Welcome to Rock & Roll Flashback! I'm Jumpin' John, and we'll be looking back at some of Rock and Roll's greatest artists, songs, and stories. This episode of Rock and Roll Flashback podcasts is called Herman's Hermits, Part 2, where I will interview a fan from the British Invasion era.
John: Now, of course, Herman's Hermits were a rock band and pop group formed in 1964 in Manchester, England, and fronted by their singer, Peter Noone. The Hermits were very successful, arriving just after the Beatles during what is known as the British Invasion. In fact, between March and August of 1965 in the United States the Herman's Hermits group logged 24 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 with 5 singles including two #1's, "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" and "Henry the Eighth, I Am"! When Billboard decided to come up with the top singles group of 1965, Herman's Hermits edged out a group called the Beatles for the #1 spot!
John: So we are privileged to have a die-hard Herman's Hermits fan here with us today in the studios of Rock and Roll Flashback podcast. This fan, who is probably known to some as "The Frog Lady," is Linda Price - and I want to welcome you to Rock and Roll Flashback podcast!
Linda: Well thank you, it's an honor to be here today!
John: Great, we're really happy to have you! The Herman's Hermits really appealed to a younger teen audience back in the 1960's and mid '60's. They were a pop group, as I mentioned, very popular with the female audience. They did soft rock and what might be called bubblegum and novelty in some of their song selections. Linda, how would you say you first got interested in Herman's Hermits?
Linda: I guess I saw him on TV somewhere, and he was a cute guy and I just kinda liked his songs. So that's why I decided to pick him and that's what I wanted.
John: Did you see any of the teen magazines back in the day?
Linda: No.
John: Would he have been in any of those magazines?
Linda: We didn't get to buy too many of those in my time.
John: OK. So you just basically saw him. What was the first song you really liked by Herman?
Linda: Probably was "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter".
John: Lovely daughter - with that Cockney accent? One of the things that really surprised me about the band was how they were actually ended up being more popular in the United States than they were in their native England. And of course Herman, actually the front man, was Herman - Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone. What I think is interesting in your case is that you have actually met and seen Herman in person multiple times. That's what I thought we could talk about today is some of your recollections reminiscing about when you met and saw Peter in person. How about the first time you saw him on TV?
Linda: Well, we all watched the Ed Sullivan show. Sunday nights, that's where everybody was, and I heard he was coming on the show. Sixth of June 1965, and you can be sure that's where I was listening to him.
John: The whole family watched too?
Linda: Oh, I'm pretty sure. I had two sisters and the whole family had to watch. We only had one TV back then. But I know I was happy, watching him.
John: It's amazing who effective Ed Sullivan was at getting the word out to the public because not only did his publicizing of the Beatles and the Dave Clark Five help bolster their careers in the United States, but obviously in the case for Herman's Hermits it must have helped them to becoming more popular among the young teen crowd in the U. S. of A. How about in person then. How many times have you seen Peter or Herman's Hermits or both in person?
Linda: Probably about six times I guess.
John: OK. Can you remember any of those specifics?
Linda: Well, the first time I saw him, I drove my brand new 1968 Chevy Malibu to Atlantic City to see him.
John: Kind of like driving the Chevy to the levee.
Linda: Well, probably. He was at the Steel Pier and I took my sisters along for the weekend. And I remember I got to the show real early. I know my sisters didn't like that, and it was a standing room only place so I got pushed. I'm not very tall so I got to the very front of the stage so I would be sure to see.
John: So did you arrive early and sleep overnight or not that early?
Linda: No, no, we didn't. They didn't open the gates until about two hours before the show.
John: OK.
Linda: But then I was close by and I took two pictures of Peter Noone that day, and I know some of you will know when I say they got enlarged in Kodak "Kodachrome". And when I got home I placed them on my bedroom wall, and then I heard on November 5th, 1968 Peter got married, and I immediately removed his pictures from the wall.
John: Oh no! No! Well what was so special about that date?
Linda: Well, I found out later that was also Peter's birthday! Twenty-first birthday!
John: Wow! I guess the ceremonious removal of the wall of the photograph was traumatic, to say the least. Does that mean that you no longer were interested in following his career?
Linda: Oh, no, no, I was still a fan. I still wanted to see him any time he came to town.
John: Can you recollect any of the other times that you saw him when he, quote end quote, came to town?
Linda: In 1974 I heard that Herman's Hermits were performing at a local D. C. club, and I was excited to go and see Peter Noone. But, to my surprise, at that time Peter was not part of the group. I don't know if he went on his own or what, but ha. I was very disappointed, to say the least!
John: Did you stay for the whole concert?
Linda: Oh, yes, yes. I stayed, but it wasn't what I expected but you know.
John: I understand. But Linda, can you remember any other instances where you were actually able to see Peter performing?
