Bread biography

 

Two Southern musicians, David Gates of Tulsa, Oklahoma and James Griffin of Memphis, Tennessee, were struck simultaneously by a bolt of ambition, and in 1962 found their separate paths to Los Angeles, California, where music seemed to be flourishing with great potential for talented people to express themselves creatively. Both David and James were constantly honing their skills as writers, instrumentalists, and arrangers in many musical circles around L.A., plugging their songs and penning tunes for a litany of contemporaneous recording artists.

In the meantime, a singer and guitarist, Rob Royer, had been cowriting with Jim Griffin with good success. For All We Know, 1970 Oscar winner for Song of the Year, was one of the results of that collaboration. David Gates was asked, by now legendary music figure Russ Regan, to produce a project featuring Royer as vocalist for the group Pleasure Faire. It was in the context of this project that Gates, Griffin, and Royer, the nucleus of Bread, initially met, developed friendships, and the wheels started turning. Likely, it was the contrast and standing apart from the "band" wagon (pun intended) of the revolutionary and counter culture bands which were dominating the scene then...the Doors, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly, etc. that drew attention their way. Moreso, Gates and friends were into melody, harmony and exploring the chemistry they each brought to the studio experience.

The first fruit of that nucleus, augmented by another Okie, Tulsa born drummer, Jim Gordon, was the album Bread released in January, 1969. It Don't Matter To Me and Dismal Day were part of that project. David Gates followed up with another ballad, the smash hit Make It With You. It became obvious that this 'soft rock' approach was going to be the sound that Bread would ultimately become identified with and certainly had a deep connection with as players.

1970 saw the addition of drummer Mike Botts, a Los Angeles based, successful studio drummer. He became a permanent addition to the nucleus of writers, Gates, Griffin, and Royer. Also, the second album, On the Waters , is released, followed up by Manna in 1971. Yet another smash, the classic If spirals Bread into even greater success.

Yet another turning point in the band's line up then takes place in 1972 as Rob Royer leaves the group to pursue other avenues in the music business. At this crossroads, Larry Knechtel, a literally famous Los Angeles session keyboardist becomes the permanent replacement for Royer. Baby I'm a Want You , released in 1972, becomes an enormous successful album, and the definitive Bread album for some.

Even so, there is yet another turn in the road ahead as Bread releases Guitar Man and the smash title track. As is normal for musicians as talented as these, directions begin to veer, and there evolves a contrast such that is apparently impossible to justify keeping the group together. And so upon approaching the sixth album in 1973, the group decides to call it quits. There was no point in tainting the great body of work up to that point with an obviously strained effort that would possibly result in mediocrity.

So, with Bread on the back burner, so to speak, as band members take different tacts, David Gates completes a couple of solo efforts...First Album, in 1973, and Never Let Her Go, 1975. Regrouped briefly in 1977, the band actually comes together in the studio forum once again to record the album, Lost Without Your Love. The top ten title track of that record maintained the essence of what we had come to expect from the band who had now defined an unmistakable style of soft rock with songs that will no doubt exist as standards in that genre. Also, Lost Without Your Love gives us 'She's the Only One', from James Griffin and Robb Royer, a telling country rocker from two great songwriters who end up ultimately in Nashville.

In 1978, prolific David Gates pens the title song from the movie adaptation of Neil Simon's play, The Goodbye Girl , yet another unforgettable melody with successful chart results. He soon heads for the country side of life with family in tow to his northern California ranch. More recently, David recorded an album for Discovery, Love is Always Seventeen, 1994.

For the vast multitude of Bread fans, Retrospective, the latest Bread release from Rhino Records, represents the penultimate collection of the incredible legacy to date of one of the greatest pop bands ever.