Iron Butterfly - Unconscious Power: An Anthology (1967-1971)(2020) 7CD

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of UNCONCIOUS POWER – AN ANTHOLOGY 1967 – 1971, a newly remastered 7 CD boxed set featuring all of the albums and singles recorded by the legendary American acid / progressive rock band IRON BUTTERFLY recorded for Atlantic’s Atco label between 1967 and 1971 and additional recordings made at the Fillmore East in New York City in April 1968.

Iron Butterfly first came together in San Diego, California in 1966 with a line-up of Doug Ingle (vocals, organ), Danny Weis (guitar), Greg Willis (bass), Jack Pinney (drums) and Darryl DeLoach (vocals). After performing in the San Diego area the band relocated to Los Angeles in search of a recording contract, with Willis soon departing to be replaced by Jerry Penrod on bass. Jack Pinney also departed and was eventually replaced by Ron Bushy.

The band’s psychedelic and acid rock style was honed during regular appearances at LA venues such as the Whisky a Go Go and the Galaxy Club, which saw Iron Butterfly develop a loyal following and led to the band signing with Atlantic’s Atco label in 1967. In October that year the band recorded their debut album, HEAVY, but the group would endure further line-up changes prior to its release as Jerry Penrod, Danny Weis and Darryl DeLoach departed soon after recording sessions were completed. Faced with the possibility of the album remaining unreleased, Ingle and Bushy recruited 17 year old guitarist Erik Brann and bassist Lee Dorman to the band.

HEAVY was released in January 1968, entering the US Billboard charts and eventually earning gold disc status. The album IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA, issued in June 1968, would break the band into star status. Dominated by the side long title track featuring the instrumental dexterity of the new line-up, it was a masterpiece of acid rock and reached a height of number 4 in the US charts and went on to sell a million copies. An edited version of the title track was issued as a single and reached the US top thirty.

The band’s third album, BALL, was released in January 1969 and was even more successful, reaching number 3 in the US and spawning the hit singles Soul Experience and In the Time of Our Lives. The band undertook a punishing touring schedule and a series on concerts were recorded in May 1969, finally to be issued as LIVE in April 1970. Erik Brann departed the band in December 1969 and was replaced by guitarist and vocalist Mike Pinera and additional guitarist Larry Reinhardt.

This line-up would record the album METAMORPHOSIS in May 1970 which saw the band take a heavier direction. The dominant track on the record was the excellent thirteen minute Butterfly Bleu which saw one of the earliest uses of a “talk box” on a guitar solo. Following a tour with YES in early 1971, Doug Ingle announced his departure from the band. After releasing a final single, Silly Sally in April 1971. Iron Butterfly disbanded. Although they would reform in the mid-1970s and continue to perform and record sporadically afterwards, their recorded work for Atco Records remains their main legacy.

UNCONCIOUS POWER – AN ANTHOLOGY 1967 – 1971 features all of the albums issued on Atco, all newly re-mastered from the original master tapes, and additionally includes the rare mono mixes of the albums HEAVY and LIVE, (the only true separate mono mixes of their albums), both previously unreleased on CD, along with two CDs of recordings made at the Fillmore East in New York City on the 26th and 27th April 1968. It also includes all of the band’s US non-album singles and single edits and a lavishly illustrated booklet with a new essay featuring interviews with Ron Bushy and Mike Pinera and a poster.