From the PCA Archives: Herman’s Hermits

Memoirs of a Hermit: Setting the Record Straight with Herman’s Hermits’ Barry Whitwam

Dandy:  Peter Noone Strikes Back!

Easily one of the strangest moments of my career was when I got between Herman and one of the Hermits.

In the summer of 2007 I attended a Herman’s Hermits concert featuring British Invasion teen idol Peter Noone.  Before Noone came on stage the announcer introduced “The Hermits” and four men, far too young to have been around during the 1960’s when Herman’s Hermits recorded such hits as I’m Into Something Good, Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter, A Kind of Hush and Listen People, walked on stage.  These men were certainly good musicians, but as Peter Noone took the stage I couldn’t help but think that they were not the “real” Hermits – Keith Hopewood, Brian Green, Barry Whitwam and Derek “Lek” Leckenby.  Being the sort of pop culture addict I am, upon returning home that evening I began to search for what happen to the former members of Herman’s Hermits, only to find a far bigger story then I originally imagined. 

My search lead me to Barry Whitwam, original drummer for Herman’s Hermits, who currently fronts a second Hermanless group that also calls themselves Herman’s Hermits based out of the UK.  Astonished by the idea of a Herman’s Hermits without Peter Noone, I sent an e-mail to Barry, as well to Peter Noone, asking the questions “How can Herman’s Hermits exist without a Herman, and how can Herman’s Hermits exist without the Hermits?”  Barry Whitwam was the first to respond and agreed to explain all in an interview.  My interview with Barry Whitwam would prove to be the first North American based interview Barry had done since the 1960’s.  In the days to come Barry went me a number of scans and attachments, including interviews and original court documents proving that he, as well as the now deceased Hermits guitarist Derek “Lek” Leckenby, legally held the rights to the name Herman’s Hermits.  In a phone interview Barry proved to be an eloquent and well spoken gentleman who explained an untold history of Herman’s Hermits, from the birth of the group, to the infighting and, finally, the legal battles between Peter Noone and the rest of the group.  Barry spoke quite harshly of Peter, putting forth a different face of the charming fan favorite, exposing him as an arrogant and often mean spirited megalomaniac. 

Barry Whitwam’s interview proved to be controversial.  Peter Noone has a devoted group of fans calling themselves “Noonatics” and they quickly ate up the interview and flooded the PCA inbox with angry e-mails.  Some of the e-mails were just venomous hate mail with little critical thinking, but others were quite eye opening and touching.  I came to respect Peter Noone’s fans, and admired the way the fan community rallied around the singer.  Finally the fateful day came when I got an e-mail from Herman himself.  To say the least Peter Noone was pretty upset about the interview.  After a handful of random angry e-mails from Peter, I myself began to see the true face of Peter Noone.  In one truly bizarre moment, Peter Noone challenged me to a charity boxing match so he could legally kick my ass.  The majority of the e-mails were too strange or insulting to print, and sit in a file where they will sit…as long as Peter Noone is alive anyways.   However, still having respect for Peter’s body of work, his legacy on the pop culture journey as well as his passionate fan base, I gave Peter the chance to tell his own version of the story.  After turning me down a number of times, Peter eventually agreed that he’d do an e-mail interview.  I sent him a series of hard hitting questions based upon the strongest accusations made by Barry and he responded to all of them.  Peter Noone’s version of the stories doesn’t always match Barry’s, but he put his own spin on things.  What my interview with Peter Noone revealed was a different side to him rarely seen to the public.  Blunt, unapologetic and confrontational, Peter Noone said it like he saw it.

I learnt a number of lessons from my Herman’s Hermits drama.  First, never get between two warring fractions of a band.  In the years since I had the opportunity to write a similar expose on another 60’s group with bitter blood between former members but chose to walk away from the opportunity.  Also, I learnt that everybody has a story to tell and each side has a different point of view.  The only way to come to the truth is to look at all the evidence and come to your own conclusions.  In the end I feel that Barry Whitwam’s story has the most merit, and I myself experienced the wrath of Peter Noone.  However, there is no denying the talent and charisma of Peter and the musical franchise that he has created.  He is, and will forever be, the face and voice of Herman’s Hermits.  But in the end what is the most important isn’t who deserves to call themselves Herman’s Hermits as much as the music that they made during the 1960’s and the way it makes you feel and plays in your memories. 

Today from the PCA archives we represent our interviews with Barry Whitwam and Peter Noone.  You be your own judge on whose story you think holds the most credibility.