Back in the 60s, Peter Noone was the “Herman” in the Hermits, whose big smile, Manchester, England accent and bouncy style provided so many hit records it takes the band an hour to play them all in concert.
Noone and Herman’s Hermits will headline the Fourth Annual Sensational Sixties Concert April 25 at the Wildwoods Convention Center along with The Turtles and The Rascals featuring Felix Cavaliere.
Noone talked with On Deck from his California home. He said The Turtles’ first show was opening for Herman’s Hermits at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles in 1965.
Noone compared Wildwood to Liverpool, England, a seaside town with a great music history. He is well versed in Wildwood’s music history.
There is no mistaking Noone’s accent on songs like “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” or “I’m Henry the VIII I Am.”
“I chose not to impersonate other people and create a brand new personality,” he said. “I think that’s why we are still going, while we are still huge, this year we will do more dates than we have ever done.”
Noone was a well-known child actor on British television before Herman’s Hermits and has appeared on a number of American television shows from “Married With Children” to VH1’s “My Generation.” He was discovered by a talent scout as a schoolboy at the Manchester School of Music.
Will Noone resume his acting career?
“Herman’s Hermits is hot right now, so I figure when I’m 75 I could do some acting, you get much better jobs when you’re an old guy,” he said.
His musical influences were American, leaning towards Country/Western. He said he bought records from Roy Orbinson, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and the Everly Brothers.
He has been writing an autobiography on his Web site: peternoone.com that looks at his early family life and glimpse of England during the 60’s British Invasion.
He said renaissance periods come up when least expected.
“I always believe that some band in a little bar somewhere, maybe in Philadelphia tonight, are going to change the whole game just like Nirvana did,” said Noone.
He said he returns to a younger age on stage while the audience does the same.
“The theory is if you can be in the moment, you can be whatever age you are in that moment,” said Noone. “Music is an amazing transport system.”
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