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| Herman's Hermits | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Manchester, England |
| Genre(s) | Pop rock British Invasion |
| Years active | 1963 – 1971 |
| Label(s) | Columbia (EMI) (UK), MGM Records (USA) |
| Former members | |
| Peter Noone Keith Hopwood Karl Green Alan Wrigley Steve Titterington Derek Leckenby Barry Bean Whitwam |
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Herman's Hermits were an English rock band in the 1960s, formed in Manchester in 1963. Part of the British Invasion, their trademark simple, non-threatening and clean-cut "boys next door" image made them easier to listen to and more accessible than other British Invasion bands. The band originally performed R&B numbers along with American pop. After settling on the Noone, Leckenby, Hopwood, Green and Whitwam lineup they secured a recording deal. Producer Mickie Most controlled the band's output and pressed for a straight ahead pop sound. Popular myth is that the Hermits didn't play on their records despite being competent musicians. Like most things this is only partly true. The Hermits did in fact play on all the number one hits and many other singles together with most album cuts. This can be confirmed from Most's comments on the VH-1 My Generation episode featuring the band. Mickie Most did use session musicians on many of the records he produced, including on a number of Hermits singles, as was his (and for that matter industry) practice at the time, a practice that continues today. Acrimony between former members has increased the misinformation about the bands role on their records. Further, because the band was allowed for the most part only to record straight ahead pop many critics dismiss them. For a brief time the band rivaled the Beatles on the charts and was the top selling pop act in the U.S. in 1965 (See Billboard Charts for verification). When Derek Leckenby passed away in the early '90s rock music lost a gifted and underrated player. Peter Noone and Barry Whitwam continue to perform, but separately. Hopwood is a successful writer and producer mainly scoring children's television shows in Britain and releasing the occasional rare recording from his days with the Hermits and thereafter. Karl Green is retired from the music business.
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Early history
Original members were Keith Hopwood (guitar, vocals), Karl Green (bass, vocals), Alan Wrigley (bass guitar, vocals), Steve Titterington (drums), and Peter Noone (lead vocals). Although the youngest of a remarkably young band, fifteen year old Noone was already a veteran actor, with experience on the British soap opera, Coronation Street. Derek "Lek" Leckenby (guitar, vocals), and Barry 'Bean' Whitwam (drums) (born Jan Barry Whitwam, 21 July 1946, in Prestbury, South Manchester), joined later from another local group The Wailers. After Leckenby joined, the band obtained a deal with producer Mickie Most and signed to EMI records in Europe and MGM records in the United States. After playing live for a time, they met future producer Mickie Most and released "I'm Into Something Good". The band played on many singles including "I'm Into Something Good", "Mrs Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" (1965) and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am". The last was said at the time to be "the fastest-selling song in history".[1] Leckenby played the excellent solo on "Henry" while Hopwood contributed the amazing rhythm guitar on Mrs. Brown.(Noone Interview, Hopwood per. corres.) Despite the band being more than competent as musicians, many of their subsequent singles employed some session musicians, including Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, with contributions from the band, although the role of session players on Herman's Hermits records has been greatly exaggerated in the rock media. This has been made worse by the inaccurate liner notes on the recent ABKCO "Retrospective", which fail to credit the Hermits playing. Leckenby in particular was a gifted guitarist. While the band's singles were written by top songwriters of the day, Noone, Leckenby, Hopwood and Green contributed some excellent songs on the band's albums, some of which could have been "A" sides. The songs "My Reservation's Been Confirmed" and "Take Love, Get Love" are standouts. Regardless of how the records were made, the band was able to deliver the goods live, as can be evidenced on the 1965 NME Awards Show and on 1966's Herman's Hermits Hilton Show which aired on Australian television. Leckenby in particular was able to flesh out the bands songs in concert with numerous guitar fills not readily evident on the recordings. Noone, backed by Hopwood and Green, delivered excellent vocals live and the band had a strong rhythm section. Copies of both the NME Awards Show and the Australian concert are available from internet sources. Despite a tendency to disregard the band in critical circles, all the members were capable players, and Noone was a charismatic front man whose singing ability has often been underrated. Green once said he preferred harder rock but was grateful for the hand he was dealt. (See VH1 My Generation-Herman's Hermits) The band was nominated for two Grammy awards in 1965, both for "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter." According to Noone and Hopwood , the song was recorded as an afterthought in two takes, using two microphones with Hopwood on guitar, Green on bass and Whitwam on drums. Noone and the band deliberately emphasized their English accents on the record, which was never intended to be a single. Hopwood recalls playing a Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar in the studio with its strings muted in order to create the distinctive sound. When playing the song live, Hopwood often used a Rickenbacker guitar with a rag under the bridge to duplicate the sound. (Noone and Hopwood personal correspondence.) The album Blaze in 1967 found the group at its best with Leckenby, Hopwood , Green and Noone contributing several fine original songs and Noone demonstrating an excellent vocal range. The psychedelic "Moon Shine Man" and the rocker "Ace King Queen" being standouts. The album garnered critical acclaim but barely made the top 100 in the U,S, and wasn't released in the U.K.
