Iron Butterfly bassist dies at 70

[IDemo]

Source: Today

Another great soundmaker has been silenced. Lee Dorman, bassist for proto-metal rockers Iron Butterfly, died today at his home in Orange County, Calif.. He was 70.

The county coroner's office tells E! News that Dorman, who had a history of heart trouble, was found in his car at around 9 a.m., dead of what appeared to be natural causes.

Iron Butterfly's biggest hit was the 1968 jamfest " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," off the album of the same name, and Dorman's booming bass figures prominently in the classic tune. Buoyed by its 17-minute title track, more than 30 million copies of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" have been sold over the years.

The St. Louis, Mo., native, born Douglas Lee Dorman, joined Iron Butterfly in 1967 and played with multiple incarnations of the original lineup on and off over the years. Drummer Ron Bushy, onboard since 1966, has had the longest tenure overall.

Read more: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/12/21/16076486-iron-butterfly-bassist-dies-at-70?lite

[liberal N proud]

1. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, RIP

[mn9driver]

2. Great song. It took up one entire side of the album. /nt

[Yavin4]

10. That Song Was God's Gift to the Bladders and Bowels of Every Rock DJ

If that song was playing on your radio, there was a pretty good chance that your DJ was in the bathroom.

[alp227]

12. As a younger person I first heard that song sampled in another song.

"Hip Hop Is Dead" by Nas (2006).

Slayer also covered the song in 1987.

[CountAllVotes]

14. I loved it! Still do! :)

This song will live forever!

[HooptieWagon]

15. In- A -Gadda-Da-Vida = In The Garden Of Eden

According to legend, they were really fucked up when they wrote the song, and that's how the vocals came out.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Saw them in concert in 1970

They did a 45 minute version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,

[MADem]

4. Jesus--now that's a headline to make anyone feel OLD.

Seems like yesterday....

[FailureToCommunicate]

5. Saw them at Phil Graham's Fillmore East back high school days

Thanks for the news, IDemo.

I'm going to dig out their album (yes still have a "record player&quot and trip down memory lane.

[Bjorn Against]

6. Iron Butterfly was my favorite band for a while in High School

I saw them live around 2001 and they had aged a lot, they all looked older than 70 then and it kind of felt like watching a concert at a retirement home but they still rocked.

[Euphoria]

11. for me, 7th grade

but man, once I heard it, I knew there were possibilities, ya know?

[JohnnyRingo]

7. RIP Dorman.

Thanx for posting this sad obit. The author was correct in pointing out how prominent he was was in the band's music.

On edit, I forgot about "Captain Beyond", the band he formed after leaving Butterfly. They had a single album that I'm aware of, and were great.

Younger DUers could note that one of the members, I think the keyboard player, was an electronics genius who did work for the government. He mysteriously disappeared and remained missing for years until his body was discovered in a California ravine, still at the wheel.

On edit again... Captain Beyond had a very enticing album cover in '72 and featured the AOR radio station hit "Dancing Madly Backwards".

[Kahuna]

8. I got my neighbor to stop playing loud music by playing In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida over his head..

Nary a peep after that.



RIP Mr. Gorman.

[blackspade]

9. Noooooooooooooooooo! Shit, that sucks.

I love Iron Butterfly.

RIP Lee.

[leftyladyfrommo]

13. I was in college.

We loved that song.