Linda: Well, he was performing in D. C. in April 1982 in a play called the "Pirates of Penzance" and that was at the National Theatre in Washington, D. C. And I heard he was going to be in a local department store in Washington promoting his play. And I was working nearby, and I went on my lunch hour to see him. And I got to pose with him, and my husband took a picture and I was really happy!
John: Yeah, and I understand that Peter was actually before, as a young 15, 16 year old starting with Herman's Hermits, he was actually an actor in England. Is that correct?
Linda: Yes, that's what I've heard.
John: So being in the play "Pirates of Penzance" probably came second nature to him. You keep mentioning Washington, D. C. Are you permitted to say what your employment was at that time?
Linda: No, no.
John: It's, it's, your under a non-disclosure agreement?
Linda: We're not going to say that, John.
John: Under a non-disclosure agreement. OK.
Linda: Your not recording now are you?
John: Always recording. We record everything.
Linda: I thought he was still answering the phone.
John: Oh, no, no, no. You're gonna to take the fifth.
Linda: Yeah.
John: So your husband took a picture of you and Peter in this department store.
Linda: Yes.
John: Was that the end of that?
Linda: Yeah, then I did go see the play. I saw him again then. In 1982 he came to the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, and I just remembered that I had taken this picture of him back in 1982 at the "Pirates of Penzance", and I took it along, and he signed my photo.
John: Oh, that's really nice. In your interactions with him in these signings, what was his disposition? Did he seem friendly to fans?
Linda: Oh yes, yes. He was very, couldn't have been any nicer.
John: Very cordial?
Linda: Oh yes, yes.
John: OK. So that gets us up to 1982, and you're still working at this mysterious location in the Washington, D. C. metro area. Apparently you're reluctant to divulge the name of your employer and their location.
Linda: Oh no, it was at [bleeped out] at [bleeped out].
[Public Service Announcement: We here at Rock and Roll Flashback Podcasts apologize for the technical difficulties and the unfortunate censorship.]
John: Any other instances where you got to see Mr. Peter Noone?
Linda: I heard in 1992 he was coming. Was an outdoor concert at the Equestrian Centre in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
John: At the what?
Linda: How do you say that word? [followed by a back and forth discussion concerning the proper pronunciation of "equestrian"]
John: Where else did you see Peter? Where else did you see Peter?
Linda: E-ques-tri-an. E-ques-tri-an.
John: Yeah.
Linda: I saw Peter Noone August 1992 at an outdoor concert in the Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
John: OK. And maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but I noticed you have a treasured autograph where the standard stock photo of Peter Noone inscribed to "the Frog Lady". How did he know that you were "the Frog Lady"?
Linda: Oh, I guess I must have told him. I guess I tell everybody that. It was a single a 45 and it's called (I Don't Wanna Love You But) You Got Me Anyway." And he signed it, and I still have it in my possession.
John: That's nice. Any other instances where you saw Peter. You said six, you thought.
Linda: Oh, in September 2000 we were listening to the radio. And the local radio station was promoting him to come to a concert called the Riverfest at the Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D. C. And what I remember about the concert is that Peter was the first one to perform that day, but nobody else could perform that day because a thunderstorm came and they shut down the show. But I was so glad that I got to see Peter.
John: It was good thing he was first out!
Linda: Yeah. And then I also went one time he was at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. I went there. And of course I bought his first album he ever recorded. So that's my story about Peter!
John: OK. Well it's really interesting to hear really a die-hard fan's recollections of contact with him, and it sounds like he's a very pleasant man and very good with his fans and acknowledging them and making them feel welcome. Is he still touring?
Linda: Oh yes, he's still touring, but I'm getting a little too old to go to his concerts now. So I'll just listen to him on the radio. He's on the 60's oldies show on Saturday nights, and if I want to hear him I know where to tune in.
John: Super! Well thank you so much, Linda, for being here on the Rock and Roll Flashback podcast, and it's a real honor to have you here as our guest who has some expertise as well as has many contacts with the gentleman who is known as Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone, aka Herman!
Linda: Herman!
John: Of Herman's Hermits. So again, thank you very much for being on our show.
Linda: Well, you're quite welcome! You're quite welcome!
John: OK. Well, this has been Rock and Roll Flashback…a look back at Herman's Hermits, Part 2, recollections of Linda Price's contact with the man known as Herman: Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone! Thank you for listening to Rock and Roll Flashback podcasts, and if you haven't heard the first episode you want to check out Herman's Hermits, Part 1, to learn a little bit more about the band's history and some of their great hits!
John: I'm Jumpin' John McDermott…
Linda: And I'm Linda Price, "the Frog Lady". Thank you all for listening.
John: And until next time….Rock On!
[Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter]
John: Were you perhaps referring to a horse farm?
Linda: Oh, yeah I guess that's what that word meant. I wasn't quite sure.
John: Linda, were we just horsing around?
Linda: Neigh!