That Was Then, This Is Now

Herman's Hermits | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 29, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: The Orchard
• ASIN: B00003JAIL
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,040,828 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This would be better received without the "Then" part, February 16, 2004

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: That Was Then, This Is Now (Audio CD)

"Herman" essentially left the building when Peter Noone, the lead singer for Herman's Hermits, left the group in 1970. The group continued to record for another three years but was largely ignored while Noone went on to host "The Midnight Special" episode devoted to the British invasion (for which there was already nostalgia in 1973). Guitarist Derek Leckerby died in 1994 and by the end of the century the group was basically drummer Barry Whitwam and Keith Roberts, the former vocalist of the Young Dubliners. So what you have with "That Was Then, This Is Now" are the "new" group doing two of the "old" group's biggest hits and then seven of their own compositions, which are strictly country and not the Merseybeat sound you associate with Herman's Hermits. Listening to "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry the VIII" reminds me of the moment in the movie "Eddie and the Cruisers" were Sal is still out there in the clubs with the Cruisers, even though he is the only one left, and he trots out some guy to pretend to be Eddie Wilson. Nostalgia withers in the face of such fakery.

With "That Was Then, This Is Now" you can tell that the two "new" versions of the old songs are just the hook to get you to listen to this album. The down side is that these sound like lame covers by the guys in their late 40s who show up at the country club to play rock songs for the big social event. Wyndi Renee shows up for a nice duet with Roberts on "Be Your Clown," but the steel guitars are weeping in the background and you know that you could play this track for Sixties music fans and they would never, in a million years, guess this was Herman's Hermits. "Still in Illinois" is a truck driving song; do they have songs about truck driving and 18-wheel lorries in the U.K.?

"That Was Then, This Is Now" loses one star because of the lame covers, one star for the bait and switch and one star for only having nine tracks. It is not that this is a bad album, just a disappointing one for those of us who recall Hermant's Hermits with any sense of affection. Fortunately their original albums have been released on CD and you can listen to those to see why (the original) Herman's Hermits were the second biggest group behind the Beatles in the British invasion in 1965 and one of the better B groups of the Sixties.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh Pleeeease, October 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: That Was Then, This Is Now (Audio CD)

I gave this album a rating of one star only because there wasn't anything thing lower to choose. This is not the original Herman's Hermits nor is it Peter Noone. This is what I call Barry's Hermits. They may have Barry Whitwam in the "band" but nothing about this band or album has anything to do with quality. The Hermits were at one time, one of the best bands in the world. These guys are not Herman's Hermits. Stay away from this one. Don't waste your money.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Give Hermits a Chance, May 30, 2003

By 

Blues Fan "kofi69" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That Was Then, This Is Now (Audio CD)

Ok Here is the Deal. Peter joined Keith and Karl , enter Barry and Lek. Pete had great look which = superstar status in the 60's. Lek was a great guitar player and he Keith and Karl could write. However, Micky Most, their producer, controlled out-put and studio musicians played on many of the singles. This was unfair particularly to Lek. Also the Hermits didn't get to record enough original material even though what they did record was very good. The Hermits were first rate live and it is unfair Most chose to use studio players but in the 60's time was of the essence. By the way despite what has been written both US number 1 singles and "I'm Into something Good" feature the Hermits not studio players. So here come the 70's and a big lawsuit with Pete on one side and Lek, Barry and Karl on the other. Pete looses and the others get the name Herman's Hermits. They put out a number of great songs and an LP while Pete is solo. Barry's Hermits are a vestage of the split now that Lek has passed away. Don't buy this as an orginal Herman's Hermits record but it is ok on its own. By the way the litigation continues in various forms. Too bad HH was a great band and unfairly overlooked by critics. Keith at PlutoMusic.com and Peter at his various sites. Barry has a site also.