Charlie Silverman (Salford)

Charlie Silverman (b. Charles Silverman, Thursday, August 7, 1941, Waterpark Road, Salford, Lancashire, England d. c. Saturday, January 19, 2002, Muswell Hill, North London, England) was a songwriter and co-manager of Herman's Hermits, with his childhood friend and famous manager Harvey Lisberg (b. Harvey Brian Lisberg, Saturday, March 2, 1940, Waterpark Road, Salford, Lancashire, England).

Silverman and Lisberg, grew up in Waterpark Road, Salford, Lancashire now north Manchester 27, Greater Manchester. Silverman's family lived in Broom Lane in Higher Broughton, Salford. He went to Salford Grammar School, Leaf Square, Salford (till 1955) and then Eccles Old Road, Salford (from 1955) and then he went to the old College of Commerce to study Russian I think, which is where he met his wife. Then he went to Leeds University, Leeds to study law, but I think he dropped out to pursue music.

Silverman later started writing songs with his friend Lisberg. They teamed up in July 1963. They came up with a few songs and recorded them on some very basic equipment, with Lisberg and Silverman both playing guitars and with Silverman singing. Sadly, they could not get anyone to record them and after a while they thought they should find a local, unknown band and get them to record their, songs. They were going to set up a contest through The Manchester Evening News, but a few days later a friend of Lisberg's told him about a band that were getting quite popular and suggested he check them out.

Thus, in July 1963 Silverman and Lisberg went to see them, Herman and the Hermits (formed in July 1963 in Urmston, Manchester 41) at The Hartford Community Centre, Davyhulme, Manchester 41. The line-up of the band was 15-year-old Peter Noone on lead vocals (b. Peter Denis Bernard Noone, Wednesday, November 5, 1947, Park Hospital, Davyhulme, Manchester 41, Lancashire, England), 19-year-old Al 'Riggers' Wrigley on lead guitar (b. Alan Wrigley, Monday, October 16, 1944, Park Hospital, Davyhulme, Manchester 41, Lancashire, England d. April 1998 of leukemia and cancer of the thyroid gland), 15-year-old Karl Green on bass, backing vocals (b. Karl Anthony Green, Thursday, July 31, 1947, Park Hospital, Davyhulme, Manchester 41, Lancashire, England) and 15-year-old Steve Titterington on drums (b. 1947, Davyhulme, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. 2014).

They had gone to hear Noone playing at this club and this night changed his life. At the time Harvey was still working for Binder Hamlyn, for a 'pittance' of £10 a week compared to the £70 a week he had been making grafting 80 hours a week at the Wall's sausage factory as a summer holiday job. So, over the next few weeks Lisberg went over to Titterington's house, which was on a council estate in Davyhulme, Manchester 41 to watch the band rehearse.

Thus, Silverman and Lisberg became the co-managers of Herman and the Hermits on Tuesday, November 5, 1963 which was Pete Noone's 16th birthday. So, in November 1963, with financial support from a cousin and two friends, Lisberg signed Herman and the Hermits, and began booking dates for them around the country. Later, Herman and the Hermits became Herman's Hermits (formed in April 1964).

Info courtesy John H Warburg 13/6/26