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Troubled session drummer, Jim Gordon, who played for The Beach Boys, Derek and The Dominos and recorded the original Apache breakbeat, has died in prison
Music Radar ^ | 3/16 | Stuart Williams

Posted on 03/17/2023 3:21:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway

The session drummer had been incarcerated since 1984 for murdering his mother

Session drummer and Wrecking Crew member, Jim Gordon, who played for The Beach Boys, Derek and The Dominos, Steely Dan, John Lennon and many, many more, has died in a medical correctional facility, aged 77.

Gordon’s death was confirmed by publicist, Bob Merlis, who states that he died of natural causes “after a long incarceration and lifelong battle with mental illness.”

The troubled session ace’s already-impressive career was cut short in 1984, when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for brutally murdering his mother in an attack with a hammer during a schizophrenic episode, before stabbing her to death with a butchers’ knife in 1983.

Gordon grew up in LA’s San Fernando Valley, and by the time he turned 17, was performing as a drummer for the Everly Brothers. Session drummer, Hal Blaine became Gordon’s mentor, bringing him into the Wrecking Crew collective of studio musicians, and Gordon went on to perform on huge-selling albums from The Beach Boys, The Monkees, The Byrds, and more.

In 1970, following a stint with Delaney & Bonnie alongside Eric Clapton, bassist Carl Radle and keyboard player Bobby Whitlock, Gordon and the rest of the band’s rhythm section were recruited by Clapton to form Derek and The Dominos.

Gordon recorded drums on Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, with Gordon receiving a songwriting credit on Clapton’s anthem, Layla after penning the extended piano section.

In 1972, Gordon was one of two drummers enlisted by producer, Michael Viner for his project, The Incredible Bongo Band. Included on the band’s debut album was a funked-up cover of Jerry Lorden’s Apache - versions of which had already been recorded by guitarist Bert Weedon and The Shadows, respectively.

Apache features a drum and percussion intro (King Errisson played the latter), giving DJs and producers unhindered access to the song’s groove. Apache would become one of the most prolifically-sampled breakbeats of all time after being recycled by the likes of The Sugarhill Gang, Nas, Jay Z. As of 2023, WhoSampled credits over 750 uses of the break.

Two sessions were carried out for Apache, with Gordon cutting his takes in LA and Kat Hendrikse recording parts in Vancouver, Canada. As explained in the documentary, Sample This! it remains unconfirmed as to whether Gordon’s or Hendrikse’s version made the final release. However, it is widely believed that it’s Gordon’s part which gave birth to the famous breakbeat.

Despite Gordon’s success as an extremely active and sought-after drummer, his story ended with a dark tragedy. Gordon’s behaviour started to change, and he began to hear voices that he claimed prevented him from being able to sleep, shut off and affected his drumming. These symptoms were reportedly attributed to, and treated for, as side effects of alcohol abuse by Gordon’s doctors.

His mother’s murder was found to be the result of a schizophrenic episode, and Gordon's condition remained undiagnosed until after the killing took place. Gordon, who failed to attend parole hearings and refused to receive medication throughout his prison term, was re-diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2017.

Gordon was never released from prison, at a 2014 parole hearing, an LA deputy district attorney argued that he was still “seriously psychologically incapacitated”.

He passed away at California Medical Facility in Vacaville and is survived by his daughter, Amy.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: layla
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1 posted on 03/17/2023 3:21:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Wreaking Crew. Unfortunately he lived up to his name. RIP.


2 posted on 03/17/2023 3:24:06 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: nickcarraway

“The troubled session ace’s already-impressive career was cut short in 1984, when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for brutally murdering his mother in an attack with a hammer during a schizophrenic episode, before stabbing her to death with a butchers’ knife in 1983.”

He killed her once with a hammer and once with a knife? I’m confused.


3 posted on 03/17/2023 3:25:43 PM PDT by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: nwrep
These symptoms were reportedly attributed to, and treated for, as side effects of alcohol abuse by Gordon’s doctors.

