"Layla" Drummer Killed His Mommy With A Hammer

[Quinn Martin]

While Norton was ranting today about the awfulness (in his warped opinion) of "Layla", Anthony praised the drum work on the song, wondering who the drummer was. Apparently Ant isn't aware that the same hands that kept the beat in that song later beat in the skull of his own mother. Here are some more fun facts about Jim "Hammer Time" Gordon:

The classic blues-rock album "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" was credited to Derek And The Dominoes. This band, featuring lead guitar and frequent lead vocals from Eric Clapton, also included guitar great (and soon to be motorcycle roadkill) Duane Allman and drummer Jim Gordon. The song "Layla" was actually co-written by Clapton with Gordon (Jim wrote the slow piano fade at the end and was pissed that Clapton didn't want it to be a separate song).

Aside from his short stint with the Dominoes, Gordon was a much-in-demand session drummer. He played drums with three of the Beatles (John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr). He also played sessions with the likes of The Everly Brothers, Frank Zappa, Joe Cocker, Jackson Browne, Traffic, Gordon Lightfoot and many others. He was one of the drummers on the Beach Boys' hallmark album "Pet Sounds". His drums can be heard on the Steely Dan classic "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," the not-so-classic hit "Midnight At The Oasis" by Maria Muldaur, and various singles and albums by Carly Simon, The Carpenters, and yes, Anthony, Neil Fucking Diamond. A more complete list of his credits can be found here:

http://artistinfo.spinner.com/cg/x.dll?UID=SEARCH&p=netscapetest&sql=1:32434

and here:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~mansion1/jimgordon.html

Did I mention The Carpenters? Well it seems that Jim Gordon blamed ol' skinny puker Karen's death on his mother. He also blamed her for the death of Hollywood Squares flamer Paul Lynde. In short, mommy's voices lived rent-free in Jim's head leading to Gordon's most-infamous percussion work-- on her skull. In 1983, in full schizophrenic glory, Jim beat his mom's head with a hammer and then stabbed her to death. Today he lives, not in rock & roll heaven but rather in mental ward hell. Shine on you crazy diamond!

Here's a great "Rolling Stone" magazine article with all the blow-by-blow details:

http://groups-beta.google.com/groups?q=%2B%22Barry+Rehfeld%22

And a "Washington Post" follow up:

http://www.iem.ac.ru/clapton/articles/gordon.washpost.html

[BobSaget666]

They were talking about Clapton, and then shortly thereafter went to a story about a guy falling out of a window.

How the hell did Norton or Anthony not crack any jokes? It was almost too easy.

[JhaxShucksChock]

Good to see Andrew Gore posts on the board.

[Wilmington WOW]

Boy that was really a Quin Martin production. Thats for all the detail :clap:

[MrSquidlow]

While Norton was ranting today about the awfulness (in his warped opinion) of "Layla", Anthony praised the drum work on the song, wondering who the drummer was. Apparently Ant isn't aware that the same hands that kept the beat in that song later beat in the skull of his own mother. Here are some more fun facts about Jim "Hammer Time" Gordon:



I wonder if her head went back and to the left with the first blow...:rolleyes:

WBL-do your f'n show prep ...you slacker...
just sayin...:action-sm

[King_tut_lives]

Apparently Ant isn't aware that the same hands that kept the beat in that song later beat in the skull of his own mother.

I had to read this 10 times. I thought it meant that the drummer beat in the skull of Ant's mother.

That would have been really weird.

[BobSaget666]

Listened to the show again....Norton did make a joke about it. I am an ass.

[Quinn Martin]

Great story! I had no clue. What a fucking kook.
Happy Mothers day Mrs. Gordon!

Yes, apparently lil' Jim Gordon showed up on Mother's Day with a fresh-picked bouquet of hammers.

"Mommy, deez for you."

By the way, the Clapton content of "Layla", while not murderous, was still pretty fucked up. The Layla name was used in place of the real woman's name, Patty. No Stalker Patty-- not you! Patty Boyd Harrison, as in George Harrison's then wife. George Harrison as in Eric Clapton's best friend. Eric and George wrote the Cream classic "Badge" together. Eric also played the great lead guitar part on The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (a Harrison composition). As always, however, when pussy is involved-- Friends? Schmends! I'm sure George was thrilled to be the "old man" mentioned in this verse:

I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down.
Like a fool, I fell in love with you,
Turned my whole world upside down.

Patty later left George and married Clapton. Happily ever after? Sure-- they got a divorce too. Might have had something to do with an out-of-wedlock birth to another woman. The resulting son, [tell Jim Norton to strap himself in], was named Conner. This lil' Conner apparently was so bored with Clapton's post-heroin output that he fell 53-stories out an apartment window just to jumpstart some inspiration. The result: Jim Norton's favorite Clapton song, "Tears In Heaven". The rumor that Conner's last words were, "I'm punching out" is probably an urban legend, however.

[Quinn Martin]

I had to read this 10 times. I thought it meant that the drummer beat in the skull of Ant's mother.

That would have been really weird.

Although that would kind of explain her rendition of "Mercedes Benz".

[Peachy]

"June 3rd, 1983: Today.... <melodramatic music> I killed my mother with a hammer and knife...

"WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY did I kill my mommy...?"

[Ego]

The old whore deserved it. Maybe he was thrashing it all about trying to crush barrels that she was throwing down at him from a nearby construction site.

"June 3, 1983 - In one year exactly, one of my biggest fans will be born. Some time before his 21st birthday, he shall have joined a message board and be known to those on it as Ego."