Blue Peter (band)

Blue Peter

Company type	Music group
Industry	Music
Founded	1978 in Markham, Ontario, Canada
Founder	Chris Wardman, Paul Humphrey
Defunct	2011
Headquarters	Markham , Canada
Products	Music albums, singles, EPs

Blue Peter was a Canadian new wave synthpop group established in 1978 in Markham, Ontario, by Chris Wardman and Paul Humphrey. At the height of their career, Blue Peter had the opportunity to open for renowned bands such as the Police and Simple Minds. Their music video for "Don't Walk Past," directed by Rob Quartly, secured the 85th spot on MuchMusic's list of top videos of the century and was broadcast on MTV in the United States, despite the absence of American record distribution. Paul Humphrey passed away on April 4, 2021, following a prolonged illness.

History

The origins of Blue Peter trace back to the late 1970s when guitarist and songwriter Chris Wardman teamed up with lead vocalist Paul Humphrey to form a high school band. The initial lineup featured bassist Geoff McOuat and drummer Ron Tomlinson. This ensemble recorded their debut EP, Test Patterns for Living, in 1979. In 1980, Mike Bambrick took over drumming duties from Tomlinson, coinciding with the release of their first full-length album, Radio Silence.

Encountering difficulties with record companies and management, Blue Peter briefly pursued independent releases, including the single "Chinese Graffiti" in 1981. After McOuat's departure, Rick Joudrey joined as bassist. Following a year without label backing, they returned to Ready Records in 1982 to unveil the Up To You EP, which featured "Chinese Graffiti" and earned them the CASBY Award for Single of the Year.

For their album Falling, the band expanded by adding keyboardist Jason Sniderman and drummer Owen Tennyson. This record became their most commercially successful and final studio album, highlighted by their most prominent single "Don't Walk Past" and its acclaimed video inspired by Blade Runner. The video garnered "Best Video of 1983" honors from the Canadian Film and Television Association. Additionally, Falling was ranked 24th on CFNY’s Top 83 of ’83 list, while "Don't Walk Past" secured the 92nd position on CFNY’s Best 102 of the Decade.

In 1984, Blue Peter released Version, an album featuring remixed tracks including "Don't Walk Past," and Paul Humphrey received a CASBY Award as Male Vocalist of the Year. Although they recorded demos for a potential album titled Vertigo, the group dissolved in 1985 before completing it.

A compilation titled All Through The Night was issued in 1997, containing one overdubbed track from the Vertigo sessions. The band reunited in 2006 for a concert celebrating the release of The Best of Ready :: 20th Century Masters — The Millennium Collection. The following year brought re-releases of their works across three compilation CDs; notably, the reissue of Falling included eight demo tracks from the Vertigo project as bonus material.

Throughout the subsequent decade, Blue Peter performed sporadically, including appearances at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009 to support the film Suck, which featured their music. In January 2011, they played at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern as part of Juno Decades: Songs of the '80s.

Live Performances

Between 1979 and 1985, Blue Peter embarked on a Canadian tour, serving as the opening act for notable bands such as the Boomtown Rats at Toronto's El Mocambo, the Jam at both Toronto Concert Hall and Ottawa venues, Simple Minds at Toronto's Massey Hall and in Montreal, as well as supporting The Police during the "The Police Picnic '83" event in Toronto. In 1984, they achieved a sold-out concert at the Forum located within Toronto's Ontario Place.

Studio Albums and EPs

• Test Patterns for Living EP (1979)
• Radio Silence (1980)
• Up to You EP (1982)
• Falling (1983)

Remix EP

• Version (1983)

CD Collections

• All Through the Night (1997)
• The Best of Blue Peter, 20th Century Masters — The Millennium Collection (2006)
• Burning Bridges (May 8, 2007) – a remastered edition combining Up to You and Version with additional bonus material
• Falling (May 8, 2007) – remastered release including eight demo tracks from the previously unreleased album Vertigo
• Radio Silence (May 8, 2007) – remastered with the inclusion of Test Patterns for Living and extra bonus tracks

Appearances on Compilations

• The Best of Ready Volume 1 :: 20th Century Masters — The Millennium Collection (2006), Ready Records
• The Best of Ready Volume 2 :: 20th Century Masters — The Millennium Collection (2006), Ready Records
• Retro Active 4 Rare & Remixed (2005), featuring the track "Don't Walk Past" (F Version Original 12")

External links

• Blue Peter official site
• JAM! Pop Encyclopedia article