A classic rock group…
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.
Words from allmusic.com
Discography
Collected
Universal Music 2012
DISC 1: The Guitar Man (Bread), Sweet surrender (Bread), Lost without your love (Bread), Make it with you (Bread), Let your love go (Bread), It don't matter to me (Bread), London bridge (Bread), The last time (Bread), Too much love (Bread), Anyway you want me (Bread), What a change (Bread), Look at me (Bread), She's the only one (Bread), Diary (Bread), Everything I own (Bread) & Take comfort (Bread). DISC 2: Baby, I'm a want you (Bread), If (Bread), Aubrey (Bread), He's a good lad (Bread), Down on my knees (Bread), Look what you have done (Bread), Just like yesterday (Bread), Family doctor (Bread), Dismal day (Bread), Fancy dancer (Bread), Goodbye girl (David Gates), Sail around the world (David Gates), Sunday rider (David Gates), Part-time Love (David Gates), Do you believe he's comin' (David Gates), Soap (I use the) (David Gates) & Ann (David Gates). DISC 3:, Never let her go (David Gates), Suite : clouds, rain (David Gates), Lorilee (David Gates), Can I call you (David Gates), Where does the lovin' go (David Gates), She was so young (David Gates), Playin' On My Guitar (David Gates), Sight & Sound (David Gates), Someday (David Gates), Overnight sensation (David Gates), He don't know how to love you (David Gates), Strangers (David Gates). Love Is Always Seventeen (David Gates), Heart It's All Over (David Gates), Avenue of love (David Gates) & Thanking you Sweet Baby James (David Gates).
Musicians on the Collected album: Bread and others.
The Very Best Of Bread
Rhino Records 2012
Make It with You, Baby I'm a Want You, Everything I Own, Guitar Man, Lost Without Your Love, If, Anyway You Want Me, It Don't Matter to Me, Down On My Knees, Just Like Yesterday, Diary, Sweet Surrender, Fancy Dancer, Too Much Love, He's a Good Lad, She's the Only One, Dismal Day, Mother Freedom, Look What You've Done & Let Your Love Go.
Musicians on the Very Best Of Bread album: Bread and others.
Bread 3 For One
Warner Music 2011
Tracks: CD1: Mother freedom, Baby I’m-a want you, Down on my knees, Everything I own, Nobody like you, Diary, Dream lady, Daughter, Games of magic, This isn’t what the governmeant, Just like yesterday & I don’t love you. CD2: Dismal day, London bridge, Could I, Look at me, The last time, Any way you want me, Move over, Don’t shut me out, You can’t measure the cost, Family doctor, It don’t matter to me & Friends and lovers. CD3: Welcome to the music, The guitar man, Make it by yourself, Aubrey, Fancy dancer, Sweet surrender, Tecolote, Let me go, Yours for life, Picture in your mind, Don’t tell me no & Didn’t even know her name.
Musicians on the 3 For One album: Bread and others.
Original Album Series
Rhino Records 2010
Tracks: CD1: Dismal day, London bridge, Could I, Look at me, The last time, Any way you want me, Move over, Don’t shut me out, You can’t measure the cost, Family doctor, It don’t matter to me & Friends and lovers. CD2: Why do you keep me waiting, Make it with you, Blue satin pillow, Look what you’ve done, I am that I am, Been too long on the road, I want you with me, Coming apart, Easy love, In the afterglow, Call on me & The other side of life. CD3: Let your love go, Take comfort, Too much love, If, Be kind to me, He’s a good lad, She was my lady, Live in your love, What a change, I say again, Come again & Truckin’. CD4: Mother freedom, Baby I’m-a want you, Down on my knees, Everything I own, Nobody like you, Diary, Dream lady, Daughter, Games of magic, This isn’t what the governmeant, Just like yesterday & I don’t love you. CD5: Welcome to the music, The guitar man, Make it by yourself, Aubrey, Fancy dancer, Sweet surrender, Tecolote, Let me go, Yours for life, Picture in your mind, Don’t tell me no & Didn’t even know her name.
Musicians on the Original Album Series: Bread and others.
