Dreams of a Love explained
Dreams of a Love is the debut studio album by Australian pop-rock band, the Ferrets. Released in October 1977, it peaked at number 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart. Its production was started by Ian "Molly" Meldrum under the pseudonym, Willie Everfinish – after almost a year the group, assisted by audio engineers Tony Cohen and Ian MacKenzie, finalised the work.
Background
The Ferrets had formed in 1975 and early in the following year they recorded a demo tape, which they sent to Ian "Molly" Meldrum, talent coordinator for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) pop music TV series, Countdown. Meldrum had them signed to Mushroom Records and started producing their debut album, Dreams of a Love, in July 1976.[1] [2]
After nearly a year, production of the album was still incomplete, so the Ferrets took over — assisted by recording engineers, Tony Cohen and Ian MacKenzie — Meldrum was attributed as "Willie Everfinish".[3] In June 1977 they released "Don't Fall in Love" as a single, which they performed on Countdown, it peaked at No. 2 on the Kent Music Report singles chart.[1] [4] Dreams of a Love followed in October and achieved gold record status.[1] The album cover depicted a model, Wendy Bannister, holding a snarling ferret at her shoulder.[1]
Reception
The Australian said, "A grand debut, overseen by Ian Meldrum. "Just Like the Stars" is akin to the Beatles at their best. Billy Miller's mum sat knitting in the studio: 'Mmm, yes that sounds very good.'"[5]
Track listing
- LP/Cassette[6]
Personnel
- The Ferrets
- Philip Eizenberg – guitar
- Kenneth Firth – bass guitar, backing vocals
- William "Billy" Miller – lead vocals, guitar, strings (arranger)
- David Springfield – guitar
- Rick Brewer – drums, percussion
- Jane Miller – backing vocals, keyboards
- Pam Miller – backing vocals
- Additional musicians
- Kevin Kasey – choir conductor
- David Springfield – guitar, backing vocals
- Dave Clarke – flute (track 13)
- Brian Godden – banjo (track 6)
- Chris Harold – synthesiser (tracks 7, 12)
- Nicky Hopkins – piano, voice (track 3)
- Peter Jones – strings arranger (tracks 1, 7, 9, 12–13)
- Bobby Keys – saxophone (track 2)
- Ian Mason – synthesiser (track 7)
- Ian Mawson – piano (tracks 2, 5, 7, 9, 11), organ (track 12)
- National Boys Choir – choir vocals (tracks 7, 11–12)
- Manny Paterakis – percussion (track 7)
- Peter Whitford – percussion (tracks 5, 9, 11)
- Recording details
- Art works
- Artwork – Bill Burrows, Mushroom Art, Steve Malpass
- Illustration – George Lazerides
- Photograph, cover – Derek Hughes
Notes and References
- Book: McFarlane . Ian . Ian McFarlane . . Encyclopedia entry for 'Broderick Smith' . https://web.archive.org/web/20040809222113/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=591 . http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=591 . 1999 . . . 9 August 2004 . 1-86508-072-1 .
- Web site: The Ferrets. Australian Rock Database. Magnus Holmgren. https://web.archive.org/web/20030730083325/http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/f/ferrets.html. dead. 30 July 2003. 8 October 2017.
- News: The quirks that made it work. 5 August 2006. The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 20 September 2007.
- Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book Ltd. St Ives, NSW. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
- News: . Flawless: 52 of the best albums you’ll ever hear. Alan Howe.
- Web site: The Ferrets Dreams of a Love. Discogs. 3 October 2017.
