I was the lead singer for the Toronto new wave band Blue Peter from 1978 – 1985
A terrific band that did very well in Canada.  In retrospect, a grand adventure and great experience brought to an end by major fatigue (relentless gigging), lack of problem solving skills (youth!) and a massive abuse of alcohol (mine!)
For info on Blue Peter, our recordings, videos, current shows and new releases,  etc. please go to www.bluepeterband.com

Although I wouldn’t trade it for anything, those action-packed years in Blue Peter left an unnerving residue. Perhaps simply because I was young and  unprepared for the craziness and pressures of it all. (Happy to say now that  ‘residue’ has long since dissipated.)  
The band’s success gave me a small taste of ‘celebrity’ and I found it not quite to my liking. And I certainly didn’t care for what I’d learned about the Music Industry – where so many of those dark clichés proved true.

So in the years to come I ended up playing a sort of cat’n’mouse game with the idea of  continuing with music at all.  My love of music and the creative aspects of the bands kept me returning, only to run for cover at the slightest deja vu. But I found over time that I actually go kind of nuts ( or more nuts) when I’m not working in music, so my serial ‘early retirements’ were never very successfully.

Late in the 80’s and into this century I had a series of bands :
The Paul Humphrey Band
The Monkey Tree
And, most recently, Broken Arrow.

I don’t remember the exact dates for these bands but do feel a great deal of gratitude to the fantastic musicians who took part in them. I’ve never been much of an actual ‘musician’ myself but have always been extremely fortunate in the high caliber of  artistry and musicianship of my bandmates.

Broken Arrow released two CDs on Permanent Records: bend, and  Four Ways to Centre.  They sold modestly but got some great reviews. To find out more about this experiment in ‘democratic bandship’ click on MUSIC.
Also did quite a lot of work as the songwriter and musical director for assorted theatrical productions – some small and some large.  Besides being a lot of fun and a great challenge, this was very important experience artistically. It helped me to break out of the success-oriented, ‘music industry’ mindset I’d been trapped in. It gave me the courage to venture into some territories that I’d never have had the nerve to otherwise.

All of which,  I’m thinking, was part of the long process that led to this latest CD – A Rumour of Angels.  Working with chamber orchestra  seemed like a strange and unattainable idea – such a radical departure. But looking over the path of the past few years I can see it rather as a logical extension and necessary evolution  for me.