TWO years ago young Peter Noone was a fan of a group which regularly appeared at the Oasis, in his home town of Manchester. He never missed one of their appearances.
The group was Wayne Fontana and The Jets - later to become The Mindbenders.
Peter himself then started to sing with a group, emerged as Herman's Hermits and signed with Manchester's Kennedy Street Enterprises - to discover that his idol was also booked by the same office.
Occasionally they met in the office and Wayne was one of the first to congratulate Herman when the Hermits hit chartsville.
"He wasn't a bit jealous that we had made it before him," says Herman. "In fact, he was genuinely pleased that we had succeeded."
friends
In recent weeks they have been on each other's heels in the charts - and with Herman now in front, their relationship is still friendly - in fact, more so.
For they are currently seeing more of each other than ever on their tour with Del Shannon.
"I never got to know Herman until the tour started," said Wayne. "Thank goodness, we have been able to hit it off. It would have been murder if we hadn't."
And they certainly have hit it off - having been almost inseparable since they opened together at Sheffield. They are in and out of each other's dressing rooms constantly playing practical jokes on each other, and testing each other's skill with the yo-yo.
"It was Twinkle who started this craze. She bought a yo-yo to while away the time between shows. She got us at it - now we've bought half a dozen so that the boys can join in," said Wayne.
After the show, Herman and Wayne are also spending a lot of time in each other's company.
"We usually go off to a club or restaurant for food and drink - then return to our hotel and sit drinking coffee and talking until the small hours," said Herman.
What do they talk about? Said Wayne:
cars, film
"Nothing in particular - just generalities. We try not to discuss records (except our own), we prefer to get away from the business for a spell. We talk about films, cars, our homes,
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 HERMAN and WAYNE FONTANA - the best of friends, and currently seeing more of each other on tour wth Del Shannon.
hopes, plans for the future - things that everyone chats about in leisure time.
"It's strange, though, how we have struck up a friendship in so short a time. Herman knew me, but I didn't know him until he joined the office. Even then I hardly ever saw him - until this tour. And over the past 10 days we have hardly been out of each other's pockets. It's been fun, like it was at Woverhampton!
"We arrived at the theatre, not exactly late, but a little pushed for time to fnd every door locked except for the stage door which was thronged with fans. There was nothing for it but take our chance.
"I drove right up to the door and leapt out to try to rush the crowd. I failed miserably - but not Herman! Oh no - he craftily shrank down into his seat - waited until I was stuck in the middle of the mob - then blithely opened the door and strolled casually past into the theatre. I could have crowned him!!"
"But what about Liverpool?" asked Herman. "When we had to make a dash through a secret exit to avoid the stage door mob - you'd never have made it if I hadn't been there to drag you along."
He was jokingly referring to the fact that they both had to run like hares from the Empire Theatre to the car park at the entrance of the Mersey Tunnel - but they made it!
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