Origin of the "Herman" name
Born in Manchester, England, Noone was a child TV star playing Stanley Fairclough in Coronation Street. He was also featured in Knight Errant, Family Solicitor and Monro's Saki Stories. Noone was only 15 when he achieved international fame as teenage heart-throb, Herman. On stage, Noone initially used his existing stage name Peter Novak. The change to Herman came after the owner of a pub that they were rehearsing in, remarked on his resemblance to the character Sherman in Peabody's Improbable History, a supporting cartoon in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, which they misheard as Herman. The group, who by now were a popular dance hall and youth club attraction, and managed by Harvey Lisberg and Charlie Silverman, changed their name to Herman and The Hermits, and it soon became abbreviated to Herman's Hermits.
Original band
Herman's Hermits were hugely successful in the mid-1960s. Their first hit was "I'm Into Something Good", which reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 13 in the US in 1964. They never topped the British charts again, but had two US No. 1's with "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am". The band disliked both songs, and never released them as singles in Britain, although Mrs. Brown featured excellent rhythm guitar by Hopwood, and Henry featured an excellent guitar solo by Leckenby. (Peter Noone Interview) They appeared in several movies, including When The Boys Meet The Girls (1965) and Hold On! (1966). They appeared on the The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show and The Jackie Gleason Show.
Peter Noone (Herman)
Noone left the band in 1971. He starred in ABC's The Canterville Ghost and played Pinocchio in the Hallmark Hall Of Fame version of that story. His other TV credits include Married With Children, Quantum Leap, My Two Dads, Dave's World, Too Close For Comfort, Laverne & Shirley, Easy Street and has a recurring role on As The World Turns. He also hosted VH1's My Generation. In March 2007, he appeared on the top rated show, American Idol. As a singer he had a hit with David Bowie's, "Oh, You Pretty Things". Later, Noone recorded the album "One of the Glory Boys" for Beach Boy Bruce Johnston's label as well as an album fronting the new wave band "The Tremblers." His song "God Knows" was covered by Debbie Boone. Noone's daughter Natalie is an accomplished singer songwriter.
Keith Hopwood
Hopwood left as well, starting his own music company, Pluto Music, with Leckenby. As of 2007, Pluto Music is still in business, and works primarily on commercial and animation soundtracks. The studio has provided services to many top acts including The Clash. Hopwood has released several rare solo and band recordings (not with Peter). Hopwood's releases show a depth to the band not generally perceived. The CDs "Vault 69" and "Waterloo Road" contain original songs written during Herman's Hermits existence. Both are available from Pluto Music. Considering the quality and maturity of these recordings, it is surprising that the Hermits never recorded the material, although perhaps it was due to the band's fan base which was accustomed to more straight ahead pop.
Derek Leckenby
Lek died in 1994 after a battle with cancer. His final performance was just five days before his death. Lek was a kind man and one of rock's most underrated guitarists. Lek often spoke very well of Peter in interviews as does Hopwood on the VH1 Herman's Hermits My Generation episode. Leckenby as part of the band "Sour Mash" recorded an album with the former Hermits and Peter Cowap for RCA records which featured Leckenby on dobro and guitar. The album was country flavored rock and was a far cry from earlier Herman's Hermits material. Leckenby's daughter Kara plays lead guitar for the band "Red Vinyl Fur."
Barry Whitwam
Whitwam has continued touring in Europe with a band under the Herman's Hermits starring Barry Whitwam name.
