Blunt had piano and violin lessons as a child, but his first significant exposure to popular music was at
Harrow School. There, he was introduced to the guitar by a fellow student, and started playing the instrument and writing songs at age 14. At
University of Bristol, his undergraduate thesis was
The Commodification of Image – Production of a Pop Idol; one of his main references for the thesis was sociologist and rock critic,
Simon Frith, chairman of the
Mercury Music Prize panel of judges since 1992. Because the
British Army sponsored his university education, Blunt was obliged to serve a minimum of four years in the armed forces. He stated on an interview in his
Back to Bedlam sessions that he chose to join the military as his father was "pushing for it, so that [Blunt] could obtain a secure work placement and income". Blunt trained at the
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. While still in the army, he worked on demos during his time off. A backing vocalist and songwriting collaborator suggested he contact
Elton John's manager Todd Interland, with whom she used to share a house. Blunt left the British Army in 2002 so that he could pursue his musical career. It was at that period that he started using the stage name "Blunt", in part to make it easier for others to spell; "Blount" is pronounced the same way, and remains his legal surname. Shortly after leaving the army, he was signed to
EMI music publishers and Twenty-First Artists management. A record contract remained elusive, with label executives pointing to Blunt's posh speaking voice as a barrier in class-divided Britain. and within a few days, Blunt signed a recording contract with Perry, and one month later he was in Los Angeles working with producer
Tom Rothrock. Blunt recorded
Back to Bedlam from September 2003 to February 2004 with producer
Tom Rothrock at Rothrock's home studio, using session musicians and performing on many different instruments himself. While in Los Angeles, he lodged with actress
Carrie Fisher, whom he had met through the family of a former girlfriend. Fisher was very supportive of Blunt's aspirations, suggesting the name of the album and providing use of a bathroom in her home for Blunt to record the song "
Goodbye My Lover". ==Critical reception==