"YOUNG GIRL" doesn't really appeal to me, partly because this group had another disc out in the States a few months ago which was very similar. So, since I'm so often in the States, I seem to have heard nothing but this same theme for six months. It's driving me round the bend!
    Bobby Goldsboro's a fantastic guy but I don't dig "Honey". It's such a sickly song - like all his earlier ones.
    Engelbert's is by far the best he's ever done. It's not my sort of song, but I still think he hasn't made a better record since he changed his name.
    Small Faces' is fantastic. They are doing the best group things in England at the moment: Herd, too, are a group which is going to last. This current hit is very much like "Music Goes Round My Head" and very commercial.
    Andy Williams? Great song, great singer; same goes for Scott Walker - he's a fantastic artist and deserves every bit of his success.
    But the best record, for me, in the chart is "I Can't Let Maggie Go". We liked it so much we included it in our stage act on the tour and I'm also mad about that other Honeybus song, "Do I Still Figure In Your Life" which Dave Berry, also on the tour with us, has recorded. He deserves a big hit, too.
    If the Tremeloes keep making records like "Helule, Helule" they'll be in the chart for another ten years at least.
    Elvis has the only trivial song in the Top 30. What are the words all about? Record itself is great, but the words are simply stupid.


HERMAN'S HERMITS
"Bet Yer Life I Do (Rak).

WELL, here's a turn-up for the book! This represents a complete change of style for Herman. Although the accompanying publicity hand-out describes it as blues-beat, the fact is that the Hermits' new sound is nothing more nor less than reggae!
    But let me say right away that it's highly polished and commercialised reggae. The Hermits sing along with Herman all the way, and the snappy up-tempo aka beat is carried along by pipe-organ, with an orchestral scoring adding depth towards the end.
    The song itself has an authentic feel - which isn't surprising as it was written by two West Indians - and has a much more catchy melody than the vast majority of material in this idiom. I would think Herman's popularity will be sufficient to carry it.