Karl Green
As of 2001, Green manages sound systems for the Queen Elizabeth and Festival Halls on London's South Bank. [1]
Competing "Herman's Hermits"
Since the mid 1970's there has been significant conflict over the use of the name Herman's Hermits. Between 1974 and 1994, Barry and Lek toured with versions of the band that at times included original members Keith and Karl and newer members such as former Toggery Five guitarist, Frank Renshaw and Peter Cowap. After a show in 1985 Lek confided in fans that he missed working with Peter. (Leckenby pers. correspondence). Fans should be warned that several "fake" Hermits records exist. These recordings show up frequently as compilations of Hermits' hits. This problem has been made worse by several small labels hiring musicians to re-record Hermits' records. These recordings feature neither Peter Noone nor any original band members. Additionally both former band members and Peter have separately re-recorded old Hermits material in part due to a failure by the band's U.S. label, MGM Records (currently owned by ABKCO Records) to pay royalties. (Noone Interview). Noone and Whitwam continue to tour separately. Whitwam calls his band "Herman's Hermits Starring Barry Whitwam" in the US and "Herman's Hermits" in the rest of the world. Noone makes clear that his band is called "Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone" at all shows and on all merchandise. Because of this regrettable situation, there will most likely never to be a reunion of all surviving band members, disappointing many 1960s fans. Whitwam rarely tours in the United States, where Noone makes his base and where Noone is hugely successful on tour and in television. Noone currently tours worldwide, to great success, often appearing at concerts in American state fairs, theaters, and major casinos. In March 2007, Noone appeared as a coach on a British Invasion episode of the hit U.S. series "American Idol," and also performed a live version of the Herman's Hermits hit "There's a Kind of Hush." Peter often fondly credits Leckenby and Hopwood for their work in the Hermits. See Peter Noone's website.
Discography
Herman's Hermits 45's
| Song Title | Highest US Chart Position |
Peak Month | Highest UK Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I'm Into Something Good" | #13 | August 1964 | #1 |
| "Show Me Girl" | - | November 1964 | #19 |
| "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat?" | #2 | January 1965 | - |
| "Silhouettes" | #5 | January 1965 | #3 |
| "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" | #1 | March 1965 | - |
| "Wonderful World" | #4 | April 1965 | #7 |
| "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" | #1 | June 1965 | - |
| "Just a Little Bit Better" | #7 | August 1965 | #15 |
| "A Must To Avoid" | #8 | December 1965 | #6 |
| "Listen People" | #3 | February 1966 | - |
| "You Won't Be Leaving" | - | February 1966 | #20 |
| "Leaning on A Lamp Post" | #7 | April 1965 | - |
| "This Door Swings Both Ways" | #12 | June 1966 | #18 |
| "Dandy" | #3 | October 1966 | - |
| "No Milk Today" | #35 | October 1966 | #7 |
| "East West" | #33 | December 1966 | #37 |
| "There's A Kind of Hush" | #4 | February 1967 | #7 |
| "Don't Go Out Into The Rain (You're Going To Melt)" | #20 | May 1967 | - |
| "Museum" | #37 | September 1967 | - |
| "I Can't Take Or Leave Your Loving" | - | January 1968 | #11 |
| "Sleepy Joe" | - | March 1968 | #12 |
| "Sunshine Girl" | - | July 1968 | #8 |
| "Something's Happening" | - | December 1968 | #6 |
| "My Sentimental Friend" | - | April 1969 | #2 |
| "Here Comes The Star" | - | November 1969 | #33 |
| "Years May Come, Years May Go" | - | February 1970 | #7 |
| "Bet Yer Life I Do" | - | May 1970 | #22 |
Albums
- 1965 — Introducing Herman's Hermits
- 1965 — Herman's Hermits On Tour
- 1965 (Dec.) — The Best of Herman's Hermits
- 1965 — Hold On!
- 1966 — Both Sides of Herman's Hermits
- 1966 — The Best Of Herman's Hermits, Volume 2
- 1967 — There's a Kind of Hush All Over the World
- 1967 — Blaze
- 1967 — The Best Of Herman's Hermits, Volume III
- 1967 — Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
- 1971 — The Most of Herman's Hermits
- 1972 — The Most of Herman's Hermits Volume 2
Filmography
- 1965 — Pop Gear
- 1965 — When the Boys Meet the Girls
- 1966 — Hold On!
- 1968 — Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
References
- ^ MacInnes, Colin (1965) "The Old English Music Hall Songs Are New." The New York Times, November 28, 1965, p. SM62: "Henry—which hit the top of the record lists and, according to one American expert, was 'the fastest-selling song in history'—was in fact an old English music hall song enjoying a new lease on life.
