Harvey Lisberg (Salford)

Harvey Lisberg (b. Harvey Brian Lisberg, Saturday, March 2, 1940, Waterpark Road, Salford, Lancashire, England), a famous manger, was the son of Judah Lisberg (b. Tuesday, March 12, 1907, Manchester, Lancashire, England d. ) and Mrs. Violet Lisberg (b. Miss Violet Sternberg), who had married in 1937.

Lisberg was manager of Herman's Hermits (with his childhood friend 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) and also 10cc, etc.

Lisberg and Silverman grew up in Waterpark Road, Salford, Lancashire now north Manchester 27, Greater Manchester, and Lisberg had been to Salford Grammar School, Salford, having failed to get into Manchester Grammar School, Manchester. In 1959 Lisberg went to Manchester University, Manchester where he got a degree, a BA in Commerce. He left the university after graduation in July 1962 and straight away he got a job in an accountancy firm in Manchester, which was run by a guy called Reuben Kay. After less than a year Lisberg left as he could not take it anymore as it was unbelievably boring and he applied for a job at one of the biggest accountancy firms in Manchester, Binder Hamlyn. They took him on at £10 a week.

He later started writing songs with his childhood friend Charlie Silverman. 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 Lisberg and Silverman 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, 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, Lisberg and Silverman 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). On Wednesday, November 5, 1969 29-year-old Harvey Lisberg married Miss Carole Gottlieb (b. 1940), a jewellers' daughter at The Holy Synagogue in Prestwich, Lancashire. She had a younger sister Miss Susan Gottlieb (b. 1948) who ended up marrying Lisberg's best friend Graham Gouldman (b. Graham Keith Gouldman, Friday, May 10, 1946, St. Mary's Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester 13, Lancashire, England). The day Lisberg got married was the first-year wedding anniversary of Pete Noone (b. Peter Denis Bernard Noone, Wednesday, November 5, 1947, Park Hospital, Davyhulme, Manchester 41, Lancashire, England) and also Carole Gottlieb's parents wedding anniversary. On Sunday, November 23, 1969 Graham Gouldman and Miss Susan Gottlieb married at The Holy Synagogue in Prestwich, Lancashire.

Info courtesy John H Warburg - some of the info came from his book 'I'm Into Something Good Harvey Lisberg with Charlie Thomas My Life Managing 10cc Herman's Hermits & Many More' (2023 Omnibus Press).