HULICK: You’re coming back to Fallsview in October and playing two shows this time around.
NOONE: Yea, isn’t it great! I love that place!
HULICK: Will you be doing a “Do” there?
NOONE: No, I’m sorry to say I won’t be doing one at Fallsview.
HULICK: For our readers that are not familiar with what a “Do” is can you explain it a little bit.
NOONE: Sure. A “Do” is one of my mother’s favorite things. She used to say, “Let’s have a Do”! It’s like an Irish thing where you all get together. Usually what I do is sing some songs playing the guitar, songs people don’t expect me to sing and then I have a “Q&A” (question & answer) followed by taking a picture with everyone there. I’ll sign the pictures as well. It’s something special for my fans.
HULICK: It looks to me like you are doing more of them this year than ever before.
NOONE: Yes, it seems everywhere we go this year we’re doing one! It’s fantastic! It seems every year we end up doing better than we did the year before, which is kind of odd really, isn’t it? I thought you were supposed to be living the life of your grandparents when you’re 60, aren’t you?
HULICK: (laughs) You’re supposed to be, but I don’t think that’s coming up any time soon for you, Peter.
NOONE: No, I don’t see it happening now. I think I’m going to be working now for at least another 28 years!
HULICK: To pay off that mortgage, right?
NOONE: (laughs) Yes, I still got the same mortgage Melanie! We paid for 26 years and we refinanced again!
HULICK:(laughs) Did you? We talked about that last year remember?
NOONE: Yes! It’s another 28 years for me (laughs).
HULICK: Well the good thing is Peter, you got something good to fall back on. You’re career is going strong!
NOONE: Yes, the good news is you sing your songs and people in the audience enjoy them, and it could have all faded away you know? I can think of loads of people from the Beatles era that just disappeared, that stopped working.
HULICK: Yes, you’re right. You know I was able to see your show for the first time last year when you played America’s Fair in August in Hamburg, New York and I have to say it was an amazingly good time! It was so much fun!
NOONE: Yea! Well we keep our enthusiasm at a high level. We keep watching that Beatles show from Shea’s Stadium and remembering that. We’re even wearing Beatles clothing on stage.
HULICK: (laughs) OK...?
NOONE: They’re, the Hermits, are getting weird! I got all the band wearing the same jackets the Beatles wore at Shea’s Stadium. It’s so weird, isn’t it?
HULICK: (laughs) Yes, it is. When you played Canada last year did you notice a difference between Canadian audiences as opposed to audiences across the U.S.?
NOONE: Oh yes! It’s completely different only because the audiences in Canada knew Herman’s Hermits differently than the States. By that I mean in the States you have different genres of music separated on charts. You have Herman’s Hermits on one chart list and Johnny Cash on another. In Canada it was all together. Elvis Presley was on the same chart as Johnny Cash. It wasn’t so black and white, it was just “the charts.” So there’s more stuff that I know that they know that I can choose from. It’s a different cultural pull there. There are some things I can do in Canada and they “get it,” but if I do the same thing in the States they’re wondering what the heck I’m doing.
HULICK: Makes sense. You’re heading to Asia in November and I would imagine it is all together different in another way there.
NOONE: Yes, you are exactly right... in another way completely. We have to do songs that aren’t even ours when we play there. For instance in China we do “Love Potion #9.” They want us to do that song, so we had to learn it and it went down better than one of our songs. So now it’s part of our set list when we go there. I even have a huge fan base in India. It’s so funny, but wherever I play in the States I always have someone coming up to me after the show saying they are from other parts of the world. People travel so much these days. I had someone come up to me and tell me they live in New Delhi and they have my albums and they saw my show there. It’s amazing!
HULICK: That is amazing! That must be an unbelievable feeling to hear someone say that to you.
NOONE: You know, I have so many people come up to me after the show with so many stories like that. You wish you had a thousand minutes to listen to everyone and their stories.
HULICK: And you love to write so I would imagine these stories mean that much more to you because it’s something for you to put down on paper to have a lasting memory of.
NOONE: I think they’re called “reminiscences” in Ireland. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?
HULICK: It seems to me that it would be a more personal accomplishment knowing that you have had such an impact on peoples lives. A positive impact.
NOONE: Yes , you’re right. Do you remember when once upon a time grandparents had all the time to talk to their children and now the grandchildren are in the other room playing video games, aren’t they?
HULICK: Yes, they are. Sad but true.
NOONE: In another room, Melanie. Not together.
HULICK: But you know what, Peter? I’ve noticed, going to as many different concerts I go to, that there are a lot of grandparents bringing their grandchildren with them to some of these shows. Shows that are of their music they loved and want to share. So it’s not all lost.
NOONE: Yes, you are right. And that’s great to see isn’t it?
HULICK: One of the things I love about doing these interviews is the research I do. I find out things about an artist that most people, including myself, don’t know. Before I talked to you last year I found out something that amazes me about you... you let fans e-mail you and you actually answer every email you receive.
NOONE: I do!
HULICK: Last year you told me you had about 1,500 emails to answer.
NOONE: I have about 400 right now!
HULICK: (laughs) Only 400, uh?
NOONE: Well I’ve been flying so much this year and I answer a lot of them on the plane. It’s fun to answer them because then the fans realize I’m the real thing, you know? When someone joins my fan club I write them a hand written thank you note. What’s funny about that is that in turn inspires them to thank me for the thank you note. Funny, uh?
HULICK: Funny, but very nice.
NOONE: It’s a kind of personal feel right from the very beginning. We (the Hermits) don’t want to have that feeling going around that we’re untouchable. We want to remain part of people’s everyday life. It’s a mutual respect, Melanie. It really is. Because we are fans of people.
HULICK: What a great way to think.
NOONE: Well it’s true. I love what I do, I really do. You know the only time I ever joined a fan club it was for Superman. And I didn’t get a reply.
HULICK: (laughs) OK... serious talk is over now I see.
NOONE: Isn’t that ridiculous?
HULICK: (laughs) That’s awful!
NOONE: You have to remember I was only five and my grandmother helped me fill out this form and send it out. And they never wrote back and I got all disappointed.
HULICK: I’m surprised your grandmother didn’t pretend she was Superman and send you a letter from him.
NOONE: She wasn’t up to it, I don’t think. I think she believed Superman was actually going to write one.
HULICK: (laughs) You’re still waiting for that letter aren’t you, Peter?
NOONE: (laughs) Yes! I am! (laughs)
HULICK: (laughs) You’re going to be waiting quite a while.
NOONE: (laughs) It was quite expensive at the time, too. I saved up to send away for this whole kit. It probably never got there. It probably didn’t go to him at all. Someone else put it in their pocket and left.
HULICK: I’m really glad we got the chance to catch up, Peter. It has been so much fun talking with you again.
NOONE: Yes, what a great chat!
HULICK: Before you go, though, I have one more question for you. Last year I asked you what is the best thing about being Peter Noone. Your answer was... “That I managed to make a life, despite all the stuff that went down around me. I got a great family, a great wife and a great daughter. And I have a good mom and dad and good brothers and sisters.” You went on to say... “You know as far as my career, it is sort of on this amazing steam roller. It gets flat and every time I think it’s going to go away, it keeps popping back up and getting me busy. That is good fun for me.”
NOONE: Yes, I remember that.
HULICK: This time I’d like you to describe for me your perfect day.
NOONE: Wow! My perfect day would be to get up in the morning and go for a walk on the golf course, get a phone call from my mom and dad, and one from my daughter. Then go to have breakfast with my wife and go to Starbucks.
