|
 Herman yells "Police brutality." Chief Seldom Burns answers "Where." |
|
|
"They can see we're enjoying ourselves, and they can tell we like them and appreciate them. We're not trying to shove a message down their throats, or playing them jazz or anything complicated. We're not complicated people, anyway; we're just being ourselves. Besides, we're pretty much the same age as they are." Thus - modestly - Herman (Peter Noone) 18-year-old leader of Herman's Hermits, on the reaction of their fans. And the fans' reaction to Herman's Hermits? It can be best summed up in one word S-C-R-E-A-M!!!! In fact, "screaming success" is an apt description of their impact upon audiences throughout the British Isles and on two transatlantic tours within the space of a few months. They came late on the Group Scene (the Beatles are now old men by comparrison) and furthermore had what at first might have been termed the disadvantage of originating in Manchester instead of Liverpool. But what Manchester thought some twelve months ago, London (and the rest of the pop music world) most definitely thinks today: That these five lively uninhibited music makers were something more than just another of the thousands of beat |
|
|
groups mushrooming through the length and breadth of the country. Seven million-selling singles and two million-selling albums, plus two Hollywood pictures have proved how right the Manchester fans were to proclaim "Hermania" as a worthy rival to "Beatlemania." Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone was born in Davyhulme, Manchester on Guy Fawkes Day, 1947. He attended St. Bede's College, and at 11 went on to Manchester School of Music to study music, drama, speech training and singing. It was while there that he began getting acting parts in such TV series as "Knight Errant" and "Coronation Street" (in which he played Len Fairclough's son, Stanley) as well as in various BBC and ITV plays. But his keenness on pop music at the same time drew him nightly to the local clubs, and in particular to wherever a group called the Heartbeats was appearing. His fate was sealed when their singer failed to appear one night and he stepped up to deputize. He was then about 16. Not only was the group's reaction to Peter's singing immediate; more important was the reaction of the audience. Peter was "adopted" straight away - and almost at once two changes took place. First, his similarity in character to Sherman, of the TV cartoon series, "The Bullwinkle Show," caused him to be nick-named (in error) "Herman." And a new name, to fit with Herman, was chosen for the group. First it was Herman and the Hermits. That was later shortened to Herman's Hermits for it's easy alliteration. And Herman's Hermits took the North by storm to such a degree that London began reverberating to the echo, and MGM Records issued "I'm Into Something Good" (coupled with "Your Hand In Mine"). It rose swiftly up to the top of the Hit Parade eventually winning the coveted Gold Disc Award for selling over a million copies. It proved to be just one of a string of such awards. For "Just A Little Bit Better," "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," "Silhouettes," "Wonderful World," "Henry The Eighth" and "Mrs. Brown" have all topped the million mark. And so have three of their albums, "Introducing Herman's Hermits," "Herman's Hermits On Tour" and "The Best of Herman's Hermits" which jumped 80 places in one week. It was inevitable that America, where their discs are issued, by MGM, should wish to see this new British phenomenon, and in the summer of 1965 they visited Canada and the USA for an eight-week tour, appearing on all the major network TV shows. They returned for another equally successful four-week tour. Not content that they should play to live audiences up to 100,000 people, MGM decided also to capture them on film. They'd already appeared in one picture in Britain, "Pop Gear," but this time MGM took advantage of Peter's acting experience to cast him as an English boy at college in America in the Connie Francis starrer, "Where The Boys Meet The Girls." The group's versatility was further emphasized by their being asked to perform the all-too-infrequently-heard Gershwin number, "I'm Bidin' My Time." Meanwhile, having, as it were, got the taste for Herman's Hermits, MGM next decided to star them in their own right in a picture called "Hold On!" - in which Peter appears with such well-known actors as Herb Anderson (who plays the father of "Dennis the Menace"), Bernard Fox and Harry Hickocks (of "No Time For Sergeants") as well as Shelley Fabares, who plays Peter's girl friend. Herman's Hermits flew out from London Airport in June to start a nationwide six week tour of America that is expected to gross a million dollars. This followed closely the announcement that 18-year-old Herman has signed to "seven figure plus" film and disc contract with Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. Herman states that he will continue to sing on tours and discs as Herman - but as an actor he will revert to his real name of Peter Blair Noone, "It will keep my two careers in water tight compartments." We doubt that either one will spring a leak. |
 Herman accepts the key to the bathroom and a bunch of plaques for eating 72 pounds of raw hamburger in no time at all. |
 The Hermits indulge in a spot of homemade chicken soup. "You Americans are so quaint" says Herm, "What with your chicken soup break and all." |