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Iron Butterfly. Lee Dorman

Publicat in: 14.02.2012, 10:47AM
Autor: Richard Constantinidi
Comentarii: 0
Vizualizari: 4745
Etichete: Captain Beyond, Charlie Marinkovich, Doug Ingle, Erik Brann, Facebook, Hard Rock Cafe, In-a-gadda-da-vida, Iron Butterfly, Lee Dorman, Martin Gerschwitz, Playboy After Dark, Red Skelton Show, Ron Bushy, Woodstock

The band formed in 1966 in San Diego (moving to Los Angeles later that same year).

The 17-minute second album title track, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was recorded by Doug Ingle (organ and vocals), Lee Dorman (bass guitar), Ron Bushy (drums), and 17-year-old Erik Keith Brann (guitar). The album sold over three million copies by the end of 1970, further becoming the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.

Iron Butterfly disbanded in 1971 but has reunited with various members along the years, starting in 1974. Of the original members, Lee Dorman (bass guitar) and Ron Bushy (drums) have always been in the line-up, together or separately.

Iron Butterfly is credited as being a heavy metal pioneer, the early band leaders adding an extra touch to their thumbprint sound on the heavy keyboard tones and bass lines during the hippie psychedelic era.

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The band will perform at the Bucharest (Romania) Hard Rock Cafe on FEB.19, 2012.

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RiCo for CZB.ro: In A Gadda Da Vida. How did you convince the record company to accept this 17 minute opus - on a full side of an album?

LEE DORMAN (MANAGER, BASSIST & VOCALIST FOR IRON BUTTERFLY): HI RICHARD, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING IN ROMANIA.

THEY WANTED US TO CUT IT DOWN & RECORD SOME OTHER TUNES BUT WE SAID NO & OUR MGR. @ THE TIME GOT THEM TO DO IT. LUCKY FOR ALL OF US. ESPECIALLY THE RECORD COMPANY!!!

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CZB: You were supposed to play at Woodstock but didn't make it… What happened and how do you feel about that now?

LEE DORMAN (BASS, IRON BUTTERFLY): THE EQUIPMENT TRUCK COUDN'T GET THROUGH, WE GOT THE USE OF SOME GEAR THAT WAS THERE ALREADY BUT BY THE TIME THAT WAS DONE ALL THE HELICOPTERS IN A THREE STATE AREA WERE CHARTERED FOR WATER, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, & TAKING PEOPLE OUT THAT NEEDED HELP.

I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO HAVE PLAYED AS IT WAS THE END OF AN ERA, BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE.

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CZB: Have you ever talked to Page&Plant about the fact that your names have something in common - Iron Butterfly / Led Zeppelin … something heavy combined with something light (… Led Zeppelin opened four times for you during the Spring of 1969)?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): I HAVE TALKED TO BOTH OF THEM BUT THAT SUBJECT NEVER CAME UP.

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CZB: Why did you decide to reform the band in 1974 - instead of starting another band?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): AT THE TIME DOUG INGLE WAS RETIRED & I WAS FORMING A NEW BAND CAPTAIN BEYOND. WE HAD GIVEN THE OTHER MEMBERS

PERMISSION TO USE THE NAME.

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CZB: Critics say that the Iron Butterfly style of psychedelic music was a major catalyst for the heavy metal music genre. How do you feel about that?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE, WHO'S TO SAY IF SO, THEN IT'S GREAT TO BE A PART OF A SPECIAL STYLE OF MUSIC.

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CZB: Iron Butterfly has been invited on quite a number of TV shows during it's 45 year history. What would one of the most memorable of these appearances be and why was it so special?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): FOR ME THE RED SKELTON SHOW & PLAYBOY AFTER DARK… RED KEPT US LAUGHING THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE FILMING & MEETING BILL COSBY WAS VERY SPECIAL!

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Playboy After Dark, 1968 (we didn't find the Red Skelton Show feature on YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kAHqIkc0qQ&feature=related

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CZB: How did Charlie Marinkovich become a member of the band / how did you meet?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): CHARLY CAME TO US THROUGH A FRIEND & LENGTHY AUDITIONS. HE HAS BECOME A GREAT ASSET TO THE BAND.

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CZB: How did you hook up with German Martin Gerschwitz?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): MARTIN LIVES ABOUT 2 MILES FROM ME & WE MET @ VARIOUS CLUBS WHERE HE PLAYED. THE JOB CAME AVAILABLE & HE WAS INTERESTED SO HE JOINED. HE IS A LARGE PART OF OUR SOUND.

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CZB: Why do you consider Facebook didn't take any kind of action regarding the abuse of your trademark logo?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): NO COMMENT!

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CZB: What were you doing on 9/11 when you found out about the tragic event and how did you feel about what was happening?

LEE DORMAN (Iron Butterfly): I HAD JUST COME BACK FROM A TOUR & WAS ASTOUNDED @ WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I TRIED TO CALL FRIENDS IN NEW YORK BUT IT TOOK ME 2 DAY'S TO GET THRU TO SEE IF ALL WAS WELL. IT WAS!

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The CZB Interview, conceived by RiCo

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We got the chance to do this e-mail interview a few weeks before the show, and our sincere thanks goes out to Iron Butterfly bass player Lee Dorman and to the organizer who made this possible, Sorin Turcu from Stay Metal Forever.

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CLICK HERE for the Iron Butterfly BIO (RO version only)

http://czb.ro/articol/2909/

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www.ironbutterfly.com

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Originally from Seattle (WA), guitarist and vocalist Charlie Marinkovich joined the band in 2002. German violinist and composer Martin Gerschwitz (ex-The Works and Walter Trout, has played with Eddie Van Halen, Lita Ford, Loverboy, Meat Loaf etc.) joined the band in 2005.

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Erik Brann died of heart failure on July 25, 2003. He was 52.

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On September 12, 2010, Iron Butterfly received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Annual San Diego Music Awards (presented by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders).

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2012 Line-Up