Phil Nee Talks With David Gates of Bread

During Thanksgiving weekend we are here to put Bread on your table.  

 

David Gates has long been a favorite of mine.  He granted me a rare

interview on WRCO in 1994.  He was promoting the song 'Love Is Always 17'.  During that time, I had the chance to ask him about his songwriting process and his early years.

 

 

David Gates would have had a long career as a songwriter and producer

behind the scenes, however, in 1970 he formed the group Bread.

 

The song Make It With You hit number one in 1970.  It is rare for a new group to go right to the top.  With David Gates' songwriting ability, they would go on to chart 13 times as a group and he would chart 7 times as a solo act.  One of Breads' top 10 hits was Everything I Own.  That is a tune that still chokes me up after all of these years.

 

 

Several artists have covered the songs of Bread.  During the 1994 interview, David Gates gave me details on the top two most often covered tunes.

When I was first going on dates, the best tape you could have in the car was the first Greatest Hits album.  It appears I was not the only one that tried to use the music of Bread for a 'make out session'.

I have to tell you that one of my all-time favorite artists and songwriters is David Gates of Bread ... and have always dreamed of the chance to sit and talk with him.  (So I will admit to being extremely jealous and envious that you had the chance to do so, Phil!!!  lol)

Unfortunately, it just never happened for me (although an opportunity once presented itself that I still kick myself for not taking advantage of, all these years later)

Back in the early '80's, I went to a show at the old Holiday Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiana, to see the Bread union tour.

We did it up right for this show, as the band was always one of my favorites ...

Booked the dinner, the show and the overnight stay (which guaranteed us excellent seats within the first ten rows)

The band was amazing that night ... and after the show we went out and sat by the hotel's indoor pool for awhile before heading back upstairs for the night.

On our way to the room, we passed an open hotel room door and there, in that room, were the four members of Bread, just hangin' out, sitting on the beds, playing their acoustic guitars.  It seemed that even after the show, they still wanted to play more music.

It never even occurred to me to pop my head in the door and tell them how much I enjoyed their show ... I guess I just felt like I would have been intruding on their private moment ... so we just went off to bed instead.

Imagine my complete surprise and disappointment when, the next morning, again sitting by the pool (the outdoor one this time!), we heard everybody talking about how the guys from Bread went down to the bar around 11:00 and entertained the small crowd that had gathered there for about 45 minutes.  A once in a lifetime opportunity, blown forever!!!

In hindsight, it's really quite amazing to think that these guys, who apparently weren't getting along and didn't stay together much longer ... still loved the music so much that they would gather in the most informal of moments to play even more of their hits ... especially after having just done a full concert.

David Gates is long retired now ... but the album Phil speaks of above ("Love Is Always Seventeen") was an EXCELLENT piece of work.  I thought for sure it would put Gates back on the comeback trail but unfortunately, it didn't happen.

"Love Is Always Seventeen" is a song EVERYONE can relate to as they grow older.  There are still certain times when I hear it that I feel emotional when I hear David sing some of those lyrics.  A VERY powerful songwriter ... and one who had a HUGE impact on my life as a listener and a fan.

Bread's hit "Everything I Own," written not about a lost lover as one might think at first, but actually  about David's father, is another one that can still pull at the heartstrings all these years later ... and I swear a whole movie plays out in my mind every time I hear "Diary," another personal favorite.  But then there are VERY few songs by this band that didn't strike a chord with me.

I was introduced to Bread by a friend in high school named Dennis Gilbert (who I believe is still a FH List Member some 50+ years later!!!  lol)  Hi Dennis, if you happen to be reading this!

I forget exactly what I did ... probably came home past curfew ... but as a result of my infraction, I was grounded for two weeks.  Dennis stopped by one day to say hello and brought me over the first Bread album, which went virtually unnoticed by the public at large until "Make It With You" became a #1 Hit off their second album.

I played the heck out this disk ... and learned every song on it ... until my Dad took my guitar and record player away, too.  ("Enjoying yourself listening and playing music isn't exact 'grounded,' now, is it???")

I got an eleventh hour reprieve, just in time to go to Homecoming (that Saturday was supposed to be my last day of my two-week grounding) ... and I think I can probably thank my Mother for that, convincing "by the book" Dad that I had to at least go to my High School Homecoming Game and Dance!!!  But there is no doubt in my mind that listening to that first Bread album helped me thru the agony of being confined to my room for two weeks!

So thank you, David Gates, for that ... and for all of the great music you blessed our lives with over the years.  It still means as much to me today as it did then ... but that's just the power of good music ... it'll get 'cha every time.  (kk)

Be sure to listen to Phil Nee's THOSE WERE THE DAYS radio program tonight … and EVERY Saturday Night on WRCO ... 6 pm – Midnight (Central):

WRCO AM FM Radio Richland Center Wisconsin

Just click on the 100.9 headphones and start streaming!