Iron Butterfly

Iron Butterfly is an American psychedelic rock band, well known for their 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". They are considered an early heavy metal band as a result of this song and others like it, as well as the title of their debut album, Heavy (the term "heavy," slang for things of a deep or thoughtful manner, was an important element in the initial conception of heavy metal, a form of music dealing with war, environmental destruction, drug addiction, and other things of a "heavy" nature). Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated several times with various members. VH1 ranks them as number 19 on their list of top 100 "one-hit" wonders. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.

The next album, Ball, topped the charts, but more lineup changes followed. In 1970, with Erik Braunn gone, Iron Butterfly released their fourth studio album, Metamorphosis with two new members, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Mike Pinera (whose Blues Image had opened for the Butterfly's Vida tour and who later led Ramatam and played with Alice Cooper) and guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt. The album only managed to get into the top twenty. The band broke up after playing a final show on May 23, 1971. Dorman and Reinhardt would subsequently found Captain Beyond, releasing three albums with that band during 1972-77.

The band re-formed in 1974 with Ron Bushy and Eric Brann joined by bassist Philip Taylor Kramer and keyboardist Howard Reitzes. (Kramer later made news with his 1995 disappearance and the discovery of his bones and minivan at the bottom of Decker Canyon in 1999). The albums released during this lineup: Scorching Beauty in January 1975 with Reitzes and Sun and Steel in October 1975 with Bill DeMartines replacing Reitzes.

From 1977 on, Dorman took over the IB moniker and has led several lineups since then (see below for a chronology of IB's lineups) with former members (including Bushy, Ingle, Brann, etc., coming and going). Other than another brief break between late 1985 and early 1987, the group has continued to this day with Dorman & Bushy currently leading the charge.

Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida line-up of Ingle/Brann/Bushy/Dorman reunited for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert and celebration, appearing on stage along with the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, and with Aretha Franklin among many other acts of the company's roster on May 14, 1988. The reunited foursome also played a 30 city tour that same year.

On October 3, 2002, original guitarist/vocalist Darryl DeLoach died of liver cancer at the age of 56.

On July 25, 2003, Erik Brann died of cardiac failure at the age of 52. He was working on a new solo album at the time of his death. The album to date remains unreleased, although friends and family of Braunn are working on releasing the album.

In early 2010, an announcement was made that Iron Butterfly would receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Annual San Diego Music Awards, which took place on September 12, 2010. The award is to be presented by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders.

This same year, Ray Weston (formerly of Wishbone Ash) came in to sub on drums for Ron Bushy after he was sidelined by health issues.

Guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt died on January 2, 2012, at the age of 63, due to cirrhosis of the liver.