Herman's Hermits
Encyclopedia
Herman's Hermits are an English beat
(or pop
) band, formed in Manchester
in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most
(who controlled the band's output), emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B
numbers. This helped Herman's Hermits become hugely successful in the mid-1960s but dampened the band's songwriting; Noone, Hopwood, Leckenby and Green's songs were relegated to B-sides and album cuts.
Their first hit was a cover of Earl Jean's "I'm Into Something Good
" (written by Gerry Goffin
and Carole King
), which reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart
and #13 in the US in late 1964. They never topped the British charts again, but had two US Billboard Hot 100 #1s with "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
" (originally sung by Tom Courtenay
in a 1963 British TV play) and "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am
" (a British music hall
song by Harry Champion
dating from 1911, which Peter Noone's Irish grandfather sang). These songs were aimed at a US
fan base, with Peter Noone
exaggerating his Mancunian accent; the band was not fond of either song, and they were never released as singles in Britain.
They recorded on the MGM label, a company which often featured musical performers they had signed to record deals in films. The Hermits appeared in several MGM movies, including When the Boys Meet the Girls
(1965) and Hold On!
(1966). They also starred in the film Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter
(1968) and appeared in the 1965 anthology film
Pop Gear.
Herman's Hermits had three Top 3 hits in the US in 1965, with the aforementioned #1 hits and a cover version of Goldie & the Gingerbreads
' "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" (US #2). They recorded the hits "A Must to Avoid" (US #8), "Listen People" (US #3), George Formby, Jr.'s "Leaning on a Lamp Post," from Me and My Girl
(US #9), and "Dandy
" (US #5) in 1966; "There's a Kind of Hush
" (US #4) in 1967. They appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
, The Dean Martin Show
and The Jackie Gleason Show
. Continued success, however, proved elusive after the late 60s. The group recorded their final album of the 1960s, Rock 'n' Roll Party (which was unreleased by MGM). Peter Noone and Keith Hopwood left the band in 1971. Herman's Hermits reunited in 1973 to headline a successful British invasion
tour culminating with a standing-room-only performance at Madison Square Garden
and an appearance on The Midnight Special
(without Hopwood). Later, a version of the band featuring Leckenby and Whitwam opened for The Monkees
on reunion tours. Noone declined an offer from tour organizers to appear, but later appeared with Davy Jones
on a successful teen-idols tour.
(guitar, vocals), Karl Green
(guitar, vocals), Alan Wrigley (bass guitar, vocals), Steve Titterington (drums), and Peter Noone
(lead vocals). The youngest member of a remarkably young group, 15-year-old Noone was already an experienced actor 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, Cheshire
) joined later from another local group, The Wailers. Whitwam replaced Titterington on drums, Green switched to bass guitar (replacing Wrigley), and Leckenby took over for Green as lead guitarist. After Leckenby joined the band, the group made a deal with producer Mickie Most
and signed with EMI
's Columbia label in Europe and MGM Records
in the United States.
Their name came from a resemblance, noted by Green, between Noone and Sherman in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon. Sherman was shortened to Herman, and then became Herman and his Hermits, which was soon shortened to Herman's Hermits. The band played on most of its singles, including "I'm Into Something Good
", "Listen People," "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," "Leaning on the Lamp Post," "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
" (1965),"A Must to Avoid," "You Won't Be Leaving" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am
" (the last said at the time to be "the fastest-selling song in history"). Leckenby soloed on "Henry", and Hopwood played rhythm guitar on "Mrs. Brown."
