The two artists hail from similar backgrounds in which their early musical endeavors were strongly encouraged. Their love for music can be traced back to their childhoods, when, as young boys, they both adored playing plastic guitars and sought to emulate Michael Jackson (pre-pedophiliac tendencies, of course). Both budding musicians enjoyed guitar lessons as early as the grammar school years. While Blynn played in a high school band known in the Philadelphia area as Pea Soup, Harper enjoyed creating song arrangements and singing in his native Chicago. Their early experiences created an appreciation for the artistic process and contributed to their interest in musical collaboration.
Harper and Blynn's paths first crossed during a hiking trip sponsored by the College's first-year orientation program, in which Blynn was Harper's group leader. Blynn recounts the first time he noticed the then-first-year's impressive talent: "We were on this hiking trip, and one night we had a big camp fire. There was this woman who had a banjo. So Pete takes the banjo and starts to play it, and is singing along. I thought to myself that he was pretty good, so I encouraged him to join the a capella group I was involved with, the Zumbyes." Pete heeded Jason's advice and a further musical pairing was imminent.
The two began playing as a duo at Marsh Coffeehouses in the spring of 2002, gaining campus recognition and a loyal fan base. They decided to spend the summer in Chicago, where Harper's aunt had a recording studio. The pair, along with artists from California, formed a band called The Cartwheel Kids, recorded an album and played a couple of gigs. Most importantly, the two learned much about the recording process and began to formalize their ideas in song form.
Back at Amherst in the fall, Blynn and Harper began to play at events promoted through Social Council, in addition to performing at Marsh Coffeehouses, and formed the Pete Harper-J Blynn Project. Not only did they gain even more recognition, they also started to write such community favorites like "Are You Living" and "Long Way Down." The summer of 2003 marked a true turning point for the duo. They lived in Philadelphia, where they utilized Blynn's Pea Soup connections in order to secure gigs. Blynn and Harper played an average of two gigs each weekend, and continued their songwriting collaboration. Their music took on a voice of its own during this juncture, although they drew from influences such as Sting and Paul Simon.
The pair formed the Naughty Muffins last semester when two UMass students in Blynn's music class, Glenn Robertson and Nick Cresotti, expressed interest in forming a band. Blynn and Harper decided to collaborate with them and the band started to play at local bars in western Massachusetts. Their other gigs included parties on college campuses. The band debuted on the Amherst campus at a party in Seelye earlier this year, where they incorporated soloists from the Zumbyes into the performance. Harper commented, "I love playing live music, because the crowd is such an integral part of any performance. The energy you get back from them truly affects your playing. It is a really powerful connection." Both artists said they enjoy the way that their work can speak to their fans.
Most of their songs deal with interpersonal relations, since Blynn and Harper both feel that such subject matter evokes an emotional reality with which most people can identify. The friendship that the two young men share plays into their art, keeping them grounded. Harper and Blynn have limited their goals to local success. They both value their education, and feel that there is no rush to contact the record companies just yet. For now, they are happy to play for the Amherst community. The two can be found playing at Murphy's on Sundays nights.
They encourage their fans to check out the upcoming "Muffapalooza 2004: Back to the Bakery" for which they have yet to set a date. The band encourages their supporters to contact them and is always excited to be booked for a performance of any kind. Fans can also buy Harper and Blynn's earlier recorded work either by e-mailing them through their College email accounts, or by attending one of their concerts.
Harper and Blynn's mutual interest in music, their sincerity and their evident passion make for an ideal pairing. Their clear sensitivity and laid-back nature contribute to music that has a gorgeous sound and no hint of triteness. With honest lyrics and a humble, good-natured attitude, success seems inevitable for these two Amherst students.