A new book about the late Derek and the Dominos drummer Jim Gordon is due out in February, and it already has some superstar fans.
Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon by Joel Selvin was made with the cooperation of Gordon’s family. It focuses not only on his music career, but also his mental illness, which led to him being incarcerated for the murder of his mother.
Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart describes Gordon as “one of the rare players who danced on the edge and knew the secrets,” noting that after reading the book he “stared slack-jawed out at space trying to come to grips with this amazing, tragic story.”
“Joel’s book is a fascinating, well-written period piece describing the L.A. session scene in the ‘70s,” Pete Thomas, drummer for Elvis Costello & the Attractions, shares. “Most drummers have gone a bit off the rails at some point in their careers but sadly things went very wrong for Jim. Joel describes this aspect of Jim’s life in a very thoughtful and sympathetic way.”
Drums & Demons: The Tragic Journey of Jim Gordon will be released February 27. It is available for preorder now.
And for fans who want to get a taste of Gordon’s drumming, a new Spotify playlist is available featuring highlights of his work, including Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” John Lennon’s “Power to the People,” Eric Clapton’s “After Midnight” and Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown.”
Gordon passed away behind bars on March 13 at the age of 77.
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