Despite the group's competent musicianship, some subsequent singles employed session musicians – including Big Jim Sullivan
, Jimmy Page
, John Paul Jones
, and Vic Flick
– with contributions from the band, although the role of session players on Herman's Hermits records has been exaggerated in the rock media and in liner notes on their ABKCO Records
Retrospective (which does not credit the Hermits' playing). Mickie Most used session musicians on many records he produced (including several Hermits' singles); this was industry practice at the time and continues today. Even such respected groups as The Yardbirds
were required by Most to use session musicians (except Jimmy Page
) on their Most-produced recordings. Continuing acrimony between former members of Herman's Hermits has increased the amount of misinformation about the group's role on their records; the late Derek Leckenby, in particular, was a skilled guitarist. Mickie Most commented on the VH1
My Generation: Herman's Hermits episode that the Hermits "played on a lot of their records, and some they didn't." The group played on all their US and UK
#1 hits, on most of their Top Ten US singles, on a number of other singles and most album cuts. According to Peter Noone, Leckenby played the muted lead on "This Door Swings Both Ways". The riff in "Silhouettes" has been variously credited to Jimmy Page, Big Jim Sullivan and Vic Flick; however, according to Keith Hopwood and Karl Green, Leckenby replaced Flick in the studio and played the signature riff under Most's direction. According to Hopwood, Green and Noone, Jimmy Page played on the single "Wonderful World" (although Big Jim Sullivan lists the song as part of a session he played); both may have added to the backing track. Several writers
have claimed that session players played on "I'm Into Something Good"; according to the surviving band members, the song was recorded on a two-track recorder, with only a piano player in addition to the Hermits.
In 1965 and 1966, the group rivalled the Beatles on the charts and was the top-selling pop act in the US in 1965. On The Beatles Anthology
video, there is a brief interview with a young girl in the audience attending The Beatles' second appearance at Shea Stadium
. When asked why The Beatles did not sell out the venue this time, she replied that they were not as popular anymore and that she preferred Herman's Hermits. Karl Green has noted that he preferred harder rock, but was grateful for the hand he was dealt. Although the band's singles were written by some of the top songwriters of the day, Noone, Leckenby, Hopwood and Green contributed songs such as "My Reservation's Been Confirmed", "Take Love, Get Love", "Marcel's", "For Love", "Tell Me Baby", "Busy Line", Moon Shine Man", "I Know Why" and "Gaslight Street". "I Know Why" enjoyed a limited "A"-side release.
The group was nominated for two Grammy awards in 1965 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 guitar and Whitwam on drums. Noone and the band deliberately emphasized their English accents on the record, 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, which can be seen clearly in old performance clips.
The 1967 album Blaze received critical acclaim, but barely made the Top 100 in the US and was not released in the UK. Highlights included original songs by Leckenby,Whitwam, Hopwood, Green, and Noone, including "Ace King Queen Jack" and the psychedelic
"Moon Shine Man." Ray Davies
of the Kinks wrote "Dandy" – a US Top Five hit for Herman's Hermits. In the US, "Dandy" was backed with another hit, "No Milk Today
" (their first UK Top Ten hit in over a year, when it was backed with "My Reservation's Been Confirmed").
The Canterville Ghost and played Pinocchio
in the 1968 Hallmark Hall of Fame version
. His other TV credits include Married... with Children
, Quantum Leap, My Two Dads
, Dave's World
, Too Close for Comfort
, Laverne & Shirley
and Easy Street
; he has a recurring role on As the World Turns
. Noone also hosted VH1
's My Generation. In March 2007 he appeared on American Idol
, and continues to tour.
As a soloist, he had a very minor hit with David Bowie
's "Oh You Pretty Thing
" and a minor US adult-contemporary hit on the Casablanca label with "Meet Me On The Corner Down At Joe's Cafe" in the mid-1970s. Later, Noone recorded the album "One of the Glory Boys" for Beach Boy Bruce Johnston's label and an album fronting the new-wave band "The Tremblers". His song "God Knows" was also recorded by Debbie Boone. He has also released several live and studio recordings of old Herman's Hermits material taken from his post-Hermits solo performances. Peter Noone still tours with his all American version of Herman's Hermits today with backup members, Vance Brescia, Billy Sullivan, Rich Spina and Dave Ferrara [all American musicians]
series. Hopwood has composed scores for several TV and film projects and his studio has provided services to many top acts, including The Clash
. Hopwood has released several rare solo and band recordings since Noone's departure. The CDs Vault 69 and Waterloo Road contain original songs written during Herman's Hermits' existence; both are available from Pluto Music.
