Erik Braunn

Soundtrack

Birthday August 11, 1950

Birth Sign Leo

Birthplace Pekin, Illinois, U.S.

DEATH DATE 2003-7-25, Los Angeles, California, U.S. (53 years old)

Nationality United States

#17616 Most Popular

1950

Erik Keith Brann (born Rick Davis; August 11, 1950 – July 25, 2003), also known as Erik Braunn, was an American guitarist with the 1960s acid rock band Iron Butterfly.

1967

He played with Ron Bushy, Lee Dorman and Doug Ingle from late 1967 to December 1969.

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 the Billboard magazine charts for nearly three years.

With arrangement assistance from Dorman, Brann wrote the song "Termination," which was featured on the album.

The album's mini-bio, written when he was 17, tells of an acting ambition he once had, clothing and food preference, and the ease with which rock 'n' roll artists were able to arrange sexual encounters (usually with groupies).

It reads: "Although music has always been his one great love, Erik studied drama and before joining the Butterfly, his acting ability had landed him the lead role in a local play. ...Erik hopes to, one day, continue in the acting field. Right now, however, his only concern is the Iron Butterfly, turtleneck sweaters, bananas, and the fairer sex."

1968

He was featured on the band's greatest hit, the 17-minute In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968), recorded when he was 17.

A Boston, Massachusetts, native and a violinist, Brann was accepted as a child into the prodigy program at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but was soon lured away to become a rock guitarist, joining first Paper Fortress, then Iron Butterfly at 17.

1970

In 1970, Brann and former Iron Butterfly member Darryl DeLoach formed Flintwhistle.

This band performed live for about a year before breaking up.

1972

Between 1972 and 1973, Brann worked solely in the studio on various demos.

1973

In 1973, he recorded a couple of demos with MCA Records which can be found on bootleg sites.

Notable songs from these demos include early versions of "Hard Miseree," "Am I Down," and "Scorching Beauty."

1974

In 1974, he was contacted by a promoter about reforming Iron Butterfly, so he reunited with Ron Bushy to form a new version of the group, signing with MCA.

1975

The 1975 LP Scorching Beauty featured Brann on guitars and vocals, Bushy on drums, Philip Taylor Kramer (Bushy's friend) on bass, and Erik's friend Howard Reitzes (who worked in a music store frequented by Brann) on keyboards.

The band also released Sun and Steel in late 1975 with Bill DeMartines replacing Reitzes on keyboards.

1977

Neither album sold well and the band disbanded shortly afterward (around summer 1977).

1979

Between 1979 and 1990, Brann occasionally reunited with Iron Butterfly for concerts.

2003

He died in 2003 of a cardiac arrest related to a birth defect that he had struggled with for years, and was the first member of the In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida lineup to have died, followed by Lee Dorman and Ron Bushy in 2012 and 2021 respectively.