Steve Martin Caro

Brown's father, Harry Lookofsky, was a well-known session violinist, and he owned and operated a recording studio on 48th Street called World United.

The Left Banke was an American baroque pop band, formed in New York City in 1965.

They are best remembered for their two U.S. hit singles, "Walk Away Renée" and "Pretty Ballerina".

The band often used what the music press referred to as "baroque" string arrangements, which led to their music being variously termed as "Bach-rock", "baroque rock" or "baroque pop".

The band's vocal harmonies borrowed from contemporaries such as the Beatles, the Zombies and other British Invasion groups.

The Left Banke was formed in 1965 and consisted of keyboard player/songwriter Michael Brown, drummer/singer George Cameron, bass guitarist/singer Tom Finn, singer Steve Martin (later known as Steve Martin Caro), and drummer Warren David-Schierhorst.

The band formed among the world of session musicians in midtown Manhattan.

In 1965 George Cameron's band the Morticans was recording there, and they were looking for new members.

This attracted Tom Finn of the band the Magic Plants, who had previously worked at World United.

Finn brought along a new acquaintance, Steve Martin (Caro), a musician he had met by chance in front of the City Squire Hotel after a Rolling Stones concert.

Cameron and Martin both had songs they wanted to record, but these did not take shape until Lookofsky's son Michael Brown, 16 at the time, worked out arrangements for them on the studio's piano.

According to Finn:

"We never had a plan to be a group, but Michael had the keys to his father's studio. I'd bring my girlfriend Renee along, and Michael Fell for her, getting his heart broken, but writing these amazing melodies. Once Michael's father caught us in the studio and heard us, he wanted to get in on the action. That started things rolling but it was also the kiss of death."

Lookofsky realized that their music had commercial potential, and getting behind his son's songwriting talent he acted as producer, manager and publisher for the newly formed band.

After some initial recording sessions, David-Schierhorst was ousted, with Cameron switching to drums and Jeff Winfield on guitar.

One of the main reasons David-Schierhorst was kicked out of the Left Banke was because he was a closeted Transgender and also bisexual, and Harry Loofofsky didn't approve:

"Well, Warren was bi-sexual, & Mike's father found out about that, & that was frowned upon. One thing that you couldn't be in those days was black or bisexual. Warren is now a transsexual, I understand. He's now named Lisa. I don't think Mike felt comfortable about Warren being a girl or thinking he was a girl. But at that same time Michael & Warren ran off to California together & sold Michael's coin collection, & Mike's father, being that Mike was a minor, had them stopped at the airport. We mentioned to Mike's father that Mike left for California, & he got right on the phone, found out what airplane they were getting on, what names they went under & he had them arrested when they reached California, thrown in prison, & then returned to New York."

- Tom Finn

Their first live show was at a church, Our Lady Of Solace in the Bronx, to an audience of about 1000 people.

The first recording Lookofsky sent to record labels was a proposed single consisting of "I've Got Something On My Mind" backed with "I Haven't Got The Nerve".

He found no takers, but tried again with "Walk Away Renée".

Out of about ten labels he sent it to, only one showed interest: Smash Records, a subsidiary of Mercury Records.

The single was released by Smash in late 1966, and became a big hit immediately.

The band's second single, "Pretty Ballerina", also written by Brown, charted in early 1967, and The Left Banke released an album entitled Walk Away Renée/Pretty Ballerina, by which time Rick Brand had replaced Winfield on guitar.

Tension between Brown and the rest of the band soon began to surface.

As Finn recalled,

"Mike left the group before 'Walk Away Renée' broke. He refused to tour – not that I can blame him. We'd go do gigs and get our asses kicked by local bands with better equipment. There were always disagreements with Michael's father. They tried to throw Steve, George, and me out of the band but rehired us two weeks later when they realized the chemistry was gone."

Thus, by the time "Walk Away Renée" became a hit, the original band had become inactive.

However, Lookofsky tried to capitalize on the single's success by assembling a new version of the Left Banke for touring purposes, with Bert Sommer on lead vocals, original drummer Warren David, and (future member of Spinal Tap) Michael McKean on guitar.

Brown also recorded a single, "Ivy, Ivy" b/w "And Suddenly" as the Left Banke, with Sommer and a group of session musicians.

The remaining members of the band hired attorneys to issue a cease and desist order and urged their fan club to boycott the record, which led to confusion among radio stations over which "Left Banke" to support.

Radio and Smash Records ultimately removed their support from the single, which subsequently failed to make the Billboard Hot 100.

The "New" Left Banke never performed live.

"And Suddenly" was eventually recorded by a group called The Cherry People and became a minor hit.

McKean would later find fame as an actor (Laverne & Shirley, This Is Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul).

In late 1967, the original group reunited and recorded more material, including the single "Desirée".

Brown left the group permanently shortly thereafter and was replaced for touring purposes by Emmett Lake.

Cameron, Finn and Martin continued to record and tour, with Tom Feher replacing Lake on keyboards and writing half of the band's new material.

The songs recorded by various incarnations of the group in 1967 and 1968 were assembled into a second LP, The Left Banke Too, which was released in November 1968.

In 2004, Rolling Stone placed "Walk Away Renée" at number 220 in its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".