The Magic Mushrooms were originally composed of five students from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
[2] In the Spring of 1966, they were joined by Josh Rice (Vocals, Flute, Harmonica), who had been the lead singer of a competing band on the Penn Campus, and 2 or 3 months after Josh arrived, Dick and Charles left the band, and were replaced by Bob Grady and Chris Barbieri, on keyboards and bass, both of whom had been in a band with Stu for a couple years previously.
The band was heard by Sonny Casella while playing at Drexel University later in the Fall and he signed on as the Manager shortly thereafter.
Their first single, "It's A-Happening" was released in September 1966,[3] which reached number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in November of that year before dropping off.
They are not to be confused with The Magic Mushroom, a different American psychedelic garage rock band from San Diego who happened to release their one and only single (I'm Gone b/w Cry Baby) the same year.