Lead singer of Herman’s Hermits, Film Star and Broadway Veteran.

There are some stars who truly need no introduction. Peter Noone is surely one of them. Taking both England and America by storm as the blue-eyed lead singer of Herman’s Hermits, the band had a million Number Ones on both sides of The Atlantic, with Peter becoming the absolute idol of screaming, Sixties teens.  Still performing and recording, Peter Noone took time out of his glamorous Californian lifestyle to answer those burning questions we all have about him (and about me). As you will see, he is every bit as cheeky and charming as when he was on Ready, Steady, Go!

KIU When filming 'Mrs Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter', you had to involve yourself with a dog. How did you feel about this? (And did you wish it was a cat?)

P.N It was a greyhound, and I was not impressed. Apparently greyhounds are not very intelligent, and the one I got to co-star with had been dropped many times by its parents, mostly around the head, and many parts of it were slowed down form the multiple flying lessons from the 14^th floor of the block of flats where it was born. In retrospect a cat would have been more fun but would have had trouble catching the hare at the racetrack and would have spoiled the brilliant plot. “Herman has a pussycat” would have scared my parents, who are slightly hard of hearing.

KIU Do you think Coronation Street has really gone down the pan?

P.N I try not to watch television unless it has Christine Aguilera on. Is she on Coronation Street yet? She is everywhere these days in her red underpants. Not me. I am in my own.

Herman's Hermits on 'Ready, Steady, Go' (probably.)

KIU What's your favourite Herman's Hermits song? (Mine is 'It's Nice to be Out in the Morning.')

P.N I like that one a bit, but I like I'm Into Something Good a lot and my vote is bigger than yours.

KIU My first boyfriend (Michael O'Neill, who is now my enemy) said that his song for me was 'A Must to Avoid'. I could never decide if this was a compliment or an insult. Can you please throw some light onto all this? (He dumped me.)

P.N Well, the line about the girl being a “complete impossibility” may mean that he wanted you to have male anatomical parts as opposed to female comical ones. I heard he batted for the other team anyway. He did at boarding school, and once I saw him at the wrestling oils counter at Debenhams...oops, I was getting the oil for my dad.

(NOTE: Peter Noone has no idea how astute and insightful his answer actually is; suspicion that Michael O’Neill ‘batted for the other side’ has long since been a topic of speculation amongst myself, my friends, and people in Liverpool.  However, I am willing to concede that it could just be my ego talking. How could any straight man possibly dump me?!)

KIU Which did you prefer? 'Gladiator' or 'Titanic'?

P.N I like the freezing death of the handsome bloke best, but I liked the Australian accented gladiator, even if he was tricked by the bloke with the stabsy wabsy equipment hidden in his toga, and the blond guy offered to push a lifeboat proving his blondeness.

KIU Peter, are you a Quality Street man, or are your loyalties with Cadbury's Roses?

P.N I eat anything fresh.

KIU Apart from Herman’s Hermits, what’s your all-time favourite band?

P.N I am still rather fond of the Beatles and the Stones. I also like many pomp rock bands like Yes and Genesis when I am driving late at night, and once I owned a Cliff Richards record (The Young Ones).

KIU Your website is GREAT. Do you do it yourself, or do you employ a 'webmaster' and boss him around?

P.N I employ a genius but of course I do all the clever stuff all by myself and he is paid handsomely to keep his mouth shut at all times. I am a geek but don't let that scare you.

(NOTE: Yeah, it works pretty much the same around here. I mean, I do all the REALLY hard stuff...)

KIU Strawberry or Chocolate?

P.N Boxers

KIU What's your favourite bit in Oliver!

P.N I like the bit where Davy Jones sings You’ve Got To Pick a Pocket Or Two.He was replaced by Phil Collins you know!

(NOTE: We were actually referring to the movie of Oliver! (starring our idol, Mark Lester), but we’ll accept Broadway/West End discussions (as long as it’s Peter Noone.) HOWEVER, Peter, what you on about?! You’ve Got To Pick a Pocket Or Two was a Fagin number, not a Dodger song. Ouff! I think it’s time Mr Noone (former lead singer of Herman’s Hermits, film star and Broadway veteran) got himself down to Blockbusters and had another look at the film!

There's our Peter, in the middle of our Hermits and looking hep in an interesting tee-shirt.

KIU How come you live in America?

P.N I like it here. I like John Cash, Elvis, pompoms, snoop, my daughter is American, and I only miss Val Doonican - and I am far away from the truth here!

KIU Do you have any pets (and are they cats?)

P.N I have a daschund and he is a cat called Ficelle.

KIU I once had a hamster called 'Mr Neville'. He went to live in Swansea and then died. Do you think that Wales is fatal?

P.N I have seen Wales as a child. My brothers and sisters (all of them 4) were born there and have recovered, despite being able to speak the language.

KIU When Herman's Hermits were at the vanguard of the British Invasion, you were still a teenager. You had a wide-eyed and innocent 'little boy lost' look - and still do! What's your secret to looking so young all the time?

P.N I am still a wide eyed innocent. I was never a wide legged innocent, although I was famous for my amazing tolerance of alcohol and fools.  I am a cheap date and easily entertained, so I get a laugh a minute. I am even laughing now and I am doing this typing for free. Do you see now?

KIU If you hadn't fronted Herman's Hermits, which band would you most liked to have sung with?

P.N They were the only boys I knew who I dared shake my bum in front of, and they were excellent people and good listeners.

KIU I am thinking of writing a sort of Andrew Lloyd Weber style rock opera about the life of Bennito Mussolini and calling it Il Duce. If it makes it to Broadway, how do you feel about taking the lead (I hear you were very good in Pirates of Penzance.)

P.N I ‘lean on the lamppost’ -  not hang upside down form it. Try Robert Plant He looks Italian, too.  If he is too tall for the lamppost, then I will come up with a better idea. Funnier too I hope!

(NOTE: For those of you who didn’t get how clever and funny Peter’s response was, I should explain that a) Leaning on a Lamppost was a Herman’s Hermit’s album track – and Bennito Mussolini was hanged from one. Good play on theme, Peter.)

KIU What's your favourite film?

P.N I like all the Fellini films and A Hard Days Night and The Penthouse.

KIU What's your earliest childhood memory? I remember crawling up a stair when I was a toddler in 1965. However, I've always heard that 'if you remember the Sixties, you weren't really there.' This has confused me. I'm assuming you were born in the forties, Peter, so do not have this problem. So - come on! What's your earliest memory?

P.N Herman was born in 1964. I was born in 1947, and I remember everything since 1953 and sitting with 400 people watching the coronation at my grandmothers house.

KIU When you first heard 'No Milk Today', did you go mental and think; 'I'm so happy!'

P.N Actually I did. It was the best record I had ever made and I was excited to play it to the Hermits.

Peter today. Still lookin' good, Mr Noone!

KIU Finally, Peter, if you could go back and relive one day in your life, what would it be - and why?

P.N I think I would come back as me, but I would be 4 inches taller and a slut.

(NOTE: Me too!)

Thank you, Peter Noone!

Visit Peter's extremely groovy and technologically advanced website, It's great!