HERMAN AND THE FIRE STATION Everyone who cares about the regeneration of Rochdale was delighted to hear of the exciting plans to expand and develop the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum in Maclure Road. The successful bid for Heritage Lottery Fund money was fantastic news and well deserved. We look forward to seeing the plans and images of the building as progress develops. The old fire station is perfectly sited next to both the railway station and the Metrolink stop. In the 1960’s Rochdale Fire Station’s hall was occasionally used as a music venue and pop groups used to play there. On 3rd October 1964 Herman’s Hermits played there in the very week that they had the Number One single with “I’m Into Something Good”. Herman’s Hermits were led by Peter Noone, known everywhere as “Herman”. Noone was born in Davyhulme in 1947 and had attended Stretford Grammar School and, later, Manchester School of Music And Drama. He appeared briefly in “Coronation Street“ as Len Fairclough’s son, Stanley. The name Herman came from a resemblance between Peter Noone and the Sherman character in television’s Rocky And Bullwinkle Show cartoon series. Sherman was shortened to Herman and Herman’s Hermits were born!
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The group were discovered by Manchester promoter Harvey Lisberg. Lisberg arranged famed record producer Mickie Most to come and see the group play in Bolton; Most saw a facial likeness between Peter Noone and a young John F. Kennedy and thought that Noone’s “little boy lost” image would appeal to all ages. “I’m Into Something Good” was the group’s very first single release and it stayed at Number One in the UK for two weeks, sandwiched between “You Really Got Me“ by The Kinks and Roy Orbison’s “Oh Pretty Woman”. Noone was still only 16 years old at this point. By December 1964, Herman’s Hermits had entered the American charts and “I’m Into Something Good” reached Number 13, eventually selling a million copies and earning a Gold Disc. The group were now officially part of the British Invasion, started by The Beatles earlier in the year and closely followed by the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five and The Animals. It is no exaggeration to say that the USA went mad about Herman’s Hermits and the group seriously rivalled The Beatles, selling ten million records in just one year! The Americans loved their “Britishness” which was cleverly exploited by their record company and management. “Mrs Brown
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