remained close to his fellow Hermits following the band's breakup, and endeavored to set the record straight in the rock media regarding his playing on Herman's Hermits records. He died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
in 1994. For many years he toured with Barry Whitwam's group; his final performance in Oregon was only five days before his death. As part of the band "Sour Mash", Leckenby recorded an album with the former Hermits and Peter Cowap for RCA
records, featuring Leckenby on dobro
and guitar. The album is country-flavored rock – far removed from earlier Herman's Hermits material.
and Festival Halls
on London's South Bank
.
and an unreleased album (under the name "Sour Mash") produced by Eric Stewart
. They subsequently cut singles for Buddah, Private Stock and Roulette, with minor success in Europe. Personnel for these singles included Leckenby, Green and Whitwam with either Peter Cowap, John Gaughan, or former Toggery Five guitarist Frank Renshaw. Hopwood contributed keyboards and backing vocals to some recordings.
Since the mid-1970s there has been significant conflict over the use of the name "Herman's Hermits". Between 1974 and 1994, Whitwam and Leckenby toured the band that included Green and newer members such as Peter Cowap and Frank Renshaw.All original recordings will be released either by EMI or its subsidiaries (outside the US) and ABKCO in the US (MGM, the band's original American label, lost the American distribution rights to the group's material in the early 1970s and has since been absorbed into Universal Music; original Herman's Hermits vinyl recordings on the MGM label, however, still appear for sale as used records). Former band members and Noone have also separately re-recorded old Hermits material. New issues from both Barry Whitwam and Peter Noones bands clearly indicate that the releases are new recordings; Peter Noone tours America and Hermans Hermits starring Barry Whitwam tour worldwide including America.
Studio albums re-released on CD
Beat music
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a pop and rock music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. Beat music is a fusion of rock and roll, doo wop, skiffle, R&B and soul...
(or pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
) band, formed in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most
Mickie Most
Mickie Most was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with acts such as The Animals, Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group often issued on his own RAK Records label....
(who controlled the band's output), emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
numbers. This helped Herman's Hermits become hugely successful in the mid-1960s but dampened the band's songwriting; Noone, Hopwood, Leckenby and Green's songs were relegated to B-sides and album cuts.
Their first hit was a cover of Earl Jean's "I'm Into Something Good
I'm into Something Good
"I'm into Something Good" is a song composed by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and made famous by Herman's Hermits. The song was originally recorded by Cookies member Earl-Jean McCrea in 1964 and reached number 38 on the US pop singles chart...
" (written by Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
), which reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and #13 in the US in late 1964. They never topped the British charts again, but had two US Billboard Hot 100 #1s with "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
"Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" is a popular song written by Trevor Peacock. It was originally sung by actor Sir Tom Courtenay in The Lads, a British TV play of 1963....
" (originally sung by Tom Courtenay
Tom Courtenay
Sir Thomas Daniel "Tom" Courtenay is an English actor who came to prominence in the early 1960s with a succession of films including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner , Billy Liar , and Dr. Zhivago . Since the mid-1960s he has been known primarily for his work in the theatre...
in a 1963 British TV play) and "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am
I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am
"I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am" is a 1910 British music hall song by Fred Murray and R. P. Weston...
" (a British music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
song by Harry Champion
Harry Champion
William Crump , better known by the stage name Harry Champion, was an English music hall composer, singer and Cockney comedian, whose onstage persona appealed chiefly to the working class communities of East London...
dating from 1911, which Peter Noone's Irish grandfather sang). These songs were aimed at a US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fan base, with Peter Noone
Peter Noone
Peter Noone is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor, best known as "Herman" of the successful 1960s rock group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:...
exaggerating his Mancunian accent; the band was not fond of either song, and they were never released as singles in Britain.
