Blue Peter (band)

Blue Peter
Blue Peter in concert in September 2009
Background information
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Rock, new wave, synthpop, alternative rock
Years active	1978–1985, 2006–present
Labels	Ready Records, Universal Records
Associated acts	Breeding Ground
Website	bluepeterband.com
Members	Paul Humphrey Rick Joudrey Jason Sniderman Owen Tennyson Chris Wardman
Past members	Mike Bambrick Geoff McOuat Ron Tomlinson

Blue Peter is a Canadian new wave synthpop band founded in 1978 in Markham, Ontario by Chris Wardman and Paul Humphrey. In their heyday, Blue Peter opened for major international acts such as the Police and Simple Minds. The video for "Don't Walk Past", directed by Rob Quartly, was No. 85 on MuchMusic's top videos of the century list, and was played on MTV in the United States, in spite of the lack of American record distribution for the band. The band continues to perform, on occasion.

Blue Peter was founded by guitarist/songwriter Chris Wardman and lead singer Paul Humphrey in the late 1970s, as a high school band. 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. In 1980, Mike Bambrick replaced Tomlinson on drums, 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 Ric Joudrey. After a year without label representation, Blue Peter returned to Ready Records in 1982, 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.