Lee Dorman | |
|---|---|
 Dorman with Iron Butterfly inPrague, 2012. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1942-09-15)September 15, 1942 St. Louis, Missouri,United States |
| Died | December 21, 2012(2012-12-21) (aged 70) Laguna Niguel, California United States |
| Genres | Psychedelic rock |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1960s–2012 |
| Labels | Atco,Capricorn |
Douglas Lee Dorman (September 15, 1942 – December 21, 2012) was an American bass guitarist best known as a member of the psychedelic rock bandIron Butterfly. He was also a founding member of the British-American supergroupCaptain Beyond.
The first album from this lineup,In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, sold over 30 million copies, was awarded the first platinum award and stayed on theBillboard magazine charts for nearly three years. With arrangement assistance from Dorman,Erik Brann wrote the song "Termination," which was featured on the album.
They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development ofhard rock andheavy metal music. The song, originally written byDoug Ingle as "In theGarden of Eden" but as a result of singing the first draft whilst intoxicated was misheard by drummerRon Bushy as "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", went to number thirty on theBillboard Hot 100, and charted highest in theNetherlands, where it went to number seven.[1][2]
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While recordingIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Dorman assisted Erik Brann with the arrangement of Brann's song "Termination," and was given a co-writing credit.
Their music has found a significant impact on the international rock scenes, influencing numerous acts such asBlack Sabbath,AC/DC,Rush,Alice Cooper,Mountain,Uriah Heep,Soundgarden,Stone Temple Pilots,Slayer,King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, andQueens of the Stone Age.[3]
Dorman had four stints with the group; 1967 to 1971, 1977 to 1978, 1978 to 1985, and from 1987 until his death in 2012. He was the longest serving member of the original foursome, and the longest serving of all the past and present members of Iron Butterfly.
Shortly after his first departure from Iron Butterfly in 1971, Dorman co-founded the supergroupCaptain Beyond with ex-Deep Purple lead vocalistRod Evans, Dorman’s Butterfly band mateLarry Reinhardt, and Bobby Caldwell.[4] The band had an eclectic style bridging elements ofhard rock,progressive rock andjazz fusion withspace rock.[5] They released three albums between 1972 and 1977.
The band was plagued from its inception with significant problems, includinglawsuits involving Evans, Reinhardt and Dorman with their former bands, and a dispute over musical style with their record label,Capricorn Records
Dorman was raised inSt. Louis, Missouri, and moved toSan Diego in the 1960s. He began playingbass guitar in his teens.
Dorman died of natural causes in his car in Laguna Niguel, California on December 21, 2012.[6] He was the second member of theIn-A-Gadda-Da-Vida lineup to die, being preceded by Brann in 2003, and succeeded by Bushy in 2021, and Ingle in 2024.
Iron Butterfly
(See full discography atIron Butterfly)
Captain Beyond
(See full discography atCaptain Beyond)
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