The Works
Warner Bros 2007
Tracks: CD1: Dismal Day, London Bridge, Could I, Last Time, Any Way You Want Me, Don't Shut Me Out, Make It With You, Friends And Lovers, Why Do You Keep Me Waiting, It Don't Matter To Me, Look What You've Done, I Am That I Am, Been Too Long On The Road, I Want You With Me, Coming Apart, Easy Love, In The Afterglow & Take Comfort. CD2: If, Let Your Love Go, Live In Your Love, Too Much Love, Be Kind To Me, He's A Good Lad, She Was My Lady, Truckin', Baby I'm A Want You, Mother Freedom, Down On My Knees, Everything I Own, Dream Lady, Diary, Daughter, Just Like Yesterday, I Don't Love You & Welcome To The Music. CD3: Guitar Man, Make It By Yourself, Aubrey, Sweet Surrender, Fancy Dancer, Tecolote, Let Me Go. Yours For Life, Picture In Your Mind, Games Of Music, This Isn't What Governmeant, Don't Tell Me No, Didn't Even Know Her Name, Lost Without Your Love, She's The Only One, Chosen One & Hooked On You.
Musicians on the Works album: Bread and others.
Definitive Collection
Rhino Records 2006
Tracks: Disc 1: Dismal Day, London Bridge, Any Way You Want Me, Last Time, Friends and Lovers, Make It with You, Look What You've Done, I Want You with Me, Why Do You Keep Me Waiting, Call on Me, It Don't Matter to Me (Single Version), Let Your Love Go, If, Too Much Love & He's a Good Lad. Disc 2: Take Comfort, Truckin', Mother Freedom, Baby I'm-A Want You, Down on My Knees, Daughter, Everything I Own, Diary, Guitar Man, Aubrey, Fancy Dancer, Sweet Surrender, Lost Without Your Love, She's the Only One & Hooked on You.
Musicians on the Definitive Collection album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Make It With You
WEA Records 2005
Tracks: It Don't Matter To Me, Friends And Lovers, Any Way You Want Me, Make It With You, Been Too Long On The Road, In The Afterglow, Let Your Love Go, Take Comfort, If, Come Again, Mother Freedom, Everything I Own, Dream Lady, Make It By Yourself, Let Me Go, Didn't Even Know Her Name, She's The Only One & Lost Without Your Love.
Musicians on the Make It With You album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
The Essentials
Warner Records 2005
Tracks: Baby I'm-A Want You, If, Make It With You, Guitar Man, Everything I Own, It Don't Matter To Me, Mother Freedom, Sweet Surrender, Let Your Love Go, Diary, Lost Without Your Love & Aubrey.
Musicians on the Essentials album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Make It With You
Rhino Records 2003
Tracks: Make It With You, Lost Without Your Love, Diary, The Chosen One, Mother Freedom, Sweet Surrender, Friends And Lovers, Dismal Day, Let Your Love Go & If.
Musicians on the Make It With You album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
The Love Album
Brilliant Records 2002
Tracks: Aubrey, Hooked On You, Make It By Yourself, Lost Without Your Love, Guitar Man, Let Your Love Go, Dismal Day, Make It With You, Baby I´m-A Want You, Sweet Surrender, Diary, Everything I Own, It Dont Matter To Me, If & That´s All I Need.
Musicians on the The Love Album album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Essentials
Elektra Records 2001
Tracks: Dismal Day, Any Way You Want Me, It Don´t Matter To Me (Single Version), Make It With You, Look What You´ve Done, I Want You With Me, Let Her Go, Too Much Love, If, He´s A Good Lad, Mother Freedom, Baby I´m A Want You, Down On My Knees, Everything I Own, Diary, The Guitar Man, Aubrey, Sweet Surrender, She´s The Only One, Lost Without Your Love, Soap (I Use It), Ann, Never Let Her Go & Goodbye Girl.
