychologically incapacitated’ and ‘a hazard when he isn’t taking his remedy’.
In November 2017, Gordon would once more be identified with schizophrenia, and continued to obtain therapy.
Gordon’s publicist confirmed Tuesday that he died whereas incarcerated at California Medical Facility, the place he has been held for years after being convicted of the homicide in 1984
His remaining parole listening to got here in March 2018, throughout which officers denied the musician parole for a tenth and remaining time. He was tentatively scheduled to as soon as once more turn into eligible for early launch in March 2021, although a listening to was by no means held.
His publicist confirmed Tuesday that he died whereas incarcerated at California Medical Facility.
In 1991, across the time of the drummer’s first parole listening to, Clapton instructed Rolling Stone about his good friend’s psychological struggles through the top of their success, and thought he was simply hopped up on medicine.
‘I had no concept that he had a psychotic historical past of visions and listening to voices, from an early age,’ Clapton, now 77, instructed Rolling Stone.
‘That was by no means obvious once we had been working collectively. It simply appeared like dangerous vibes, the worst sort of dangerous vibes. I’d have by no means stated that he was going mad. To me, it was simply the medicine.’
Gordon leaves behind no household. Clapton has but to touch upon his demise.
