Herman - 'I was wrong'

Herman Talks to RM's James craig


LAST time I talked to Herman was a few weeks ago during his panto season in Chester. He was looking forward to a skiing holiday in Switzerland.
    This time, I started by asking how he'd enjoyed his first experience of winter sports. It was the wrong question.

Mournful

    "Didn't go," replied a mournful Herman. "Nor did any of the Hermits. See, we had 'Silhouettes' come out and a whole string of radio and TV dates to make. So we had to cancel our holiday. Had to pay, though. We were too late to get our money back. Only time I've had off is a day to visit my parents. It's the first time I've had since 'Show Me Girl' came out in November. My parents have just moved from Prestatyn in Wales to a great new house in Huyton, near Liverpool. I'm calling from there now. Tomorrow I'm off on tour with some of my old Manchester mates, Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders and the Just Four Men. Sometimes it gets a bit boring touring round the country but this tour should be a lot of fun. The only one we don't know is Del Shannon."
    What chances of a holiday in the near future?
    "We've got it fixed. In April we're off to America for seven weeks. We spend a week on the Dick Clark Caravan Show, then we have a couple of days free in Los Angeles, which should be terrific. We were there last year and met some swinging girls who are mad keen surfers. The weather in 		  California will be at its best in April so we're going to try some surfing. After that we go back on Dick Clark's tour, travelling all over America with Bobby Vee, the Shangri-Las and the Righteous Brothers.
    "At the end we have a week's holiday in New York. Haven't decided what we'll do. I hope to get round some of the clubs and see some of the top artistes. It's a pity, but we don't have clubs here like they do in the States. On our promotional visit to Los Angeles, I went to the Whiskey A Go Go where they had Bo Diddley, The Righteous Brothers, The Shirelles and the Four Tops - all in one club.
    "Of course, if the weather is good I don't intend to stay in New York all week. I could do with a real sunshine-and-sea holiday and I'd like to do a bit of relaxing, but we may have to do a lot of interviews with American writers and disc jockeys."

Pressmen

    How does Herman, who is only 16, make out with American pressmen and radio personalities? "Oh, they're practically always very nice guys. Just once in a while you run into somebody who resents so many British groups coming over. Mostly, though, they are fascinated to hear stories about the British pop scene and about British teenagers. They're always astonished that parents in this country take so much interest in pop music and have an influence on youngsters' tastes. In the States, I gather, parents don't enter into it at all."
    Will Herman have a new record out by the time he goes to America? "Don't know. We still can't get over the success of 'Silhouettes'. All the Hermits preferred the B side, 'Baby Can't You Hear My Heartbeat?', which got into the Amrican charts. But our recording manager, Mickie Most, said no, 'Silhouettes' would do better here. Looks as though he's right."

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