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PETER NOONE, a fair-haired sixteen-year-old was interested in becoming an actor. He took drama lessons, got some minor TV parts, then was told that one role, in "Knight Errant," needed singing ability - so his dad took him along to Manchester School of Music for tuition. Peter Noone was doing well. Then, one evening, he went to a dance-hall to watch a group called The Heartbeats. They were short of a singer. Peter sang. Now Peter Noone sings, full-time. Only he had to change his name. A look at a television programme of cartoons convinced his new-found mates that he was very much like a character called Sherman in the popular "Bullwinkle Show". So Peter became HERMAN. The group became the Hermits. And their first record, "I'm Into Something Good" became a hit. Says the immensely likeable Herman: "Now I just want to forget about acting. Singing's the game. Why, lots of fans around Manchester are wearing T-shirts with "Hermania" written across them. It's marvellous, exciting ... just wonderful." Herman's Hermits did a special favour for recording manager Mickie Most, giving him his hat-trick or chart successes. He'd previously recorded the Animals, then the Nashville Teens, the the Mancunians. Says Mickie, one-time hit singer in his own right: "I took one look at Herman and I knew he was a natural for the big-time. He has personality, style, looks. And best of all, he could take criticism." |
Yet the Hermits had been together for only three months before they made that initial big-hit record. Karl Green, on bass, is the only member of the original Heartbeats' group. Barry Whitwam, on drums, was the first "new boy" to join, then came Derek, alias "Lek" Leckenby, then Keith Hopwood. Both Derek and Keith share the duties of lead and rhythm guitar. Their ages run 16, 17, 21, 18 and 17 ... one of the youngest average ages in the business. Says Herman himself: "All this has happened to fast we don't know whether we appreciate the full importance of it all. Certainly, we were seen, signed, delivered to the record company, and the first disc released ... all in about three weeks." He said: "We don't want any special label shoved on our group. All we really want to do is entertain the audiences, whether it is a show for teenagers or adults. We personally go for the big-beat material, specially American R&B material, but we don't, for a moment, want to give the impression that we're in the same category." Herman has an engaging personality and is very much the centrepiece of the group. And honest, too. He says: "We liked the Earl-Jean original record and we obviously scored because she wasn't well known here." The Hermits are essentially mod in approach. They wear gear clothes, take a lot of care over their appearance. Hermits are supposed to hide themselves away. These particular "hermits" are only too glad to get in the spotlight, and I'm betting they won't be "one-hit wonders". |