Musicians on the Essentials album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
The Best Of Bread
Rhino Records 2001
Tracks: Make It With You, Everything I Own, Diary, Baby, I'm-A Want You, It Don't Matter To Me, If, Mother Freedom, Down On My Knees, Too Much Love, Let Your Love Go, Look What You've Done, Truckin', The Guitar Man, Aubrey, The Last Time, Sweet Surrender, He's A Good Lad, Daughter, Friends And Lovers & Lost Without Your Love.
Musicians on the The Best Of Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer.
Guitar Man
Elektra Records 2000
Tracks: Medley: If/Diary/Make It With You/Sweet Surrender, Hooked On You, Make It By Yourself, Lost Without Your Love, Guitar Man, Let Your Love Go, Dismal Day, Make It With You, Baby I´m-A Want You, Sweet Surrender, Diary, Everything I Own, It Dont Matter To Me, If, That´s All I Need & Medley: Everything I Own/Guitar Man/It Don´t Matter To Me/Lost Without.
Musicians on the Guitar Man album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Restrospective
Rhino Records 1996
Tracks: DISC 1: Dismal Day, London Bridge, Any Way You Want Me, The Last Time, Could I, Friends And Lovers, Look At Me, Make It With You, Look What You've Done, Been Too Long On The Road, Why Do You Keep Me Waiting, Call On Me, It Don't Matter To Me - (single version), Let Your Love Go, He's A Good Lad, Live In Your Love, She Was My Lady, If, Too Much Love, Take Comfort, Truckin', Down On My Knees, Daughter, Games Of Magic & Just Like Yesterday. DISC 2: Mother Freedom, Baby I'm-A Want You, Everything I Own, Diary, The Guitar Man, Aubrey, Fancy Dancer, Sweet Surrender, Yours For Life, She Knows - (with James Griffin & Co.), Clouds - (single edit, with David Gates), I Use The Soap - (with David Gates), Sail Around The World - (with David Gates), Ann - (with David Gates), Never Let Her Go - (with David Gates), Part-Time Love - (with David Gates), Lost Without Your Love, She's The Only One, Hooked On You, The Chosen One, Goodbye Girl - (from "The Goodbye Girl", with David Gates), Took The Last Train - (with David Gates), Where Does The Lovin' Go - (with David Gates), Take Me Now - (with David Gates) & For All We Know - (previously unreleased, demo, with James Griffin).
Musicians on the Retrospective album: David Gates, James Griffin, Larry Knechtel, Robb Royer, Mike Botts, Jim Gordon, Dan Dugmore, Hadley Hockensmith, Larry Carlton, Louie Shelton, Dean Parks, Robin Williamson, David Lindley, Jimmy Getzoff, Jim Horn, Tom Scott, Dick Hyde, Chuck Findley, David Miner, Paul Leim, John Guerin, Russ Kunkel & Craig Gates.
Let Your Love Go
Remember Records 1994
Tracks: Make it with you, It don’t matter to me, Let your love go, If, Baby I’m a want you, Everything I own, Diary, The guitar man, Sweet surrender, Aubrey, Lost without your love, Hooked on you, Make it by yourself & Dismal Day.
Musicians on the Let Your Love Go album: Bread and others.
The Very Best Of Bread
Pickwick Records 1988
Tracks: Baby I'm A Want You, It Don't Matter To Me, Didn't Even Know Her Name, Mother Freedom, Took The Last Train, Lost Without Your Love, Goodbye Girl, Diary, Make It With You, If, Let Your Love Go, Sweet Surrender, Guitar Man, Aubrey, Never Let Her Go & Everything I Own.
Musicians on the Very Best Of Bread album: Bread and others.
Anthology Of Bread
Elektra Records 1985
Tracks: Make It With You, Dismal Day, London Bridge, Anyway You Want Me, Look What You've Done, It Don't Matter To Me, The Last Time, Let Your Love Go, Truckin', If, Baby I'm A-Want You, Everything I Own, Down On My Knees, Aubrey, Diary, Sweet Surrender, Guitar Man, Fancy Dancer, She's The Only One & Lost Without Your Love.
