Continued from Page Two

Conclusion

While compiling my original discography in the late 1970s (to keep track of my growing Griffin collection), I had a vague notion of possibly turning it into a comprehensive biodiscography of the group. However, the research had to be put on the far back burner which was probably a good thing as I was accumulating a lot of faulty information from the popular press. This Bread site is as far as I go with biographies, and real biographies for those interested can be done effectively by real authors. At the present time, there is some valuable information on the Rhino CD reissues whose liner notes are filled with reminiscences by the individual artists. Likewise, Tim Hallinan's Blog Cabin has some enjoyable stories about the early days of The Pleasure Fair.

Over the years, Bread has been mentioned numerous times in popular fiction. In fact, David Gates, Mike Botts and Larry Knechtel played themselves in a Hardy Boys TV episode in 1978. Maria Bamford's psycho-dramatic, on-line sitcom (in which she plays all the characters) includes her attempt to simultaneously open for Bread and confront her misunderstanding family and "friends" who dominate the audience.

Speaking of fiction: During the 1970s and '80s, I would wonder who ordered the DJs (limited to playing no more than the dozen or so chart hits) to announce the group as "David Gates and Bread" when one could plainly see that was not the name of the group printed on every one of their singles and LPs! In 1978, a David Gates solo UK tour was mistakenly promoted as such as shown here. How about that other lead singer with the most incredible voice who seemed to be laboring in obscurity on Bread's B-sides and albums? Some of that material would have been perfect for the alternative FM stations of the '70s. Bread's entire output can be sampled on the web at such sites as amazon.com. Taking into account the vast variety of expression found on their albums, why would anyone categorize their music as "soft-rock"? The concept of categories in music is (to utilize a polite phrase from "Futurama") so much pure weapons-grade balonium anyway.

Another question comes up which is best answered by the individual Bread fan: Is Bread as they are best-known really Bread at their best?

My friend Kellie came up with an idea for a possible compilation CD whose proposed tracks are listed here in a truly inspired order. Each song sets up the next. Note that there are none of those pesky hits to get in the way and spoil the mood. [Insert winky face here.] How about "A Fresh Slice of Bread" for the title? If such a collection of rarely-heard B-sides and album tracks would appear along with additional CDs of live recordings and previously-unreleased items, any new revival of interest might be expedited. (Note the new CD of previously-unreleased Griffin songs highlighted on Page One.) If performed by the original artist(s), the appearance of a hitherto-obscure Bread-related song at an appropriate moment in a good movie or TV episode could really get the ball rolling.

Bread and its individual members still have a dedicated fan base throughout the world. What the fans can do is exercise a bit of "outreach" and educate the public regarding Bread's accomplishments – group and solo. Visiting local college and alternative radio stations is a good starting point. A local Madison, Wis. listener-supported station worked for me!

John Lindquist

LINKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Good sources of information about record releases which are helping greatly in improving the Bread Discography pages (which at the pace I'm going will never be 100% complete and updated) include the following sites. Links are to example pages; note the search features of these sites.
  
  • Discogs.
    
  • 45cat.com.
  
  
• Do a search for Bread and any of its members on Facebook or your favorite search site!
  
  
• From Peru, a Spanish-language Bread site in blog format is here. How about those rare photos!
  
  
• Lisa's fansite, The Bread Section includes some great photos of Mike Botts and a link to Michele Botts' book.
  
  
• The official Mike Botts Website: News, photos, road journals of the 1996-97 worldwide Bread Tour and the Dan Fogelberg 2003 Summer Tour, and more. His solo CD "Adults Only"appears to still be available and information can be found at the discogs.com site.
  
  
• Check out the Robb Royer Pitch Sheet blog for some musical rarities.
  
  
• A couple more members of the old Pleasure Fair group have interesting websites worth exploring: Novelist Timothy Hallinan and Composer Stephen Cohn. Their ongoing, individual literary and musical achievements and their renewed collaboration portend more great things to come. If you want to be a writer or perhaps get some insight into what a writer's life might be like, Tim's state-of-the-art site is highly beneficial. His wide-ranging blog never fails to amaze, educate and entertain.
  
  
• Synthesizer artist Michael Iceberg added his special talent to "Goin' Back To Boston" on the "Breakin' Up Is Easy" LP, and he is featured in numerous videos on YouTube including those found here and here. A collaboration with Robb Royer is shown here.
  
  
• Thoughtful commentaries on the life and career of Jimmy Griffin can be found at Randy's Rodeo and Westcoast Music.
  
  
• An amazing library of artist information with label shots and song samples is at the Rockin' Country Style site. Click here for David Gates – just up the road from Buddy Holly for cryin' out loud.
  
  
• David Gates' induction into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame is shown here. (David is in the Class of 1998 along with Gene Autry!) And don't forget about Jimmy receiving the Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk of Fame.
  
  
• As I certainly do not live by Bread alone, here are some more of my personal favorites that keep me awake on the road:
  
  • Philip Glass. Click here to see and hear a movement from a recently-released composition for violin and piano.
    
  • The "3 B's" often keep me entertained on long car trips:  (1) The late, great Australian rocker Billy Thorpe.  (2) Bekka Bramlett who has a voice like none other. A collaboration with Billy Thorpe and Mick Fleetwood is presented here.  (3) Billy Burnette is Mr. Rockabilly. All three are connected in many ways.
    
    
• What event has drawn thousands to Clear Lake, Iowa every February since 1979? Click here for the story and check out the links. I have attended each event from 1979 through 2020 and have had some productive talks with recording artists who worked with James Griffin.
  

A big thank you to interested individuals around the world who helped put info onto these pages and/or communicated with me about some real substance. Let me know if I somehow neglected to include anyone. Akihide N., Alice L., Andrew B., Bill A., Bill S., Bob C., another Bob C., Bobby V., Brian B., Brian O., Charlie O., Dave B., David C., Dean A., Dr. Rhino, Debra I., Diana Y., Drew R., Fran H., Gary S., Gene W., Holly C., James G., Jamey G. and his incredible family, Jeff G., Jeff J., Jerry O., Jessie R., another John L., John R., Joe M., Joe S., Joe V., Judy D., Jules A., Kaoru S., Kellie G., Lisa F., Malc S., Marti G., Mike B., Mike D. at 60sgaragebands.com, Mike M., the late Neva G. and Paul B., Pete C., Richard W., Rick H., Rip L., Robb R., Rockin' John McD., Ron F., Ron L., Sonny C., Stephen C., Steve W., Terry G., Timothy H., Tomas B., William S., and WORT Listeners. Also the rockin' Anonymous family.

Page last updated on 11/23/20 at 2:45 PM, CST., and it probably
still needs updating with some remaining link corrections.
As for Pages 1 and 2, links should now appear in a separate window.
John Lindquist: home page, complete site outline.