They recorded on the MGM label, a company which often featured musical performers they had signed to record deals in films. The Hermits appeared in several MGM movies, including When the Boys Meet the Girls
When the Boys Meet the Girls
When the Boys Meet the Girls is a 1965 American musical film, directed by Alvin Ganzer and starring Connie Francis and Harve Presnell. Guy Bolton and Jack McGowan were both uncredited in their roles as the writers for the play the film is based on.-Cast:...
(1965) and Hold On!
Hold On! (film)
Hold On! is a 1966 musical film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Peter Noone, Shelley Fabares, Herbert Anderson, and Sue Ane Langdon. The film features performances by Herman's Hermits and stars the band as fictionalized versions of themselves...
(1966). They also starred in the film Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (film)
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter is a 1968 British comedy film starring Peter Noone. The film showcases the British rock band, Herman's Hermits.-Cast:*Peter Noone – Herman Tulley*Keith Hopwood – Keith*Derek Leckenby – Derek*Karl Green – Karl...
(1968) and appeared in the 1965 anthology film
Anthology film
An anthology film is a feature film consisting of several different short films, often tied together by only a single theme, premise, or brief interlocking event . Sometimes each one is directed by a different director...
Pop Gear.
Herman's Hermits had three Top 3 hits in the US in 1965, with the aforementioned #1 hits and a cover version of Goldie & the Gingerbreads
Goldie & the Gingerbreads
Goldie & the Gingerbreads was an all-female American rock band from 1962 to 1967 consisting of 3 musicians and a singer. They were the first all-female rock band signed to a major record label....
' "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" (US #2). They recorded the hits "A Must to Avoid" (US #8), "Listen People" (US #3), George Formby, Jr.'s "Leaning on a Lamp Post," from Me and My Girl
Me and My Girl
Me and My Girl is a musical with book and lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose and music by Noel Gay. It takes place in the late 1930s in Hampshire, Mayfair, and Lambeth....
(US #9), and "Dandy
Dandy (song)
"Dandy" is a 1966 song from The Kinks, appearing on their Face to Face album. It was released as a single in Continental Europe only, where it charted, reaching #1 in Germany, #2 in Belgium and #3 in the Netherlands...
" (US #5) in 1966; "There's a Kind of Hush
There's A Kind Of Hush
"There's a Kind of Hush" is a popular song written by Les Reed and Geoff Stephens which was a hit in 1967 for Herman's Hermits and again in 1976 for the Carpenters.-First recordings:...
" (US #4) in 1967. They appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by crooner Dean Martin...
and The Jackie Gleason Show
The Jackie Gleason Show
The Jackie Gleason Show is the name of a series of popular American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970.-Cavalcade of Stars:...
. Continued success, however, proved elusive after the late 60s. The group recorded their final album of the 1960s, Rock 'n' Roll Party (which was unreleased by MGM). Peter Noone and Keith Hopwood left the band in 1971. Herman's Hermits reunited in 1973 to headline a successful British invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
tour culminating with a standing-room-only performance at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
and an appearance on The Midnight Special
The Midnight Special (TV series)
The Midnight Special is an American musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981...
(without Hopwood). Later, a version of the band featuring Leckenby and Whitwam opened for The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
on reunion tours. Noone declined an offer from tour organizers to appear, but later appeared with Davy Jones
Davy Jones (actor)
David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
on a successful teen-idols tour.
History
Original members were Keith HopwoodKeith Hopwood
Keith Hopwood is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer, businessman and record producer, who served as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocals for the 1960s pop band, Herman's Hermits...
(guitar, vocals), Karl Green
Karl Green
Karl Green is an English songwriter, musician and bassist who was the bass guitarist and backing singer for the 1960s British band, Herman's Hermits, which featured Peter Noone...
(guitar, vocals), Alan Wrigley (bass guitar, vocals), Steve Titterington (drums), and Peter Noone
Peter Noone
Peter Noone is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor, best known as "Herman" of the successful 1960s rock group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:...
