Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida (Music CD)

Iron Butterfly was the American answer to the heavy riff-rock of British groups like Cream and Led Zeppelin, with a touch of Vanilla Fudge's organ-led theatricality and the Doors' mysterioso image. They will forevermore be known for the 17-minute title track of this, their second album. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (a poke at singer/organist Doug Ingle's gruff, John Kay-like delivery of "In the Garden of Eden") is built around one of the most memorable riffs of the '60s. It's filled out by long solos from all concerned, especially from drummer Ron Bushy, whose lengthy extemporising provided the template for Big Rock Drum Solos for decades to come. The rest of the tunes reveal that Iron Butterfly did indeed possess some pop sensibility to leaven the heaviness; "Flowers and Beads" in particular is simultaneously a romantic '60s pop-rock ballad and a subtle but surprising swipe at flower power culture.