Brown left before the band recorded their third (and final) album, Traveling Underground, which was released under the name, Ian Lloyd and Stories, and included the Billboard #50 hit "Mammy Blue".

[citation needed] Although Lloyd was classically trained on both piano and violin, he first reached international acclaim as lead singer and bassist for the band Stories, formed with Michael Brown of the Left Banke in the early 1970s.

Lloyd sang lead on Stories' songs like "I'm Coming Home" (played as an anthem during the return of the Iranian hostages), "Mammy Blue" and "Brother Louie".

A re-recorded version of the latter with Lloyd on vocals is used as the theme song for Louis CK's comedy series Louie.

Rolling Stone praised Lloyd's songwriting, saying he displayed "a lyricist's most essential gift — the ability to produce a verbal approximation of the music's ambiance.