 His friend
John Lennon sang "Remember remember the fifth of November" in the song
"Remember" off of the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album, and on that day in
1947, the
eternally young
Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone was born in Manchester, England. The son of
Joan Blair Noone and Denis Patrick Noone, he was raised in a Roman Catholic
family that included five children of diverse ages, brother Damon along with
sisters Denise, Suzanne, and Louise.
In a multi-dimensional career that has garnered respect from his colleagues
and millions of fans worldwide,
Peter Noone is the professional's professional. As a child, he appeared on
the British television shows Coronation Street, Knight Errant, and Family
Solicitor, and went on to study acting at the Manchester School of Music and
Drama. In 1963, he joined a Manchester beat group,
the Heartbeats, whose name was changed shortly thereafter to
Herman & the Hermits and eventually shortened to
Herman's Hermits." His career with that popular recording act sold well over
50 million records, at times eclipsing
the Beatles themselves in sales. But it was
Peter Noone's voice and personality that distinguished him apart from the band he
fronted; indeed, some of the recordings were
Peter Noone's performance on sessions produced by
Mickie Most with other musicians providing the accompaniment. He charted in
Britain as a solo act, recording a
David Bowie tune with
Bowie appearing with him on the U.K. show Top of the Pops. In the years that
followed, there were former members of
Herman's Hermits touring as well as
Peter Noone causing some confusion, but in 2001
Peter Noone -- "the artist formerly known as Herman" -- obtained the rights to the
name and is listed in Pollstar magazine in the new millennium as both
Herman's Hermits and
Peter Noone. The hassles with labels illegally putting out product was the
kind of thing that befuddled fans and created frustration for the singer, a good
example being the Slam release that featured both the band
Herman's Hermits on the CD without
Peter Noone, along with the unauthorized use of live
Peter Noone material tagged on the end to create the illusion that it was
Herman's Hermits and
Peter Noone. With the name going back to its rightful owner, the man who
sang on all the
Herman's Hermits hits can put the voice together with the trademark for the
general public not aware of deceptive practices that frequent the touring
industry.
As stated, his career is multi-dimensional, with critically acclaimed stage
performances in two Broadway shows during the 1980s, including The Pirates of
Penzance, to his roles on the silver screen. He appeared as Herman in two films,
1966's Hold On and 1968's Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter; was one of
the few bright spots in 1978's Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; and
performed in 1982's Rockin' the Night Away: Life From Palm Springs, 1996's
Hullabaloo, Vol. 8, and 2000's The British Invasion Returns. In 1999, he sang
the end theme to the Kirk Douglas film Diamonds.
Also in the 1980s,
Peter Noone did a remarkable thing and fronted a new wave group called
the Tremblers before re-joining
Herman's Hermits for a time.
The Tremblers ensemble, released on
Beach Boy Bruce Johnstone's CBS distributed label, was a blending of the
Herman's Hermits pop with the new wave edge of
Elvis Costello and
Joe Jackson.
Peter Noone was especially proud of the Boston stop on the tour on September 21,
1980, because the fans in that region were more hip to his new direction and
showed their appreciation by not calling for
Herman's Hermits hits. The show was lively and precise and had
the Tremblers released a half dozen albums or so, they no doubt would have
made more of a mark. A
Peter Noone solo album from the day, One of the Glory Boys, featured covers of
material by
Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, as well as
the Spiral Starecase and was
the Tremblers in reverse, it took the sound of the "new wave" and brought it
back to a more fully developed pop attitude. He co-produced the album Graham
Gouldman Thing in 1968 for the legendary songwriter who would become part of
10cc, and was asked by his friend, Baywatch star
David Hasselhoff to produce an album for him, but he couldn't because of
time constraints.
Peter Noone has produced new recordings on his own No.One Records imprint, a
clever double entendre of "Noone" and number one.
A quick Internet "search" is impossible as there are a plethora of sites
created by his following. Whether you enter the fan page called "The Asylum" or
Peter Noone's official site, it is all a truly funny, as well as informative
journey, the facts blurring with
Peter Noone's witty dry humor creating a sense of discovery (or helplessness) for
music historians as they plow through the postings from followers which
proliferate on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. The man who hosted VH1's
prestigious My Generation series (which lasted four years), and who can be
serious when he chooses to be, has boundless energy and endless ideas.
A good measure of
Peter Noone's popularity is that Ebay or Half.Com show hundreds of items for sale
at all times, from his out of print classic solo recordings to stacks of
Herman's Hermits material. One of the keys to
Peter Noone's success is his love for his fans and their staunch loyalty to him.
While some concert attractions will invite a dozen or so guests into the inner
sanctum before or after a gig,
Peter Noone and his current version of
Herman's Hermits will take the time to sign every autograph sought by those
who attend his shows. And the shows are truly great; when one thinks about
singing the same material night after night for decades, and how the routine has
affected other acts,
Peter Noone displays genuine enthusiasm for his repertoire. "There's a Kind of
Hush," a tune that is one of pop's undisputed classics, is always fantastic,
part of that elite class of timeless songs performed with perpetual enthusiasm.
Ian Hunter,
Marty Balin,
Bobby Hebb, and
Mark Farner have all been able to sustain the magic with their respective
major hits, "All the Young Dudes," "Miracles," "Sunny," and "I'm Your Captain,"
but they, like
Peter Noone, are part of a very exclusive club of serious artists who care about
their audiences. When
Patrick Swayze drove
Whoopi Goldberg, as well as the theatergoers, crazy with his obnoxious
rendition of "I'm Henry the VIII, I Am" in the film Ghost, it was the humor of
the movie that brought the idea home. The ecstasy of a
Herman's Hermits audience shows
Swayze how it really should be done. They always join in with
Herman on the indelible chorus and become part of the show, bringing new
life to a simple standard that doesn't have the usual twists of other pop tunes.
Balancing himself precariously on a cement fixture singing at a Rhode Island
open air concert in 2001, to the chagrin of the security of that venue,
Peter Noone's ability to charm is a reason his fans come back year after year. A
look at Pollstar has the artist as one of the most consistent performers of the
new millennium, appearing around the world in over 200 concerts a year.
His ongoing authorized biography -- ever expanding and open to the public on
his website -- is as remarkable as his guest appearances on the celebrated soap
opera As the World Turns in March of 2002.
Peter Noone is one of the few artists from the '60s in control of his artistry and
preserving it for future generations, a total entertainer with business savvy,
an elusive combination in the world of rock & roll, for sure. The performer who
has conquered stage, screen, and television, along with selling more records
than most artists can ever dream, is one of the first to have a good grasp of
the frontier known as the Internet. The man whose face graced the cover of Time
magazine in April of 1965 and who has appeared on such diverse television
programs as Quantum Leap, My Two Dads, Married With Children, The Ted Knight
Show, and Laverne & Shirley, among others, and creating art in a world where the
major recording companies can't seem to find a groove, is poised to bring his
ideas to multiple formats and new mediums. Don't underestimate one who can
headline a Teen Idols Tour, perform on Broadway, and stay in such close contact
with his enormous following.
Peter Noone has created a model which other '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s stars
would be wise to study and follow. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
Contact Grabow for more information or to book
Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits for your next corporate or private event.
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