Iron Butterfly - Ball

Ball is a studio album by the rock band Iron Butterfly, released in February 1969. After the enormous success of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", Iron Butterfly modified its acid-rock sound somewhat and experimented with shorter, more melodic compositions. The band's trademark heavy guitars, however, are still evident on such tracks as "In the Time of Our Lives" and "It Must Be Love." The album reached number one, making Ball more immediately successful than In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Ball was certified Gold by 1969.

The band was formed in 1966 in San Diego and released their debut album, Heavy, in 1968, after signing a deal with ATCO, an Atlantic Records subsidiary. The original members were Doug Ingle, Ron Bushy, Jerry "The Bear" Penrod, Darryl DeLoach and Danny Weis. All but Ingle and Bushy left the band after recording the first album in late 1967; the remaining musicians, faced with the possibility of the record not being released, quickly found replacements in bassist Lee Dorman and guitarist Erik Brann and resumed touring.

Weis and Penrod almost immediately went on to form the supergroup Rhinoceros.

The 17-minute "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", the title track of their second album, became a Top Thirty hit in the US. (Doug Ingle is reported to have said the title was an alcohol-slurred version of "In the Garden of Eden", although this is probably apocryphal; see the song's page.) The members when In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was recorded were Doug Ingle (keyboards and vocals), Lee Dorman (bass guitar), Ron Bushy (drums) and Erik Brann, also Braunn (guitar). The next album, Ball, topped the charts but more lineup changes followed. In 1970 with Erik Brann gone, Iron Butterfly released their fourth 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 in 1971. Dorman and Reinhardt later became members of the supergroup Captain Beyond.

The band was booked to play at Woodstock, but got stuck at an airport. When their manager called the promoters of the concert, they explained the incredible situation they had been dealt and asked for patience. However, the manager demanded that the Butterfly be flown in by helicopter whereupon they would "immediately" take the stage. After their set they would be paid and flown back to the airport. The manager was told that this would be taken into consideration and he would be called back. In truth, his outrageous demands were never given a second thought. [Wikipedia]

01. In The Times Of Our Lives (Ingle & Bushy)- 4:46
02. Soul Experience (Ingle, Bushy, Brann, & Dorman)- 2:50
03. Lonely Boy (Doug Ingle)- 5:05
04. Real Fright (Ingle, Bushy, & Brann)- 2:40
05. In The Crowds (Ingle & Dorman)- 2:12
06. It Must Be Love (Doug Ingle)- 3:11
07. Her Favorite Style (Doug Ingle)- 3:11
08. Filled With Fear (Doug Ingle)- 3:23
09. Belda-Beast (Erik Brann)- 5:46