Bread was a 1970s rock and roll band
from Los Angeles, California. They are a prime example of what later was
labeled as “soft rock.”
David Gates (guitar, keyboards, bass
and vocals) and Jimmy Griffin (guitar and vocals) formed the group in 1968,
adding Robb Royer (guitar, bass and vocals of Pleasure Faire) before signing to
Elektra Records. Bread, the band’s debut album as a trio, was a failure. The
band became a quartet beginning with their second album, On The Waters,
bringing in Mike Botts as permanent drummer. This time their efforts quickly
established Bread as a major act, hitting the mainstream with the #1 hit “Make
It With You” in 1970. Bread began touring and recording the 1971 album titled
Manna, which included their most enduring hit, “If.”
Royer left the group after three
albums to pursue other interests. He was replaced by Larry Knechtel (keyboards,
bass, guitar, harmonica), a top session player from the Los Angeles scene.
Knechtel’s credits included records by Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Mamas
and the Papas, The Monkees, Jan and Dean, Johnny Rivers and Simon &
Garfunkel. In 1972 Bread released the highly successful album titled Baby I’m-a
Want You, followed by another hit album, Guitar Man. Tensions existed between
Gates and Griffin, however. Elektra had been invariably choosing Gates’ songs
for the A-sides of the singles; Griffin felt that the singles should have been
split between the two, however.
