Paul Humphrey (vocals, keyboards)
Geoff McOuat (bass)
Chris Wardman (guitar)
Ron Tomlinson (drums)
Mike Bambrick (drums; replaced Tomlinson 1980)
Rick Joudrey (bass; replaced McOuat in 1982)
Jason Sniderman (keyboards; 1983)
Owen Tennyson (drums; replaced Bambrick 1983)
The Blue Peter story started in the mid-to-late 70's when Chris Wardman and Paul Humphrey, who became the nucleus of the band, began practising and writing material in the Wardman's basement in Markham, Ontario.
With a difficult start in finding gigs, once the Toronto club scene began accepting punk and new wave as the next insurgence, Blue Peter were a seminal face on the Toronto Queen Street circuit. They were also one of the first acts signed to fledging Ready Records in 1979. Their updated synth style made them a New Wave heir to the Roxy Music thrown with Paul Humphrey's distinctive vocal style.
Their debut EP, 'Test Patterns For Living', featuring all songs by Chris Wardman, helped establish them with independent radio upstarts CFNY. By the time 1980's full-length 'Radio Silence' came out, the band was a bona fide sensation with radio play for the title track and the poppy 'Video Verite'.
Line-up changes ensued and the band managed to eek out another EP in 1982 with 'Up To You' featuring the radio hit "Chinese Graffiti".
By the release of the 1983 Steve Nye produced 'Falling' LP, the line-up had stabilized with the addition of Jason Sniderman on keyboards and Owen Tennyson on drums and the band scored a Top40 hit with "Don't Walk Past". The song won two important awards in Canada in 1983: "Best Video of 1983" from the Canadian Film And Television Association; and "Most Popular Video" at Sony's Video Culture Festival. It also received airplay at various U.S. outlets including MTV. The band also performed at the 'Police Picnic' at the CNE in 1983. Other gig highlights include performances with The Boomtown Rats, The Jam and Simple Minds.
Blue Peter split up in 1985. The band released their greatest hits package, 'All Through The Night', in 1997 which featured the previously unfinished 1985 track "Equalizer" with new parts added by Paul Humphrey and Rick Joudrey in 1996.
Wardman went on to work as a celebrated producer with acts like Chalk Circle and Soho 69 among others and is currently the A & R director of a large Canadian major label; Tennyson and Joudrey did a brief stint as the rhythm section for Tracy Howe's Rational Youth. Joudrey has been seen in recent years jamming with Dr. Lotech & The Minimal Man combo and records alternative rock acts; Tennyson would later join the Jeff Healey Band and running his own pick-up band Owen Sound; Jason Sniderman returned to his family business helping to run his father's legendary Sam The Record Man music franchise; Humphrey's has been working as key singer/songwriter in a band called Broken Arrow. They have a CD available called 'Bend'.
with notes from Chris Wardman.
Singles
Albums
1979 Test Patterns For The Living [12" EP] (Ready) RR-005
1980 Radio Silence (Ready) LPRR-009
1982 Up To You [12" EP] (Ready) ER-025
1983 Falling (Ready) LR-034
1983 Don't Walk Past (4:28)/Don't Walk Past (French Version) [12"] (Ready) SRB-033
1983 Version [12" 4-song EP] (Ready) ER-040
1997 Reload [CD-EP] (Universal)
1997 All Through The Night (Universal)
Video
1983 Don't Walk Past
1996 Don't Walk Past (remix)
Compilation Tracks
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