BY THE TIME Herman-Peter Noone in those days - was 12 years old he had done quite a bit of TV acting and was studying singing. One weekend, while his parents thought he was hitchhiking about with a friend, Herman was actually in London seeing the head of a drama school that specialized in coaching children.     The following Monday morning Herman burst into the living-room of his home in Manchester, shouting, "Mum! Dad! I've got the best ever news! You'll never believe what I am about to tell you!"     And while Mr. and Mrs. Noone sat listening in stark disbelief, Herman proudly announced, "I've got a part in a Judy Garland film!" "We caught the next train down to London ourselves," recalls Denis Noone, Herman's father, "and went to see the woman Wendy Wisbey - who had suggested him for the part."     "There's not very much talent about these days," Wendy told Mr. and Mrs. Noone, "and when it appears, you recognize it immediately."     However, Herman's joy was short-lived. After a long consultation with all parties involved, Herman's parents decided not to let him accept the role. He was still at school, and it would have meant spending nine months in Greece. Besides, the Noones would not have been able to accompany Herman.     Though he understood, Herman never forgot this decision, and when he started pop singing several years later, he kept it a secret from his folks. "I was afraid my parents wouldn't let me do it," he says, looking back.     "The first we knew about it," recalls Mr. Noone, "was one night when we went along to a dance at the Manchester United football club. They had a pop group on the stage-and the singer was PETER!"     "I had seen this group, the Heartbeats, several times at a youth club," explains Herman. "One night their singer failed to show up, so they asked someone out of the audience to take his place. I did - and they asked me to stay on.     "Karl and Keith were both in that group. Two other members left after a disagreement some time later.     "Our manager, Harvey Lisberg, and l had to find replacements, and we went 'round to all the clubs in Manchester, looking at different groups. Then one night we saw the Wailers.

Barry and Lek were playing with them. We thought they were good, and asked them to join us. Karl moved from rhythm guitar to bass, and Keith from lead to rhythm. Lek took over lead and Barry, of course, was on drums."     Thus, Herman's Hermits were formed-taking their lead singer's name from a cartoon character from the Bullwinkle TV series.     Rick Johns remembers those early days with Herman. He was disc jockey at a Manchester ballroom when they first met. He says, "We had a British singer, Mike Preston, coming one night, and he wanted us to find a backing group. We couldn't get one, but Herman'sHermits were down for an audition a few days later, so we asked them.     "They went like a bomb-our way of saying the greatest!" says Rick. "They won themselves 30 or 40 bookings that very night." Later, Rick saw the boys loading their kit into a taxi. "If ever you want a road manager, let me know," he said. Eventually, Herman took him up on that, and Rick spent a year as the group's road manager until he joined pirate radio station Caroline as deejay.     Now he is moving to a new job in America-thanks to Herman. "While touring there," Rick explains, "Herman was asked if he knew anyone wanting a job with a small radio station at Roanoke, Virginia. He put my name forward-and that's how I got the job."     Although Herman talks cheerfully of the old times, there were days when the going was tough.     "I suppose in a way it was because it was tough that we got on so well," says Herman. "We used to share everything. In the early days, we used to play lunch-times at the Cavern in Liverpool-just like many other groups. The Beatles used to play at the lunch-time sessions as well, at one time.     "But we hadn't any money, and couldn't afford lunch, so we all took sandwiches. it didn't matter if anyone's mother had made more than the others because we used to share them 'round, so that everyone had the same."     Don't miss the next fascinating chapter in the true life story of Herman and the Hermits. It will be in the February issue of 16, which goes on sale at your newsstand on December 23rd.

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