Why did alcohol abuse by his doctors impact his life? If my doctor takes on an addiction, it should not impact my life. This sounds strange. /s

4 posted on 03/17/2023 3:26:09 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: nickcarraway

Read about his tragic case a few years ago when Eric Clapton was discussing it.
Voices told him the only wat to stop his inner torment was to kill her.
This long story had details and photos.
A tragedy of mental illness.

https://musicoholics.com/backstage-stories/jim-gordon-the-drummer-whose-voices-fractured-his-psyche/


5 posted on 03/17/2023 3:26:21 PM PDT by frank ballenger (You have summoned up a thundercloud. You're gonna hear from me. Anthem by Leonard Cohen)
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To: nwrep

I r a profesunal jrnolist!


6 posted on 03/17/2023 3:35:41 PM PDT by Skywise
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To: nickcarraway
Included on the band’s debut album was a funked-up cover of Jerry Lorden’s Apache - versions of which had already been recorded by guitarist Bert Weedon and The Shadows, respectively.

In this country, the bestselling version of Apache was by Jörgen Ingmann, which rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot Hundred in the early months of 1961.

7 posted on 03/17/2023 3:40:03 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
If he had been the right color he might not have served any time, maybe 10 years at the absolute most.

8 posted on 03/17/2023 3:40:13 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: nickcarraway

So first he murdered his mother with a hammer?
And then he stabbed her to death with a butcher knife?
Did the sloppy DA only charge him with one of the crimes. Plus, sentence of 16 years? In what world is that justice?


9 posted on 03/17/2023 3:42:28 PM PDT by Honest Nigerian (.)
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To: nickcarraway

Wonky article:

If Gordon was sentenced to 16 years prison in 1984, why was he still in prison until his death?


10 posted on 03/17/2023 3:49:21 PM PDT by Paul R. (You know your pullets are dumb if they don't recognize a half Whopper as food!)
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To: nickcarraway; MtnClimber
Holy Crap!

There was a thread the other day on Layla by Derek and the  Dominoes.

Jim Gordon was the pianist who brought that song to a fantastic flourishing finish. I didn't know he was a homicidal mother murderer.

11 posted on 03/17/2023 3:50:59 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Donald Trump is a setting sun. Ron DeSantis is a rising star.)
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To: Paul R.

I looked it up elsewhere, and it doesn’t make sense. He had his first parole in 1991, but he should have been out in 2000, parole or no parole. It doesn’t say he committed other crimes.


12 posted on 03/17/2023 3:52:14 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Responsibility2nd
I didn't know he was a homicidal mother murderer.

He had many talents.

13 posted on 03/17/2023 3:53:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
I didn't know he was a homicidal mother murderer.

He had many talents.

 

Evidently. He could multitask his mother murdering. With a hammer AND a butcher knife.


14 posted on 03/17/2023 3:58:19 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Donald Trump is a setting sun. Ron DeSantis is a rising star.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

I can’t hear “Imagine” without thinking of him.


15 posted on 03/17/2023 4:02:23 PM PDT by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: Responsibility2nd

Gordon (& Clapton) cheated Rita Coolidge out of songwriting credit on the ‘Layla’ piano exit...
https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/rita-coolidge-layla-memoir-delta-lady-eric-clapton-derek-dominos-7318951/


16 posted on 03/17/2023 4:03:29 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: hardspunned

“He killed her once with a hammer and once with a knife? I’m confused.”

Both. He attacked his mother with a hammer and also stabbed her. He had been an alcoholic and a heroin addict. Good riddance to him.


17 posted on 03/17/2023 4:05:15 PM PDT by plain talk
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We Need FR

Please Donate

18 posted on 03/17/2023 4:05:45 PM PDT by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: hardspunned
He killed her once with a hammer and once with a knife? I’m confused.

I’m confused too. He was sentenced to 16 years in 1984 but died in prison? 1984+16=2000.
19 posted on 03/17/2023 4:14:58 PM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: plain talk

You can kill someone with a hammer, then you can stab the dead body. You can’t stab the corpse to death.


20 posted on 03/17/2023 4:28:20 PM PDT by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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