The “Golden Hits Of The 70s”
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STORIES
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“BROTHER LOUIE”
(Errol Brown, Anthony Wilson)
Kama Sutra 577
No. 1 August 25, 1973
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Lead singer Ian Lloyd (b. Ian Buonconciglio, 1947, Seattle) and keyboardist Michael Brown (b. Michael
Lookofsky, Apr.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: their big-time success
included “Baroque rock” items like “Walk Away Renee” (#5, 1966) and “Pretty Ballerina” (#15, 1967).
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The two seemed to click and agreed to set about forming 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. Success was immediate. The
second LP, About Us (1973), also did well, but primarily because of the inclusion of an afterthought,
“Brother Louie.” This tune about a black girl and her white boyfriend had been a British hit for Hot
Chocolate in 1973. Once issued as Stories’ second single, the group’s whole world changed.
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“All of a sudden,” Lloyd explained to Triad’s Russel Wiener, “we had a big hit with a song that did not rep
resent 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.”
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Lloyd did remain with Stories for one more album–Traveling Underground (1973)–but Brown left
immediately. Bassist Kenny Aaronson (b. Apr. 14, 1952, Brooklyn) and keyboardist Ken Bichel (b. 1945,
Detroit) stepped in to fill the void. This new group made the Hot 100 with “Mammy Blue” (#50, 1973) and
“If It Feels Good, Do It” (#88, 1974). Before their short story ended, Madey moved on, and was replaced
by Rick Ranno, later of Starz notoriety.
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