(lead vocals). The youngest member of a remarkably young group, 15-year-old Noone was already an experienced actor on the British soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. Derek "Lek" Leckenby
Derek Leckenby
Derek "Lek" Leckenby was an English musician and lead guitarist, most famous for his work with English pop group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:Leckenby was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire...
(guitar, vocals) and Barry "Bean" Whitwam (drums) (born Jan Barry Whitwam, 21 July 1946, in Prestbury, Cheshire
Prestbury, Cheshire
Prestbury is a village, civil parish and ecclesiastical parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Prestbury is a long, narrow parish covering 1,165 hectares to the west of the Peak Park foothills and to the east of the sandstone ridge which is...
) joined later from another local group, The Wailers. Whitwam replaced Titterington on drums, Green switched to bass guitar (replacing Wrigley), and Leckenby took over for Green as lead guitarist. After Leckenby joined the band, the group made a deal with producer Mickie Most
Mickie Most
Mickie Most was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with acts such as The Animals, Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group often issued on his own RAK Records label....
and signed with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
's Columbia label in Europe and MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
in the United States.
Their name came from a resemblance, noted by Green, between Noone and Sherman in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon. Sherman was shortened to Herman, and then became Herman and his Hermits, which was soon shortened to Herman's Hermits. The band played on most of its singles, including "I'm Into Something Good
I'm into Something Good
"I'm into Something Good" is a song composed by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and made famous by Herman's Hermits. The song was originally recorded by Cookies member Earl-Jean McCrea in 1964 and reached number 38 on the US pop singles chart...
", "Listen People," "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat," "Leaning on the Lamp Post," "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
"Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" is a popular song written by Trevor Peacock. It was originally sung by actor Sir Tom Courtenay in The Lads, a British TV play of 1963....
" (1965),"A Must to Avoid," "You Won't Be Leaving" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am
I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am
"I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am" is a 1910 British music hall song by Fred Murray and R. P. Weston...
" (the last said at the time to be "the fastest-selling song in history"). Leckenby soloed on "Henry", and Hopwood played rhythm guitar on "Mrs. Brown."
Despite the group's competent musicianship, some subsequent singles employed session musicians – including Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan is an English musician, whose career started in 1959. He is best known as a session guitarist. In the 1960s and 1970s, Sullivan was one of the most "in-demand" studio musicians in the UK, and performed in more than one thousand charting singles over his career...
, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
, and Vic Flick
Vic Flick
Victor Harold Flick is an English guitarist, most famous for playing the guitar riff in the "James Bond Theme".-Biography:...
– with contributions from the band, although the role of session players on Herman's Hermits records has been exaggerated in the rock media and in liner notes on their ABKCO Records
ABKCO Records
ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. is a major independent record label, music publisher, and film and video production company. It owns and or administers the rights to music by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway label,...
Retrospective (which does not credit the Hermits' playing). Mickie Most used session musicians on many records he produced (including several Hermits' singles); this was industry practice at the time and continues today. Even such respected groups as The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
were required by Most to use session musicians (except Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
) on their Most-produced recordings. Continuing acrimony between former members of Herman's Hermits has increased the amount of misinformation about the group's role on their records; the late Derek Leckenby, in particular, was a skilled guitarist. Mickie Most commented on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
My Generation: Herman's Hermits episode that the Hermits "played on a lot of their records, and some they didn't." The group played on all their US and UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
#1 hits, on most of their Top Ten US singles, on a number of other singles and most album cuts. According to Peter Noone, Leckenby played the muted lead on "This Door Swings Both Ways". The riff in "Silhouettes" has been variously credited to Jimmy Page, Big Jim Sullivan and Vic Flick; however, according to Keith Hopwood and Karl Green, Leckenby replaced Flick in the studio and played the signature riff under Most's direction. According to Hopwood, Green and Noone, Jimmy Page played on the single "Wonderful World" (although Big Jim Sullivan lists the song as part of a session he played); both may have added to the backing track. Several writers
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
have claimed that session players played on "I'm Into Something Good"; according to the surviving band members, the song was recorded on a two-track recorder, with only a piano player in addition to the Hermits.
