Peter Noone was one member of the popular 60’s band, Herman’s Hermits.
With his thick head of hair and boyish charm, it would be easy to compare him to a Justin Beiber or Harry Styles of today.
However, there is one distinct difference between this former teen heartthrob and those of today…
With his adorable face and equally adorable voice, Peter Noone skyrocketed to stardom in his teens as the frontman of Herman’s Hermits. The band toured both in America and Britain and became iconic.
The band nabbed their first number 1 hit in England in 1964 with “I’m Into Something Good.”
“Herman’s Hermits sold millions of records before anyone even saw us, which just doesn’t happen now,” Noone said.
“I didn’t know what I was doing: my stage persona was a shy little boy, which is basically what I was.”
Noone and the rest of his band released more than 20 hit records and even outsold the Beatles in 1965. Some of their biggest hits included I’m Into Something Good, No Milk Today and There’s A Kind of Hush (All Over the World).
The band received a million-dollar record deal by the time they were 17, and one of the highlights of Noone’s career was when Elvis Presley performed one of their hits–”I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am”–in 1965 on stage.
“He was making fun of me, but who cares?” says Noone. “It was Elvis!”
Even at this young age, Noone was living the quintessential rocker lifestyle.
“Although without the drugs bit,” he insists. “That was never my thing.”
But when asked about all of the other typical rock ‘n’ roll habits?
“Sure. We were 16, 17, and we could easily stay up all night, go on the rampage then be up the next morning to do interviews and go to gigs. It was a brilliant time.”
At 64, Noone is on the road again as part of Britain’s Solid Silver 60s Show. His fellow Hermits veterans will not be joining him, but other musical star of the era will–Brian Poole of The Tremeloes (“Do You Love Me” and “Twist And Shout”) and Brian Hyland (“Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”).
“You never get tired of the buzz of touring,’ says Noone, ‘and it’s good to know we can still pull an audience. People come up to me and sing all the old songs to my face, although I’m never really sure how to respond to that.”
Noone has lived in California since the 70’s and grew quickly to the healthy living style that characterizes the state.
“Not many people survived the debauchery of the sixties,” he says, “so I feel very lucky and try to look after myself. When I went to Mickie Most’s funeral nine years ago [Most was the band’s producer and a panelist on TV talent show New Faces], there weren’t many people left. It does make you stop and think.”
“I remember going to the house of one of the Moody Blues and it was considered this real den of iniquity,” he says. “None of the girls smoked dope, so I used to hang out with them. I was a fly on the wall.
“I did like to drink — I used to go out with Richard Harris and try to drink more than him,” Noone laughed.
“I used to love the Beatles and the Stones and I’d always want to hang out with them, even though they were about seven years older.
“We’d go to the Ad Lib club in London, and John Lennon would buy my drinks because he knew I was only 16 and I wouldn’t get drunk and try to beat someone up.”
Noone, who grew up in Manchester, has admitted that one of his major motivations for drinking was to fit in with the others, as he didn’t feel that “interesting.”
It was at the age of 19 that the musician decided to attend his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with his father, also an avid drinker.
“I wouldn’t have classed myself as an alcoholic, but you have to be sensitive to people’s feelings and be able to do the job on stage, so after that I decided to cut down. I needed to do it for my own sake and haven’t touched a drop for about 16 years.
“I insist that my wife still drinks if she wants to — I wouldn’t stop other people around me doing it.”
The multi-talented entertainer has been married to his wife, Mirielle, for 43 years. They met when Noone was 20, while he was still spending time with various women.
“I think it was probably lust at first sight with Mireille,” he admits. “Then I found out how nice she was and it turned to love.
“She kept turning me down, but she was holidaying on Ibiza with her mum, so I rented the apartment next to them. Her mother liked me because I was respectful. I wore Mireille down.”
The couple married in 1968, had one daughter (Nicole), and Noone quit the band in 1971 at the age of 24.
“Even though all of us in the band were close in the beginning, by the end, we’d been together so long and wanted to do different things.”
His attempted solo career plateaued, and it was in the 80s that he took to a new stage, appearing in a Broadway production on “Pirates of Penzance” and as a host on the U.S. television music show “My Generation”.
Just a few years ago, he appeared as a mentor and voice coach on American Idol.
Speaking on the show, he said, “If the Beatles had entered a TV competition, they’d probably have lost. Simon Cowell seems like a very nice guy, but I think he’s a secondhand Mickie Most to be honest.”
Speaking on the current tour again, Noone explained, “‘I was probably going to be a clerk at the local NatWest. How lucky am I to still be doing this at 64? I know what I’m doing now, too. I’m not that shy little kid any more.”