Musicians on the Anthology Of Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
The Sound Of Bread
K-Tel Records 1982
Tracks: Make It With You, The Guitar Man, Been Too Long On The Road, London Bridge, It Don´t Matter To Me, Let Your Love Go, If, Mother Freedom, Baby I´m A Want You, Everything I Own, Aubrey, Diary, He´s A Good Lad, Sweet Surrender, Dismal Day & Lost Without Your Love.
Musicians on the The Sound Of Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
The Sound Of Bread
Elektra Records 1979
Tracks: Make It With You, Dismal Day, London Bridge, Anyway You Want Me, Look What You've Done, It Don't Matter To Me, Last Time, Let Your Love Go, Truckin', If, Baby I'm A Want You, Everything I Own, Down On My Knees, Just Like Yesterday, Diary, Sweet Surrender, Guitar Man, Fancy Dancer, She's The Only One & Lost Without Your Love.
Musicians on the The Sound Of Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Hot Bread
Elektra Records 1979
Tracks: Let Your Love Go, If, Don't Shut Me Out, Take Comfort, Too Much Love, Live In Your Love, Make It With You, The Last Time, It Don't Matter To Me, I Want You With Me & She Was My Lady.
Musicians on the Hot Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Larry Knechtel, Mike Botts, Dean Parks, Michael Boddicker & Tom Scott.
Lost Without Your Love
Elektra Records 1977
Tracks: Hooked on you, She's the only one, Lost without your love, Change of heart, Belonging, Fly away, Lay your money down, The chosen one, Today the first day, Hold tight & Our lady of sorrow.
Musicians on the Lost Without Your Love album: David Gates, James Griffin, Larry Knechtel, Mike Botts, Dean Parks, Michael Boddicker & Tom Scott.
The Best Of Bread Vol. 2
Elektra Records 1974
Tracks: Sweet Surrender, Fancy Dancer, Guitar Man, Been Too Long On The Road, Friends And Lovers, Aubrey, Daughter, Dream Lady, Yours For Life, Just Like Yesterday, He's A Good Lad & London Bridge.
Musicians on the The Best Of Bread Volume Two album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Guitar Man
Elektra Records 1972
Tracks: Welcome to the music, The guitar man, Make it by yourself, Aubrey, Fancy dancer, Sweet surrender, Tecolote, Let me go, Yours for life, Picture in your mind, Don't tell me no & Didn't even know her name.
Musicians on the Guitar Man album: Mike Botts, David Gates, James Griffin, Larry Knechtel.
The Best Of Bread
Elektra Records 1972
Tracks: Make It With You, Everything I Own, Diary, Baby I´m-A Want You, It Don´t Matter To Me, If, Mother Freedom´, Down On My Knees, Too Much Love, Let Your Love Go, Look What You´ve Done & Truckin´.
Musicians on the The Best Of Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Boots & Larry Knechtel.
Baby I´m-A Want You
Elektra Records 1972
Tracks: Mother freedom, Baby I'm-a want you, Down on my knees, Everything I own, Nobody like you, Diary, Dream lady, Daughter, Games of magic, This isn't what the governmeant, Just like yesterday & I don't love you.
Musicians on the Baby I´m-A Want You album: Mike Botts, David Gates, James Griffin, Larry Knechtel.
Manna
Elektra Records 1971
Tracks: Let your love go, Take comfort, Too much love, If, Be kind to me, He's a good lad, She was my lady, Live in your love, What a change, I say again, Come again & Truckin'.
Musicians on the Manna album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Botts, Mike Botts.
On The Waters
Elektra Records 1970
Tracks: Why do you keep me waiting, Make it with you, Blue satin pillow, Look what you've done, I am that I am, Been too long on the road, I want you with me, Coming apart, Easy love, In the afterglow, Call on me & The other side of life.
Musicians on the On The Waters album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer & Mike Botts.
Bread
Elektra Records 1969
Tracks: Dismal day, London bridge, Could I, Look at me, The last time, Any way you want me, Move over, Don't shut me out, You can't measure the cost, Family doctor, It don't matter to me & Friends and lovers.
Musicians on the Bread album: David Gates, James Griffin, Robb Royer, Jim Gordon & Ron Edgars.