Bread
Biography
Bread was one of the most popular pop groups of the early '70s, earning a string of well-crafted, melodic soft rock singles, all of which were written by keyboardist/vocalist David Gates. A session musician and producer, Gates met in 1968 guitarist/vocalist James Griffin, who had already released a solo album called Summer Holiday. Griffin hired Gates to produce a new album, and the pair soon became a group, adding guitarist/vocalist Robb Royer from the band Pleasure Fair, who Gates had produced early in its career. The trio soon signed with Elektra Records, becoming one of the label's first pop bands. Naming themselves Bread, the group released its self-titled debut album in late 1968. Although it was filled with accessible, melodic soft rock that became the band's signature sound, the record had no hit singles.
With their second album, On the Waters, Bread established themselves as hitmakers. "Make It With You," the first single released from the album, became a number one hit, which led to "It Don't Matter to Me," a song taken from Bread, becoming a Top Ten hit. With On the Waters becoming a gold record, the group embarked on a tour, adding a full-time drummer, Mike Botts, to the lineup. Manna, released in the spring of 1971, wasn't as big a hit as the previous record, yet it launched another Top Ten hit with "If." Royer left the group after the album and was replaced by Larry Knechtel, a Los Angeles session musician who played on records by the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Monkees, among others. The new lineup released its first single, "Mother Freedom," in the summer of 1971; the single scraped the Top 40 at number 37. Bread's next single, "Baby I'm-a Want You," became a number three hit at the end of the year. After "Everything I Own" reached number five in January of 1972, an album called Baby I'm-a Want You was released. Peaking at number three, the record became the group's most successful album. The group's fifth album, Guitar Man, followed in the fall of 1972.
At the beginning of 1973, Bread disbanded after a dispute between Gates and Griffin. Griffin claimed that, when the group was conceived, the pair agreed that the singles would be divided equally between the two songwriters; Gates wrote most of Bread's hits and wanted to continue to compose the singles. The two parted ways, with each of the musicians pursuing solo careers. Bread reunited in 1976, releasing Lost Without Your Love in early 1977. The title track became their last Top Ten hit, peaking at number nine. The success could not keep the group together as tensions between Gates and Griffin began to escalate again. After Griffin split from the group, Gates assembled a new version of the band and toured under the name Bread. Griffin sued Gates for using the name, which the duo co-owned. A judge ordered the group not to perform, record, or collect royalty payments until the case was resolved; it wasn't resolved until 1984. In the meantime, Gates and Griffin pursued solo careers. Of the two musicians, Gates was more successful, scoring a number 15 hit in 1978 with the title theme to Goodbye Girl. However, his career declined in the '80s; by the '90s, he was running a California ranch. Griffin relocated to Nashville, forming Dreamer with Randy Meisner in the early '90s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

Definitive Collection
2006

Anthology Of Bread
1985

Guitar Man
1972

Baby I'm-A Want You
1972

Manna
1971
Hard to get any better than this great group,every song they recorded was wonderful,"B R E A D " was one of many favorites of mine..DAVID GATES had a great voice..
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great music for a crapy day. brings me back to a slower time when music was enjoyed not just listened to.
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Bread will always be a classic! Their music is timeless. I never get tired of listening to them J.
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I love lsitening to Bread. It's been ages since I've heard a song and when I found Pandora, it instantly took me back 36 years to that teenager I was at that time. I could even tell you what I was wearing!! Incredible is all I can say! Thanks!
Susan Wondrusch |
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Ireally love this group.Every song has a great message,beau t i f u l l y aranged.
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This group really takes me back to the early seventies; the mood, the feelings just come out with this band.
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These guys sure make me remember my youth when my brother and sisters used to sit around and listen to them. Mellow music for sure!
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Superb stereo!
And the drums are panned far to the right channel. That is in sharp contrast to the normal way, but is very much the way I pan my material. Why? Because if one listens to just the left channel, then this song becomes more of an soft acoustic version without having to re-record it. You've just satisfied those who are not fans of loud rock drums! (You've also given an alternative to those who crank their car's bass far past what is polite to other drivers, but they don't care.) |
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I really like the song on the computer,cau s e you can hear the stereo come through.
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This takes me right back to the courtyard at school my 12 string and my fellow students!!!
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Great lyrics, amazing vocals, beautiful arrangements plus great production values. What more could a music fan ask for?
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Just love Bread, easy listening and so deep and full of meaning. I wish they would perform again.
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This is a classic,ther e is 1 guitar player, that comes to mind when i hear this song,i'm not saying thats who this song is about,but i hear that electric guitar with that wah wah, i think about jimi Hendrix.
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Honestly, I remember a time when if you were to visit the girl's dorm on almost any campus, search through her LP collection.. . . there it would be! What? A copy of "Bread's Greatest Hits" in all it's glory. Did this go on for a year or two? Nope... how about five, six, seven... maybe ten years after the album came out! Tis true. Guys might have enjoyed their music, but the women felt it deep into their soul. Do we have a Bread equivalent this day and age?
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David Gates was one of the truly great soft rock writers of all time.
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The finest music I have ever heard is on side two of the Good Bye Girl album. Cloud Suite blows me away... Lorelei is the icing on the cake!!!
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Isn't side one of the original vinyl "Best of Bread" album the greatest make-out record ever assembled?
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you guys are the best. i love all of your songs..some of my favorites are, "make it with you", "baby i`m a want you ", "guitar man", "if", "aubrey", "diary", "good by girl from david gates ", wow, there is too much for me to name lol..but you get the picture..im a big fan..
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