The band were formed in San Diego, California in the US in 1966 by keyboard player/vocalist Doug Ingle, drummer/vocalist Ron Bushy, bassist/vocalist Darryl DeLoach and ex-David Ackles Band guitarists Danny Weis and Jerry Penrod. They soon moved to Los Angeles after having been spotted at The Whiskey A-Go-Go, where they were signed to Atco Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. Their debut album, "Heavy", was released in February 1968, and it found its way into the lower regions of the US top 100. In the summer of that year (1968), both Penrod and Weis left to form Rhinoceros. Their replacement was Erik Braun, who also sang. Bassist Lee Dorman replaced DeLoach, who departed the same year. This new line-up recorded this, our featured, organ driven progressive hard rock album in July 1968. "In-a-gadda-da-vida" (aka 'The Garden of Life'), was a classic album that reached the US top 5, selling in excess of 3 million copies. The edited version of the seventeen minute title track gave them additional success on the singles charts. Their follow-up album, "Ball", released in February 1969, reached the US top 3, and the band were really riding high. 1970 saw the addition of guitarists Mike Pinera (ex-Blues Image) and Larry 'Rhino' Reinhardt, replacing the departed Braun, who would later go on to form " Flintwhistle". The line-up of Dorman, Reinhardt, Pinera, Ingle and Bushy, recorded what was to be Iron Butterfly's final early seventies album, "Metamorphosis" in April 1971. The band split later that year, with Dorman and Rhino going on to form Captain Beyond with Bobby Caldwell and Rod Evans. Pinera joined Ramatam before later joining Alice Cooper's band. Bushy, Braun and newcomers Howard Reitzes (keys/vocals) and Phil Kramer reformed Iron Butterfly in 1974, and they released two moderately well received albums, "Scorching Beauty" in 1975 and "Sun and Steel" the following year. Disillusioned by lack of success, the band dissolved once again, with Bushy forming Juicy Groove with Steppenwolf's Mars Bonfire. Iron Butterfly reformed in 1989 with Dorman, Rhino and Braun, but no new recordings were made. They're apparently still around today, touring with the reformed Steppenwolf. Rhino is also active in the new Captain Beyond, who are sounding as good as ever. 
Question: In what year were Iron Butterfly formed - 1966, 1970 or 1976? 
Answer: 1966. 

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Biography by Steve Huey
The heavy, psychedelic acid rock of Iron Butterfly may seem dated to some today, but the group was one of the first hard rock bands to receive extensive radio airplay, and their best-known song, the 17-minute epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," established that more extended compositions were viable entries in the radio marketplace, paving the way for progressive AOR. The track was written by vocalist, organist, and bandleader Doug Ingle, who formed the first incarnation of Iron Butterfly in 1966 in San Diego with drummer Ron Bushy. After the group moved to Los Angeles and played the club scene, it secured a recording contract and got national exposure through tours with the Doors and Jefferson Airplane. Following the release of their 1968 debut album, Heavy, original members Jerry Penrod (bass), Darryl DeLoach (vocals), and Danny Weis (guitar) left the band and were replaced by guitarist Erik Braunn and bassist Lee Dorman. Weis went on to join Rhinoceros. The new lineup recorded In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida later that year, which sold four million copies and spent over a year in the Top Ten. (The title has been translated as "in the garden of Eden" or "in the garden of life.") A shortened version of the title track, which contained extended instrumental passages with loud guitars and classical/Eastern-influenced organ, plus a two-and-a-half-minute drum solo, reached number 30 on the singles charts. The follow-up, Ball, showed greater musical variety and went gold, but it also marked the beginning of the band's decline. Braunn left the group and was replaced by guitarists Mike Pinera and Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt, but the group's success was largely over. Iron Butterfly broke up in 1971; Braunn and Bushy re-formed the group in the mid-'70s without success. 

Erik Braunn
Ron Bushy
Darryl DeLoach
Lee Dorman
Doug Ingle
Phil Kramer
Jerry Penrod
Danny Weis

Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath
Vanilla Fudge
Rhinoceros
Ultimate Spinach
Love
Jefferson Airplane
The Chocolate Watchband
Big Brother & the Holding Company
Beck, Bogert & Appice

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