Herman's Hermits

For a short time in the 1960s, the British pop band Herman's Hermits were touring shoulder-to-shoulder with the Beatles, having followed their more successful British brothers to the United States as part of an invasion that swept many acts in its crest. With American appetites hungry for British musical acts, here came Herman's Hermits, a clean-cut group of young boys who delivered safe, easily listenable, and whimsical pop tunes. The band was formed in 1963, as Herman & the Hermits, fronted by 15-year-old Peter Noone on vocals, with Keith Hopwood on guitar, Karl Green on guitar, Alan Wrigley on bass and Steve Titterington on drums. After a couple personnel changes, the group signed with record producer Mickie Most and EMI's Columbia Graphophone label in Europe, and MGM Records in the United States. Their debut album, Herman's Hermits, released in 1965, got them off to a strong start with the hit singles 'I'm Henry VIII, I Am' and 'Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter,' which became a massive hit. For the U.S. release, they wisely added the single 'I'm Into Something Good,' and the album and group became a smash, performing for screaming teenage girls just like the Beatles. Their stars continued to rise with follow-up releases, and the hits 'Bus Stop,' 'There's a Kind of Hush All Over the World' and 'Dandy' kept Herman's Hermits in the limelight. Today's Herman's Hermits have toured, sometimes with Noone, amid his acting career, but also includes Keith Hopwood and others who have played with the group over the years. Herman's Hermits tickets are a pass to yesteryear, a simpler time of simple songs.