In 1965 and 1966, the group rivalled the Beatles on the charts and was the top-selling pop act in the US in 1965. On The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles Anthology is the name of a documentary series, a set of three double albums and a book focusing on the history of The Beatles. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all participated in the making and approval of the works, which are sometimes referred to collectively as the...
video, there is a brief interview with a young girl in the audience attending The Beatles' second appearance at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. When asked why The Beatles did not sell out the venue this time, she replied that they were not as popular anymore and that she preferred Herman's Hermits. Karl Green has noted that he preferred harder rock, but was grateful for the hand he was dealt. Although the band's singles were written by some of the top songwriters of the day, Noone, Leckenby, Hopwood and Green contributed songs such as "My Reservation's Been Confirmed", "Take Love, Get Love", "Marcel's", "For Love", "Tell Me Baby", "Busy Line", Moon Shine Man", "I Know Why" and "Gaslight Street". "I Know Why" enjoyed a limited "A"-side release.
The group was nominated for two Grammy awards in 1965 for "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter
"Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" is a popular song written by Trevor Peacock. It was originally sung by actor Sir Tom Courtenay in The Lads, a British TV play of 1963....
". 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 guitar and Whitwam on drums. Noone and the band deliberately emphasized their English accents on the record, 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
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
guitar with a rag under the bridge to duplicate the sound, which can be seen clearly in old performance clips.
The 1967 album Blaze received critical acclaim, but barely made the Top 100 in the US and was not released in the UK. Highlights included original songs by Leckenby,Whitwam, Hopwood, Green, and Noone, including "Ace King Queen Jack" and the psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
"Moon Shine Man." Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
of the Kinks wrote "Dandy" – a US Top Five hit for Herman's Hermits. In the US, "Dandy" was backed with another hit, "No Milk Today
No Milk Today
"No Milk Today" is a song that was written by Graham Gouldman and originally recorded by British pop band Herman's Hermits. It was first released as a single by the Mancunian group in the UK in October 1966 and, with the B-side "My Reservation's Been Confirmed", enjoyed chart success, peaking at #7...
" (their first UK Top Ten hit in over a year, when it was backed with "My Reservation's Been Confirmed").
Peter Noone (Herman)
Born November 5, 1947, Noone starred in ABC'sABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
The Canterville Ghost and played Pinocchio
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
in the 1968 Hallmark Hall of Fame version
Pinocchio (1968 TV program)
Pinocchio is a 90-minute musical adaptation of Carlo Collodi's classic story. It aired on NBC on December 8, 1968 as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame series....
. His other TV credits include Married... with Children
Married... with Children
Married... with Children is an American surrealistic sitcom that aired for 11 seasons that featured a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. The show, notable for being the first prime time television series to air on Fox, ran from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. The series was created...
, Quantum Leap, My Two Dads
My Two Dads
My Two Dads is an American sitcom that starred Staci Keanan, Paul Reiser and Greg Evigan. It aired on NBC from 1987 to 1990 and was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions in association with TriStar Television and distributed by TeleVentures.-Show synopsis:The show begins when Marcy Bradford , the...
, Dave's World
Dave's World
Dave's World is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1993 to 1997. The series was based on the writing of Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry.-Plot:...
, Too Close for Comfort
Too Close for Comfort (TV series)
Too Close for Comfort is an American television sitcom which ran on the ABC network and later in first-run syndication from November 11, 1980 to September 27, 1986. It was modeled after the British series Keep It in the Family, which debuted nine months before Too Close for Comfort debuted in the U.S...
, Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from January 26, 1976, to May 10, 1983...
and Easy Street
Easy Street (TV series)
Easy Street is a short-lived American sitcom that aired for 22 episodes on NBC during the 1986-87 television season.-Overview:The series starred Loni Anderson as L.K. McGuire, a onetime showgirl who manages to nab a young wealthy husband, only to have him die and leave her fending for herself...
; he has a recurring role on As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
. Noone also hosted VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's My Generation. In March 2007 he appeared on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, and continues to tour.
As a soloist, he had a very minor hit with David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's "Oh You Pretty Thing
Oh! You Pretty Things
"Oh! You Pretty Things" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 for the album Hunky Dory. It opens with only Rick Wakeman's piano and Bowie's vocal, before entering the catchy refrain. The simple piano style is often compared to The Beatles' "Martha My Dear"...
" and a minor US adult-contemporary hit on the Casablanca label with "Meet Me On The Corner Down At Joe's Cafe" in the mid-1970s. Later, Noone recorded the album "One of the Glory Boys" for Beach Boy Bruce Johnston's label and an album fronting the new-wave band "The Tremblers". His song "God Knows" was also recorded by Debbie Boone. He has also released several live and studio recordings of old Herman's Hermits material taken from his post-Hermits solo performances. Peter Noone still tours with his all American version of Herman's Hermits today with backup members, Vance Brescia, Billy Sullivan, Rich Spina and Dave Ferrara [all American musicians]
Keith Hopwood
Hopwood started his own music company, Pluto Music, in partnership with Leckenby. As of 2011 Pluto Music is still in business, working primarily on commercial and animation soundtracks including the Bob the BuilderBob the Builder
Bob the Builder is a British children's animated television show created by Keith Chapman. In the original series Bob appears as a building contractor specialising in masonry in a stop motion animated programme with his colleague Wendy, various neighbours and friends, and their gang of...
series. Hopwood has composed scores for several TV and film projects and his studio has provided services to many top acts, including The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. Hopwood has released several rare solo and band recordings since Noone's departure. The CDs Vault 69 and Waterloo Road contain original songs written during Herman's Hermits' existence; both are available from Pluto Music.
Derek Leckenby
Derek LeckenbyDerek Leckenby
Derek "Lek" Leckenby was an English musician and lead guitarist, most famous for his work with English pop group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:Leckenby was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire...
remained close to his fellow Hermits following the band's breakup, and endeavored to set the record straight in the rock media regarding his playing on Herman's Hermits records. He died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of blood cancers that include any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's lymphomas. Types of NHL vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive....
in 1994. For many years he toured with Barry Whitwam's group; his final performance in Oregon was only five days before his death. As part of the band "Sour Mash", Leckenby recorded an album with the former Hermits and Peter Cowap for RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
records, featuring Leckenby on dobro
Dobro
Dobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
and guitar. The album is country-flavored rock – far removed from earlier Herman's Hermits material.
Karl Green
As of 2001, Karl Green manages sound systems for the Queen ElizabethQueen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
and Festival Halls
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
on London's South Bank
South Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
.
Barry Whitwam
Following Peter Noone's departure in 1971, Barry Whitwam has continued to tour successfully with his own version of Herman's Hermits. He is the only original member in his band, with Geoff Foot (who has been associated with the band since Noone's departure) as lead singer, Kevan Lingard on keyboards and vocals and Simon Van Downham on guitar. The band continue to tour extensively worldwide and are probably one of the busiest 60's bands touring today.Herman's Hermits after 1971
When Noone left the group the Hermits continued on, first with Peter Cowap. They signed with RCA Records in the UK and, as "The Hermits", recorded two singles at Strawberry StudiosStrawberry Studios
-Formation:The facility was originally called Inner City Studios and located above a music store in the town centre. In early 1968 it was bought by Peter Tattersall, a former road manager for Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Tattersall invited Eric Stewart – then lead guitarist and singer of...
and an unreleased album (under the name "Sour Mash") produced by Eric Stewart
Eric Stewart
Eric Stewart is an English musician, songwriter and record producer most known for his tenure with The Mindbenders in the 1960s, and 10cc from 1972 to 1995....
