The Dream Merchants - The South African Rock Encyclopedia

The South African Rock Encyclopedia > Rock Legends > 1960s / 1990s > The Dream Merchants

Legends Of South African Pop & Soul Music

The Dream Merchants: Billy Andrews, Billy Forrest

Biography

The Dream Merchants were a South African duo formed in 1966, consisting of vocalists Billy Forrest and Billy Andrews. The partnership began when both were performing at Tiles Nightclub in Durban, started by ex-Rolling Stones manager Mike Dorsey, who suggested they perform together. Their rendition of “Unchained Melody” caused such a sensation that within a week, Gallo Records had signed them. Andrews had previously been a member of The Staccatos, bringing experience from the South African beat scene to their collaboration.

The Dream Merchants achieved chart success with their debut album “Predictions & Things” in 1966, which produced hits like the Bob Dylan cover “Love Minus Zero” and “The Land Of Milk And Honey” (originally a hit for The Vogues). The band won a SARI Award in 1966 for Best Beat Artists. This was followed by the album “Hang On To A Dream” in 1967.

They attempted to break into the international market by travelling to London, where they performed at venues like the Savoy Hotel, though they were ultimately refused work permits. After returning to South Africa, the original duo disbanded to pursue solo careers, with Billy Forrest going on to achieve significant success as a solo artist and producer. In 1987, Forrest revived the Dream Merchants name, with Bobby Louw replacing Billy Andrews, for the single “Dream On”, followed by an album of the same name in 1990.

The Dream Merchants receiving the SARI award in 1966.

Billy Forrest – In His Own Words

In 1966 ex-Rolling Stones Road Manager, Mike Dorsey, opened the TILES Club in Durban based on London Clubs. It was the first venue in S.A. to have ‘Live’ Music with ‘Disco’ in between. I had just returned from Zambia and had started POP GEAR Magazine. Billy Andrews had left the Staccatos after their hit “Come Back Silly Girl” and Mike Dorsey employed him as Club Manager. One night we were all at the Killarney Hotel and Dorsey suggested Billy and I do a song together with the band, Dunny & The Showmen, we did the Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” and the place erupted. Within a week Dorsey did the Dream Merchants deal with Gallo Record Company and the deal later extended to the giant DECCA Record Company, in England. Grahame Beggs had just returned from a disastrous U.K tour with The Shangaans and we involved him as producer of our first L.P. “Predictions and Things” and it was the start of the most magic 18 months of my entire career.

At the time I was an avid Walker Brothers fan and particularly Scott Engel, their deep voiced lead singer. I started to concentrate on that sound and it worked, with Billy Andrews doing harmonies. We won a SARI award and song after song came in and out of the very popular LM Hit Parade. Our first seven single hit, “Love Minus Zero” written by Bob Dylan, set the pace and was followed by “Land Of Milk & Honey”, “Land Of 1000 Dances”, “Time & The River”, “Rattler” written for us by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers (it made Radio London Top 10 I believe) and “Hello Lover”, a Decca Studio recording, arranged by Walker Brothers arranger, Ivor Raymond and produced by Tony Clark who produced the classic Moody Blues album “Threshold of a Dream”. After a frustrating 8 months in London, trying to get work permits and also fighting a moratorium put in place by the ANC and the British Musicians Union, barring “white” South African artists from working in the U.K., we returned home to a crowd of about 4,000 screaming teenagers at Jan Smuts Airport.

We split up soon after returning and I turned to record production while Andrews sought greener pastures in Australia. Around that time, Alan Elderkin (Quinsey), moved down, with his band, The Etonians, from Salisbury, in Rhodesia. He too, had a “Scott Walker” type voice and at one stage, we considered him as the other Dream Merchant after we initially disbanded.
Billy Forrest, 7 August 2013, from Marq Vas’s Southern African Music Collectibles

Discography

Singles

KEY:
A-side / B-side (year) comments

Love Minus Zero / Land Of 1000 Dances (1966) Springbok #8
The Land Of Milk And Honey / Let It Be Me (1966) Springbok #10
Time And The River / Changes (1967)
Rattler / Don’t Be Proud (May 1967) Springbok #20
Rattler / I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time (1967) released in US and UK
Temptation / Silent Night (1967)
Hang On To A Dream / Let It Be Me (1967)
I’m Gonna Love You / Mixed Emotions (1969)
Dream On – The Dream Merchants / Let’s Hear It For The Boys – The Bobby Louw Singers (1987)

Albums