WHAT MY SON DID 26 YEARS AFTER I WAS KICKED OUT PREGNANT WILL SHOCK YOU
Tina thought she was living her dream when she married her high school sweetheart, Richard. But after being kicked out by her husband and raising their son on her own, she discovered how serious the consequences of our choices can be.
Tina had always dreamed of a grand traditional wedding. However, she ended up eloping with Richard at just 18, which was far from the wedding she had imagined.
Richard came from a wealthy family, and the idea of eloping didn’t seem ideal to Tina. But she was just happy to marry the man she loved. She wasn’t interested in his money—she truly loved Richard.
“Get out, Tina! If I see you here again, we’ll have a problem!”
After a few months of living together, Tina discovered she was pregnant. Even though they hadn’t talked about having kids, Tina was thrilled and eager to share the news with her husband.
Richard’s reaction was not what Tina expected. He asked, “What do you mean you’re pregnant?” clearly upset.
Tina tried to reassure him, saying, “I thought you’d be more excited. I know we didn’t plan this, but I believe you’d be a great father.”
Richard responded angrily, “Family man? The only reason we’re together is so I can get away from my own family! How could you do this to me?”
Tina was shocked by Richard’s angry words. She wondered if he was showing his true colors but hoped he just needed more time to process the news. She convinced herself to be patient.
The next day, Richard came home drunk and suddenly kicked Tina out of their apartment.
“Get out, Tina! If I see you here again, we’ll have a problem!” he shouted.
Tina didn’t argue and left, thinking Richard would come to his senses. A few days later, when Tina tried to return to the apartment, she found that Richard had changed the locks. She called Richard’s parents, and the conversation left Tina heartbroken.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Tinney. I was trying to reach Richard. We recently…” Tina began to explain, but was rudely interrupted.
“How dare you call after everything you’ve done to our Richy!” Mrs. Tinney snapped.
“Me? I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Please, let me explain…” Tina tried to respond, but was cut off again.
“We’ve heard all about it! How you cheated on him and got pregnant with another man’s child! Don’t ever call here again, or we’ll take legal action against you!” Mrs. Tinney said harshly.
At that moment, Tina realized that she and her unborn child were completely on their own.
Years went by, and Tina worked hard to raise her son, Greg, with all the love and strength she had. Greg made it easier for her by understanding their situation and helping out. Even though Tina struggled to make ends meet, Greg’s willingness to pitch in lightened her load.
Tina was always open with Greg about what had happened between his father and her. Greg appreciated his mother’s efforts and worked alongside her to support the family. At just 15 years old, he began working as a caddy at the local golf club.
Despite starting work early, Greg never let it affect his schoolwork. Although he wasn’t the top student, his strong work ethic helped him graduate high school with honors. Using the money he saved from his job, Greg soon started his own business.
Tina was incredibly proud of the man Greg was becoming, but she was concerned about the growing anger he seemed to have toward his estranged father.
Greg didn’t talk much about his father, but Tina could always see the anger in his eyes whenever the topic came up.
As the years went by, Greg’s business continued to thrive, and he became quite successful. By the age of 26, he was one of the most successful young people in his city and even hired his mother to work at one of their main offices.
One day, Greg decided it was time to visit his father. He had been tracking Richard’s movements for a while and was finally ready to confront him.
Greg drove up to Richard’s house with a baseball bat tightly clutched in his hand. He wasn’t sure exactly what he planned to do when he met Richard, but his anger was so intense that he was certain the bat would come into play. Whatever his intentions, they were not friendly.
As Greg sat in his car, debating his next steps on this long journey, he saw something that shook him deeply.
Greg had never been a violent person, not as a child or as an adult. He had carried this deep scar for so long that he never imagined it could heal.
Years of pain had convinced him that Richard deserved whatever was coming to him. But when he saw his father come outside to take out the trash, looking frail and dressed in rags, Greg felt a wave of realization.
In that moment, Greg understood how far his quest for revenge had taken him. The man who had caused so much pain was now nothing more than a shadow of his former self. Greg questioned if this broken man was worth all the anger and effort he had put into seeking revenge.
Greg noticed a “for sale” sign in Richard’s yard and decided to put the bat down and call the number on the sign. He learned that Richard was deeply in debt, and the house was being sold to cover his loans.
Feeling relieved and clear-headed, Greg left Richard’s property, realizing he had narrowly avoided making a huge mistake. He then bought the house.
A few days later, Richard went to the property agent’s office to finalize the sale, only to find Tina and Greg waiting for him.
Richard was speechless. As soon as he entered the room, Greg introduced himself and told Richard to leave the property.
“If I see you again, we’ll have a problem!” Greg said.
Tina watched in silence as Richard left, feeling a sense of déjà vu. His departure mirrored the way he had once sent her away, and she couldn’t help but think, *What are the chances?*
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