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WE sat in a pub near Piccadilly Circus and Herman surveyed me over the top of a lager and lime, as I congratulated him on his success in America, where he has become the No. 1 recording artist - beating the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the "Cashbox" Points Table. "It's fantastic, isn't it!" he exclaimed. "But although it's great to be big in America, I wish even more that we could get another No. 1 record in Britain." Several months ago, Herman told me that he was worried because the group wasn't nearly as big here as in America. I asked him if he still felt the same way. "Although all our records have made the chart here," he answered, "only our first disc got to No. 1. Now we'd like to get another to the top. "we had hoped that 'Muscular Boy' (his name for 'A Must To Avoid'!) would have gone up the chart a lot quicker." Despite the fact that the group hasn't had a British chart=topper since "I'm Into Something Good," 1965 has been an enormous success for Herman's Hermits. In just over a year they have sold more than 12 million records in the U.S. alone. They have also completed several sensational tours of America, as well as two films in Hollywood. "It's amazing to think that just over a year ago, I was plain Peter Noone from Manchester," said Herman, reflectively. At this point in the conversation, Herman's road manager, Judd Blackburn (the British Jiving Champion four years ago) interrupted to say it was time to leave for Wembley, where the group was to record a TV spot. In Herman's blue Jaguar on the way to the studio, we talked about the groups which recently criticised Herman's Hermits. "These nasty remarks about our records don't bother us in the slightest. Most artists are criticised at some time. Ken Dodd has had a lot of it recently, and it certainly hasn't damaged him in any way. "You can't please everyone all the time. The Beatles have their fans. So have the Dave Clark Five, the Honeycombs and Ken Dodd. And we have ours. What's the point in telling a reporter that you don't like so-and-so? If you don't like an artist, it's best to keep quiet." "A year ago, I might have said that I hated someone, but now I know what to say and do when reporters are around." Has Herman altered much in the last year, then? "I think I have changed a great deal," he admitted. "I've travelled more than most youngsters of my age (he was 18 on November 5), and I've met a lot of people who have helped and advised me. I now take a lot more interest in the welfare of the group, and I've learnt a lot about profits and percentages." |
  When we arrived at his studio dressing room, the group's co-manager, Harvey Lisberg, was there to tell the Hermits that he was going to change his name. "It's always happening," complained Harvey. "People are always spelling my name wrong. I've just had a letter addressed to Harry Ginsberg. I've been called everything from Iceberg to Carlsberg!" The group's other manager, Charlie Silverman, sat in a corner trying to learn the intracacies of the guitar. American singer Johnny Tillotson popped in to congratulate the group. "This bunch is unbelievably big in the States," Johnny told me, as if I didn't know. "The Press, disc jockeys and the kids all rave over them." After the group had taped it's spot I asked Herman about his films. "The one we finished in America in the autumn called 'Hold On' - it was 'No Place Like Space' - is released over there in February, but I don't know when it will be shown here. "we have also had several offers from British film companies which we're thinking about at the moment." And what about his plans for the New Year? "we go back to America in April," he replied. "But we also want to do two one-nighter tours in Britain: one in the spring and the other in autumn. "The one we did last year was just great!" The group's tour here, in fact, was an enormous - if unexpected - success, and I pointed out to Herman that he had no record in the chart while he was touring. "You're dead right," he chirped cheerfully. "Maybe we shouldn't worry so much about disc hits!" |