TS: Right now in America, there is a lot of talk going on about the teenage revolution. What are your thoughts about this?
Herman: Is there a teenage revolution? It's the first I've heard of it. Really, I think teenagers have always revolted. Haven't they? They think up their own fashions and things like that, and it's been the same ever since the world began. The new generations tries to do one better than the generation before.

TS: Is the same thing happening in England?
Herman: Yes. It's much stronger in England. The young people there are much more individualistic. The 'in' people over here just follow trends. In England, they make their own.

TS: Do you plan to record a 'protest' song?
Herman: No!

TS: There is more variety in music today. Do you think this is better than the way it used to be when most pop songs followed the one trend of the moment?
Herman: Yes. There's so much music today. Music is so big with everybody, everything's bound to get better. You're getting classics on the charts now, you know. Like The Toys' record. And Andy Williams had a big hit in England. Number three, I believe. I think everyone is starting to work together. All the different trends are beginning to merge into one called 'pop'. Even parents nowadays like music.

TS: At first, American music influenced the pop market. For the last two years, England has almost dominated the field. To what do you attribute this?
Herman: I think English music brightened up the whole scene. Americans had always been in England, and the British finally came over here. It's better to get a hit in both countries. The Americans want hits in England just as much as we want hits in America.
Derek: When English music hit over here, your music was almost dead.
Herman: Music was dying. The groups like The Beatles livened it up again and gave a new image to teenagers. You just had the Elvis Presley's, the gold suits and big acting all the time. The English groups came over and they were natural and started a whole new thing in popular music. Before then, everyone was sort of like a big act, always saying 'yes sir' and 'no sir'. Then the Beatles came out, just natural and said what they pleased. That started things off because people like to see you being yourself.

TS: More and more young people are becoming involved in music and the arts. Do you think people are more creative than they used to be?
Herman: Well, the people nowadays are more intelligent a lot younger. I think life has completely changed in the past twenty years, for everybody. You know, with wars and all that kind of thing. Everything has changed and the whole outlook is different now. People have been given the chance to create.

TS: Starting with you, Herman, would all of you give us your pet peeves?
Herman: Anything anybody does in the morning is my pet peeve.

TS: Why?
Herman: I don't know. I think I'm mentally retarded in the morning - really!

TS: And how long does this condition usually last?
Herman: An hour. For about an hour after I wake up. I hate breakfast, you know, all the knives and forks banging around. It drives me mad.

TS: Do the boys in the group leave you alone for that first hour?
Herman: Not if they cane help it.

TS: How about your pet peeve, Karl?
Karl: I don't like the way Keith picks the warts on his arm all the time. It's getting on me nerves.

TS: Have you ever tried making him wear gloves?
Karl: We put boxing gloves on him at night.
Keith: My pet peeve is Karl, because he snores at night and he doesn't believe that he snores. And he talks in his sleep. Actually he shouts!

TS: Have you ever tried taping his mouth closed?
Keith: Yes, but then he snores through his nose. He's got plenty of room there, you see.

TS: Okay, Derek, it's your turn.
Derek: I've got a few pet peeves and one of them is Keith's driving. He always chews his knuckles and it sort of scares me. He drives along with one hand on the wheel and one hand in his mouth. Like today! He bit his knuckles all the way here!
Keith: I did?
Barry: Keith is my pet peeve, too. When we're in the car, I can't stand it. Every time we turn on the radio, Keith changes the station every two seconds and you can't listen to a record.
Keith: Oh?
Barry: Yeah! Just what you did when we were listening to 'Help' today! Just before the 'ooooooo', you switched it off. That annoys me!
Keith: Let's go eat lunch.
Herman: You mean you're still hungry after all those knuckles?

TS: Something tells us we'd better not ask any more questions. Come on, Keith, we'll take you to lunch!
Hermits: Us too?
TS: Yes, yes, you too!

P.S. From TS: There went the money for the phone bill. Oh well, it was worth it.

Herman wanted to hear who Ed's favorite group was,
right from the horse's mouth. Said Ed: "You nagged
me into it - the Hermits!!"

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