Stories (band)

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Stories was a short-lived art rock band based out of New York City in the early 1970s. The band consisted of keyboardist Michael Brown, bassist/vocalist Ian Lloyd, guitarist Steve Love, and drummer Bryan Madey, and had a fluke hit with a cover of Hot Chocolate's "Brother Louie."

[edit] Band History

Lead singer/bassist Ian Lloyd (b. Ian Buonconciglio, 1947, Seattle) and keyboardist Michael Brown (b. Michael Lookofsky, April 25, 1949, Brooklyn) were introduced by their fathers, two old friends who had worked together for years as session violinists. Ian had been singing for years and had attracted local notice recording as Ian London. Michael had played with his group the Left Banke, which had made the U.S. charts with "Walk Away Renee" (#5, 1966) and "Pretty Ballerina" (#15, 1967).

The two seemed to click and agreed to set about becoming a Beatlesque band. They recruited New Yorkers Steve Love (guitar) and Bryan Madey (drums) and located an interested record company in Kama Sutra. A self-titled album and a single – "I'm Coming Home" (#42, 1972) – followed. A second LP, About Us (1973), also did well, but primarily due to the inclusion of an afterthought, "Brother Louie." The song about a black girl and her white boyfriend had been a British hit for Hot Chocolate that year. Once issued as Stories' second single, it became a big hit reaching number one in the United States. This didn't sit well with the group.

"All of a sudden," Lloyd explained to Triad's Russel Wiener, "we had a big hit with a song that did not represent our music and the direction we were trying to go in. I didn't think it would affect me that much, but it did. Consequently, I decided that I had to remove myself from that, so that I could come back and show what I really can do."

Lloyd did remain with Stories for one more album – Traveling Underground (1973) – but Brown left immediately. Bassist Kenny Aaronson (b. April 14, 1952, Brooklyn) (formerly of Dust) and keyboardist Ken Bichel (b. 1945, Detroit) stepped in to fill the void. The new group made the Hot 100 with "Mammy Blue" (#50, 1973) and "If It Feels Good, Do It" (#88, 1974). Before the group's breakup, Love left and was replaced by Richie Ranno.

Lloyd has since recorded several solo albums and done studio work for Foreigner, Fotomaker, and Peter Frampton. Brown next formed the Beckies, another Beatlesque band. Love reappeared in the early '80s as Landscape. Madey, after a two-LP stay with the Earl Slick Band, reportedly provided accompaniment for Peggy Lee. Aaronson has remained busy. He was co-founder (with Carmine Appice's brother Vinnie) of Axis, and he did sessions for Hall & Oates, Billy Squier, ex-Mountain Leslie West, Foghat, Bob Dylan, and Rick Derringer. Bichel has done session work, and so has Love.