It's always sad when a top group splits, but that's just what appears to have happened with Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits. But however Peter and the the group decide to record in the future, pop fans will always be grateful that for several years they were together, and that they produced a series of recordings which were remarkably good, musically, and even more remarkably successful from a Hit Parade point of view.
    Actually, as you know, the original group was called, simply, Herman's Hermits. How did the name come about? Well, there was once a TV cartoon show called "The Bullwinkle Show", in which one of the characters was a boy called Sherman. The members of what was to be known as the original Herman's Hermits group were amused at the similarity of the boy in the TV show with their own lead singer - Manchester born Peter Noone. So they re-christened Peter "Herman". Then, the group decided to call itself the Hermits - and with Peter included, it became Herman and The Hermits!
    After being brought to the attention of Mickie Most, the group made it's record debut. Title of the first single was 'I'm Into Something Good'. A prophetic title! For the record shot to No. 1 on the British charts. Strangely, although they've gone near with other records, Noone and the Hermits never did repeat their astonishing kick-off success ...
    Apart from 23-year-old Peter, who were the other members of the outfit which, during the last part of it's history, was known as Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits? Well, there was bass-guitarist Karl Green (also 23), lead or rhythm guitarist Derek Leckenby - affectionately known as "Lek" - who's 27, drummer Barry Whitwam (24), and lead or rhythm guitarist Keith Hopwood (24).
    Apart from their solitary British No. 1, Peter and the lads experienced other huge successes with recordings like 'Henry VIII', 'There's A Kind of Hush All Over The World', 'Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter' and, more latterly, 'Lady Barbara' - ironically, the group's last major hit and the first record to be released under the title of Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits ...