{{Short description|Canadian synthpop band founded 1978}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Blue Peter | image = Blue Peter in concert.JPG | alt = | caption = Blue Peter in concert in September 2009 | image_size = | landscape = yes | alias = | origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | genre = Rock, new wave, synthpop, alternative rock, pop rock | years_active = 1978–1985, 2006–2011 | label = Ready Records, Universal Records | website = [http://bluepeterband.com/index.php bluepeterband.com] | current_members = | past_members = Paul Humphrey<br>Rick Joudrey<br>Jason Sniderman<br>Owen Tennyson<br>Chris Wardman<br>Mike Bambrick<br>Geoff McOuat<br>Ron Tomlinson }} '''Blue Peter''' was a Canadian new wave synthpop band founded in 1978 in Markham, Ontario, by Chris Wardman and Paul Humphrey.<ref name=windsorstar>{{cite news|last=Shaw|first=Ted|title=Blue Peter taking off|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Mls_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=DFMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2388,264607&dq=blue-peter+split&hl=en|accessdate=28 February 2011|newspaper=The Windsor Star|date=April 3, 1984}}</ref> In their heyday, Blue Peter opened for major international acts such as the Police and Simple Minds.<ref name=Gazette /> The video for "Don't Walk Past", directed by Rob Quartly, was No.&nbsp;85 on MuchMusic's top videos of the century list,<ref name="DW">{{cite web|title=Top Videos of the Century|url=http://www.derekweb.com/oldspot/countdown/1999/cd99century.html|work=The Muchmusic Archive Countdown Site|publisher=DerekWeb.com|accessdate=11 January 2011}}</ref> and was played on MTV in the United States, in spite of the lack of American record distribution for the band.<ref name=windsorstar/> Humphrey died on April 4, 2021, after a long illness.

==History== Blue Peter was founded by guitarist/songwriter Chris Wardman and lead singer Paul Humphrey in the late 1970s, as a high school band.<ref name=windsorstar /><ref name="Gazette">{{cite news|last=Griffin|first=John|title=Blue Peter looking forward to Toronto Date With Police|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SBUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RKUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1042,2746913&dq=blue-peter+new-wave&hl=en|accessdate=11 January 2011|newspaper=The Montreal Gazette|date=Jul 29, 1983}}</ref><ref name=Jam /> The initial lineup was rounded out by bassist Geoff McOuat and drummer Ron Tomlinson; this ensemble recorded Blue Peter's first EP, ''Test Patterns for Living'', in 1979.<ref name="Jam">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Blue Peter|url=http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Blue_Peter.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223024202/http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Blue_Peter.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 23, 2015|encyclopedia=The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia|publisher=canoe.com|access-date=11 January 2011}}</ref> In 1980, Mike Bambrick replaced Tomlinson on drums,<ref name=Jam /> and in the same year, the band released their first full-length album, ''Radio Silence''.

Over the next couple of years, Blue Peter ran into difficulties with record labels and management, which led to them briefly releasing material on their own label, including "Chinese Graffiti" in 1981. Around this same time, McOuat left the band and was replaced by new bassist Rick Joudrey.<ref name="Up To You">{{cite web|title=Blue Peter :: Up To You :: 1982|url=http://bluepeterband.com/up_to_you|work=Discography|publisher=Blue Peter|accessdate=28 February 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525213617/http://bluepeterband.com/up_to_you|archivedate=25 May 2011}}</ref> After a year without label representation, Blue Peter returned to Ready Records in 1982,<ref name=windsorstar /> in time to release ''Up To You''. "Chinese Graffiti" was included on the ''Up To You'' release, and won the band a CASBY Award (then known as the "U-Knows") for Single Of The Year in 1982.<ref name=CASBYS>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.edge.ca/ConcertsandEvents/Casbys/History.aspx|work=Casby Awards|publisher=102.1 The Edge|accessdate=28 February 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317035636/http://www.edge.ca/ConcertsandEvents/Casbys/History.aspx|archivedate=17 March 2011}}</ref>

When ''Falling'' was recorded, the band was fleshed out by the addition of Jason Sniderman on keyboards,<ref name=windsorstar /> and new drummer Owen Tennyson (replacing Bambrick).<ref name=Jam /> The album was their most successful, and would also prove to be their last. It spawned their biggest single, "Don't Walk Past", and its companion video, which won awards including "Best Video of 1983" from the Canadian Film and Television Association.<ref name="cbc">{{cite web|title=Blue Peter|url=http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Blue-Peter|work=bands|publisher=CBC Radio|accessdate=11 January 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713032351/http://radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/Blue-Peter|archivedate=13 July 2010}}</ref> The music video, inspired by ''Blade Runner'', was created at the insistence of the band who saw British and American artists making visuals for MTV.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Friend|first=David|date=7 April 2021|title=Paul Humphrey, suave frontman of '80s Toronto new wave band Blue Peter, dies at 61|work=The Toronto Star/The Canadian Press|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2021/04/07/paul-humphrey-suave-frontman-of-80s-toronto-new-wave-band-blue-peter-dies-at-61.html}}</ref>

''Falling'' ranked 24th on CFNY's Top 83 of '83.<ref name="NOW">{{cite news|title=Best and Worst of '83|url=http://bluepeterband.com/node/92?page=13|accessdate=11 January 2011|newspaper=NOW Magazine|date=January 12–18, 1984}}</ref> "Don't Walk Past", was ranked at number 92 in CFNY's Best 102 of the Decade, published in 1990.<ref name="Top 102">{{cite news|title=The Best 102 Of The Decade|url=http://bluepeterband.com/node/91?page=2|accessdate=11 January 2011|newspaper=The Toronto Sun|date=January 2, 1990}}</ref> After ''Falling'', Blue Peter had some of the tracks, including "Don't Walk Past", remixed by engineer Kevin Doyle and released these remixes as ''Version'' in 1984.<ref name="windsorstar" /> That same year, Blue Peter won another CASBY, this time for Male Vocalist of the Year, for Paul Humphrey.<ref name="CASBYS" />

Later in 1984, Blue Peter demoed several tracks for a proposed new album (tentatively entitled ''Vertigo''), but the band broke up in 1985 before the tracks were completed or released.<ref name=":0" />

In 1997, the band issued the "best-of" compilation ''All Through The Night'', which featured one newly overdubbed and mixed track from the ''Vertigo'' demo sessions called "Equalizer".

In 2006, Blue Peter reunited for a concert to commemorate the release of ''The Best of Ready :: 20th Century Masters&nbsp;— The Millennium Collection''.<ref name="Pilot">{{cite web|title=Pilot|url=http://www.thespoons.ca/pilot.html|work=News 2006|publisher=TheSpoons.ca|accessdate=11 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706205730/http://www.thespoons.ca/pilot.html|archive-date=2011-07-06|url-status=dead}}</ref> The following year, the band reissued their catalog as three compilation CDs.<ref>{{cite web|author=CA |url=http://www.myspace.com/bluepetertheband |title=Blue Peter &#124; Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Myspace.com |date= |accessdate=2011-10-30}}</ref> The re-release of ''Falling'' included eight of the ''Vertigo'' demos as bonus tracks.

For the next decade or so, the band played a couple of concerts a year, including appearances at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009<ref name="tiff">{{cite web|title=The 2009 Festival Expands Its Free Programming Schedule|url=http://tiff.net/press/pressreleases/2009/the-2009-festival-expands-its-free-programming-schedule|work=Press Releases|publisher=tiff.net|accessdate=11 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226223340/http://tiff.net/press/pressreleases/2009/the-2009-festival-expands-its-free-programming-schedule|archive-date=2010-12-26|url-status=dead}}</ref> to promote the movie ''Suck'', which featured music by them on its soundtrack. In January 2011, Blue Peter performed at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto as part of ''Juno Decades: Songs of the '80s''.<ref name="exclaim">{{cite news|last=Doole|first=Kerry|title=Juno Decades: Songs of the '80s|url=http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Concerts/juno_decades_songs_of_80s-horseshoe_tavern_toronto_on_january_8|accessdate=11 January 2011|newspaper=Exclaim!|date=January 8, 2011}}</ref>

==Live== Blue Peter performed across Canada between 1979 and 1985. Some notable opening slots included the Boomtown Rats (Toronto at El Mocambo),<ref name=cbc /> the Jam (Toronto at the Concert Hall, and Ottawa), Simple Minds<ref name=Gazette /> at (Massey Hall in Toronto, and Montreal) and The Police at "The Police Picnic '83" in Toronto.<ref name=Gazette /> In 1984, the band played a sold out show at Toronto's Ontario Place Forum.<ref name="Globe">{{cite news|last=Fraser|first=Matthew|title=Blue Peter displays a wide range of talent|url=http://bluepeterband.com/art/press/ontplaceforum.jpg|accessdate=11 January 2011|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=June 29, 1984}}</ref>

==Discography==

===Albums and EPs=== * ''Test Patterns for Living'' EP (1979) <ref name="TPFL">{{cite web|title=Test Patterns For Living|url=http://www.discogs.com/Blue-Peter-Test-Patterns-for-Living/release/327342|work=Blue Peter|year=1979 |publisher=Discogs|accessdate=11 January 2011}}</ref> * ''Radio Silence'' (1980) * ''Up to You'' EP (1982)<ref name="up2u">{{cite web|title=Up To You|url=http://bluepeterband.com/up_to_you|work=Discography|publisher=BluePeter.com|accessdate=11 January 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525213617/http://bluepeterband.com/up_to_you|archivedate=25 May 2011}}</ref> * ''Falling'' (1983)<ref name=cbc />

===Remix EP=== * ''Version'' (1983)<ref name="Ver">{{cite web|title=Version|url=http://bluepeterband.com/version|work=Discography|publisher=BluePeter.com|accessdate=11 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525210132/http://bluepeterband.com/version|archive-date=2011-05-25|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===CD compilations=== * ''All Through the Night'' (1997) * ''The Best of Blue Peter, 20th Century Masters&nbsp;— The Millennium Collection'' (2006) * ''Burning Bridges'' (released May 8, 2007) - ''Up to You'' and ''Version'' remastered + bonus tracks * ''Falling'' (released May 8, 2007) - ''Falling'' remastered + 8 demos for an unreleased album to be called ''Vertigo'' * ''Radio Silence'' (released May 8, 2007) - ''Radio Silence'' and ''Test Patterns for Living'' remastered + bonus tracks

===Compilation appearances=== * ''The Best of Ready Volume 1 :: 20th Century Masters&nbsp;— The Millennium Collection'' (released 2006), Ready Records compilation * ''The Best of Ready Volume 2 :: 20th Century Masters&nbsp;— The Millennium Collection'' (released 2006), Ready Records compilation * ''Retro Active 4 Rare & Remixed'' (released 2005) includes "Don't Walk Past" (F Version Original 12")

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070211063441/http://bluepeterband.com/index.php Blue Peter] * {{IMDb name|nm16152428}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20151223024202/http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Blue_Peter.html JAM! Pop Encyclopedia Entry]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue Peter}} Category:Canadian new wave musical groups Category:Alternative rock groups from Toronto Category:Musical groups established in 1978 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1985 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2006 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2011 Category:Canadian alternative rock groups Category:1978 establishments in Ontario Category:2011 disestablishments in Ontario