The Tragedy Of Jim Gordon From Derek And The Dominos

Despite our best efforts to preserve their memory, rock history is rife with a number of tragic events. There’s no denying that many talented but unlucky rockers pay the ultimate price for stardom and never recover from its effects; one of those being Jim Gordon, a one-time drummer of the Eric Clapton-led band, Derek and the Dominos.

James “Jim” Gordon was the drummer for Derek and the Dominos.  The band only lasted for a short period, but they are remembered for the classic song “Layla,” which Clapton penned for Pattie Boyd. Gordon is acknowledged as a co-writer for providing the song’s quirky piano riffs. Gordon did not immediately fade from public view once the band broke up; on the contrary, his career progressed very successfully. The drummer has collaborated with a who’s who of rock & roll, including Joe Cocker, Harry Nilsson, George Harrison, Alice Cooper, and Frank Zappa. And so, you might be wondering what went wrong for Gordon, given his otherwise impressive background.

Having trouble with substance abuse was and remains a frequent issue among rock stars; Gordon was no exception. Gordon’s downfall was not caused by his substance abuse issues, but rather by the fact that he was an addict, which made it easier for physicians to miss his true diagnosis of schizophrenia. Even more disturbingly, the musician allegedly tried to starve himself because he heard voices telling him to.

Yet, doctors blamed his alcoholism for all of these. In the early 1980s, Gordon beat his 72-year-old mother with a hammer, ending everything.

The formerly promising rock star, who was helpless against his underlying sickness, stabbed his mother to death before being promptly apprehended by authorities. Gordon allegedly said he killed his mother because he heard voices telling him to. The court did not accept his insanity claim because of recent changes to Californian legislation, even though he was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. Gordon was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for sixteen years. Unfortunately, he never attended any of his parole hearings and was thus refused.

The musician is presently receiving therapy and doing his time in a California mental facility. And so, this highlights the importance to treat issues with mental health seriously.