Life's Intersections: Peter Noone

Life's Intersections:

In recent months, circumstances led me down memory lane, in search of people I have met at life's intersections. People you might know, if not by name, then by the music they helped create. The fourth of five is Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone or "Herman" of Herman's Hermits.

Peter Noone: First Meeting:

I first met Peter Noone in Owensboro, Ky. while sitting in front of my parents black & white TV set, while probably watching Ed Sullivan, in 1965 or whatever year they arrived in the USA. I became convinced he was a regular guy / a regular bloke. Forty-one years passed before the unexpected happened; I met Peter Noone in person.

The Concert:

Friday November 4, 2006 at Jacksonville's Florida Theater, a beautiful old theater, I finally saw Peter Noone in concert. He out-performed my expectations. The guy, without doubt, is one of the best kept secrets in Show Business. Hard as it is, I will save that TRUTH for another time. Let it suffice for now, if you miss or skip a Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone concert, it's a crying shame what you have denied yourself. It is total entertainment, not just a concert.

Post-Concert:

With this experience in my head, post-concert, I walked into the lobby. I walked past the souvenir and autograph tables set up for Peter Noone and fans. I saw an older, tall gentleman, of solid build, standing behind the autograph table, without realizing, he wasn't a theater employee, but Peter Noone. Then I noticed all the people lined up.

U-Turn:

Although a step or two beyond the autograph table, it was apparent this is Peter Noone, even if taller and a couple of years older than the guy on stage. I forced myself to turn, then head for the back of the autograph line, rather than blow a once in a lifetime opportunity, to meet the fellow I never dreamed of seeing in concert, until it happened.

Forty-One Years In The Making:

Today, I remain deeply impressed by how engaged Peter Noone was with the man ahead of me, even when the man turned back to say something he forgot to say, Peter Noone responded to those words too.

The Moment Arrives:

Needless to say, background noise and accents led to neither of us understanding the other, while he took my ticket and autographed it, automaticly realizing, I had no idea what he should autograph for me. It was comical, had everyone had the time to notice and laugh. Then, he looked off into the distance, as though he saw home. For that instant, he seemed somewhere else. The funny thing, it worked for both of us. It remains the oddest autograph I've ever gotten, but this once in a lifetime event seemed to be all it could be.

Observer:

I am more observer than autograph seeker. It's obvious the teenager Herman grew into a mature, well-adjusted man, Peter Noone. No surprise there, but he's still quite a character; not so grown-up, while grown-up too. I'm fortunate, for it didn't end there and really didn't begin there. I've gotten to know Peter Noone, as much as one can, through his website, chatroom, forum, and YouTube videos. He's deep at times; but primarily a happy, fun-loving, human being; a full range (if I said deranged, you might not understand), human being. He is one of the guys, like I first thought.

WE ARE NOONATICS:

I am a Lifetime Member of the Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone fan club. It's more than a fan club; it's part family, part charity oriented, part laugh-riot (like Herman), part educational, parts of many things that are good. WE ARE NOONATICS! All of it extending out from Peter Noone. So, I am continually getting to know Peter Noone. If in 1965 you had told me, I would meet Peter Noone, get to know him to the extent I have, and confirm my original beliefs about him are true, I'm sure I would have laughed or my jaw would have hit the ground.

But yes, I have met and spoke, however garbled it proved to be for both of us, to one of the biggest stars of 1960s British Invasion Rock music. Who would have thunk it? In part, Peter Noone has been the stimulus for these five posts. His own looking back, led me to look back. We met at the intersection of Fun & Frolic.

http://www.peternoone.com/