"CAN'T wait," said Herman. "Nor can we," added the Hermits in chorus. "But you'll get some in the VIP lounge," said recording manager Mickie Most. They advanced in a body to the nearby tea bar at London Airport.     "Eight weeks in the States and not one decent cuppa," lamented Herman. "Six teas, luv," said Karl Green.     This was one morning last week. Herman and his mates were just back from their long tour of America - and were they glad to be back! A little later - drinking more tea in the VIP lounge - Homesick Herman told me:     "We felt great during the first part of our tour. Phoned home just once a week. Then we started getting blue and stepping it up to three or four times a week. In the end we were going around saying things like 'Never mind. We shall be back home in two days, four hours and 35 minutes from now."     Just the same, Herman had plenty of good things to tell. For example, don't be surprised if

he and the Hermits make a fast trip back to the States on July 2. President Johnson's daughter, Luci, has her 18th birthday then. She is known to be a fan of the group. Rumour is they may be asked to her party.     Then there was the flying! "We did quite a lot of it between dates," Herman told me - as the Hermits sat cinefilming our interview. "Once or twice we took a turn each at the controls. Wonderful! One hop we did - from Oklahoma City to Dallas - was by helicopter. We landed on the roof of the big indoor fairgrounds where we were booked. We just climbed out, went down a staircase to a special stage high up in the auditorium and minutes later we were performing to 12,000 screaming fans below!"     Then the surfing and water skiing! Herman and the boys had their first taste of these in Panama City and really got weaving with them during a few days' break in Florida. Terrific!     Then New York! They saw Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" ('she's terrific!") - Tony Newley in "Roar of the Greasepaint" (backstage chat afterwards) - Tommy Steele in "Half a Sixpence."     Though they had fervent audience-reaction all along the line - and though they had three discs whooping it up at once in the American charts - Herman confessed they were dead nervous when the tour started.     "First date was Allentown. We were so worried, we couldn't eat beforehand. But the applause came whooming at us after the first number. At the end of our act the whole place erupted and some of the fans pushed their way up on the stage and smashed the amplifiers to bits. Great!"

At the airport, Mickie Most told Herman all about "It's Just A Little Bit Better" - number he had found in New York a week or two before. Herman hadn't heard it. "But," he told me, "if Mickie reckons it's right for our next single - fine. I go a lot on his judgement."     (Early this week, Herman was recording this song plus others for an L.P. Available for later: several numbers penned by Herman, Lek and Keith Hopwood during an American trip.) Herman was bent on buying a car - fast! Probably a Jag. But he is disqualified. "Chauffeur?" I asked. "Sounds too bigtime," Herman protested. "Just say I'll get someone to drive me." Herman, parents and little sister Suzanne are now in rented house at Huyton, Lancs. "But," Herman tells me, "a bungalow is being built for use somewhere in Cheshire. We hope to move in by autumn." All Herman bought in the States: two Texas six-shooters; one cowboy leather shirt; one ultra-small stereo player. He lost a left eye tooth in Philadelphia. But don't worry, fans. Believe it or not, it was a first tooth. Watch that gap and see it go!