. They subsequently cut singles for Buddah, Private Stock and Roulette, with minor success in Europe. Personnel for these singles included Leckenby, Green and Whitwam with either Peter Cowap, John Gaughan, or former Toggery Five guitarist Frank Renshaw. Hopwood contributed keyboards and backing vocals to some recordings.
Since the mid-1970s there has been significant conflict over the use of the name "Herman's Hermits". Between 1974 and 1994, Whitwam and Leckenby toured the band that included Green and newer members such as Peter Cowap and Frank Renshaw.All original recordings will be released either by EMI or its subsidiaries (outside the US) and ABKCO in the US (MGM, the band's original American label, lost the American distribution rights to the group's material in the early 1970s and has since been absorbed into Universal Music; original Herman's Hermits vinyl recordings on the MGM label, however, still appear for sale as used records). Former band members and Noone have also separately re-recorded old Hermits material. New issues from both Barry Whitwam and Peter Noones bands clearly indicate that the releases are new recordings; Peter Noone tours America and Hermans Hermits starring Barry Whitwam tour worldwide including America.
Discography
- 1965 — Herman's HermitsHerman's Hermits (album)Herman's Hermits was the first U.S. album released by the band Herman's Hermits. It was first issued in 1965....
- 1966 — Both Sides of Herman's HermitsBoth Sides of Herman's HermitsBonus Tracks # "Kansas City Loving"# "A Must to Avoid"# "The Man With the Cigar"# "Got a Feeling"# "Hold On"# "Oh Mr. Porter" # "The Future Mrs...
- 1967 — There's a Kind of Hush All Over the WorldThere's a Kind of Hush All Over the WorldThere's a Kind of Hush All Over the World is the fifth album released by MGM Records in the U.S. and Canada for the band Herman's Hermits. It was released in March, 1967...
- 1967 — BlazeBlaze (Herman's Hermits album)Bonus Tracks # "Sleepy Joe"# "Just One Girl"# "London Look"# "Sunshine Girl"# "Nobody Needs to Know"# "Something's Happening"# "The Most Beautiful Thing in My Life"# "Ooh! She's Done It Again"# "My Sentimental Friend"# "My Lady"...
- 1968 — Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely DaughterMrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (album)Bonus Tracks # "Regardez-Moi"# "Years May Come, Years May Go"# "Smile Please"# "Bet Yer Life I Do"# "Searching for the Southern Sun"# "Lady Barbara"# "Don't Just Stand There"# "Big Man"# "Wings of Love"# "Mum and Dad"...
- 1969 — Rock 'n Roll Party (unreleased)
Studio albums re-released on CD
Filmography
- 1965 — Pop GearPop GearPop Gear is a British music review film, directed by Frederic Goode and released in 1965. It contains live concert footage of The Beatles, and lip-synched videos of some of the British Invasion bands, including The Animals, Herman's Hermits, The Nashville Teens, Peter and Gordon, Matt Monro, Billy J...
- 1965 — When the Boys Meet the GirlsWhen the Boys Meet the GirlsWhen the Boys Meet the Girls is a 1965 American musical film, directed by Alvin Ganzer and starring Connie Francis and Harve Presnell. Guy Bolton and Jack McGowan were both uncredited in their roles as the writers for the play the film is based on.-Cast:...
- 1966 — Hold On!Hold On! (film)Hold On! is a 1966 musical film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Peter Noone, Shelley Fabares, Herbert Anderson, and Sue Ane Langdon. The film features performances by Herman's Hermits and stars the band as fictionalized versions of themselves...
- 1968 — Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely DaughterMrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter (film)Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter is a 1968 British comedy film starring Peter Noone. The film showcases the British rock band, Herman's Hermits.-Cast:*Peter Noone – Herman Tulley*Keith Hopwood – Keith*Derek Leckenby – Derek*Karl Green – Karl...