Fast Heart Mart
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
Fast Heart Mart (aka Martin Stamper) is Albuquerque’s most famed, most loved, most artistically edgy street music phenomenon. - ArtWork Publishing and Advertising
"2009 Best Of Burque Reader's Poll
Winner: Best Singer/songwriter, Best Busker and Runner-up: Best Folk/Americana/Country Band."
(Fast Heart Mart CD Cheap and Sunny in the Top 10 Releases of 2008:)
"The song for which this album is named points to the pragmatic virtues of our dear city in three simple words. That's what Martin Stamper does best; he states truth in an easy cadence. Sometimes funny, sometimes profound, sometimes both, this release makes for an engrossing listen, start to finish. 'Cheap & Sunny' easily makes the transition from sidewalk rock to everywhere soundtrack."
"A great songwriter with an ear for the unusual lyric and beat."
"Unconventional and unpredictable..."
"Music that is truly original."
"(His) originality in flow, lyrical timing and beat make other bands look as if they're standing still."
"Innovation deserves applause."
"For the record, the hardest working band in town." - Nu City Publications
"On constant rotation in my CD changer. "
"Lot's of positive energy."
"My advice is to see them whenever possible." - Transmission Magazine
"Unlike anything played in this town!"
"Swinging, hopping, inventive and funky."
"I liked it 'cause it woke me up more than the cup of caffeine I ordered."
"Mart's compositions are one of a kind in lyrics and execution."
- Captain America
"Streetwise Superhero/Pacemaker Tramp" View the article here:
http://www.flaglive.com/flagstafflive_story.cfm?storyID=177141
"A washboard of lively instrumentals immersed in socially conscious lyrics..."
"Street musicians to the core..."
"Emotionally evocative, melancholy and humorous."
The songs are graceful and sloppy at the same time."
"Sidewalk Arrhythmia rocks!" - Flagstaff Publishing
Discography
*CDs*
"Heart And Soul" -Fast Heart Mart (2000)
"Hobos In Limbo" -Fast Heart Mart (2001)
"The Movie Theater -Fast Heart Mart (2003)
"On The Porch" -Hobos In Limbo (2003)
"The Red Record" -Fast Heart Mart (2005)
"An Orange Album" - Fast Heart Mart (2006)
"Cheap And Sunny" -Fast Heart Mart (2008)
*RADIO*
FAST HEART MART songs like "Trustafarian", "Limbo", "Hate Job", "God Dog" , "Relative Happiness" and "Chinese Restaurant" have been receiving airplay on stations like:
The BBC Radio One (Worldwide)
RDU (Christchurch, NZ)
KXLU (Los Angeles, CA)
KPFA (San Francisco, CA)
KUNM (Albuquerque, NM)
KRUX (Las Cruces, NM)
KTEP (El Paso, TX)
KXCI (Tucson, AZ)
KVCU (Boulder, CO)
KBOO (Portland, OR)
Radio Goldenflash (Belgium)
...among others worldwide.
*STREAMING AIRPLAY INCLUDES:*
"Chinese Restaurant" is #20 on the station:
independantartistscompany.com: IAC Underground 40
independantartistscompany.com: KIAC Hitlist
independantartistscompany.com: Top 50 Live
independantartistscompany.com: Hidden Gemstones
independantartistscompany.com: left field standards
independantartistscompany.com: Radio FTM
independantartistscompany.com: more mighty songs
independantartistscompany.com: Raymond Porter's Weekly Playlist Sep-Dec 2008
independantartistscompany.com:Rays subterranean 50
independantartistscompany.com: Rays Track Of The Day
Soundclick.com: STATION 1
Soundclick.com: singer/songwriters of Soundclick 2
Soundclick.com: River Country
Photos
Bio
Northern Virginia, 1994:
After repeated blackouts, 17-year-old Martin Stamper is diagnosed with an inherited heart defect which makes his heart race wildly until he dies! Not to worry, he now has an implanted device to shock his heart back into rhythm!
Traumatized by his own mortality, he seeks solace backpacking on The Appalachian Trail and grows into a staunch environmentalist.
On these hikes, he discovers the unsettling fact that many of the folks he meets are on-the-lamb. Anyone on the trail without a pseudonym is suspect. The name, "Fast Heart Mart," is born.
Worldwide, Current Day:
Indie-folk artist and sidewalk rocker Fast Heart Mart can never get enough hecklers at his shows. He thrives on the unpredictable element, and his audiences love to participate.
Songs like:
"I Hate My Job"
"Crucified For Driving an S.U.V."
"Hardcore Vegan"
and "White Man Stole This Land"
bring challengers out of the woodwork.
A comedian and an environmentalist, he is controversial for questioning assumptions and stereo types on both sides of the political fence. Yet, anarchists, liberals and conservatives agree, his outlook is fresh, and his humor, relentless ...and family friendly.
Fast Heart Mart's three piece acoustic combo is intimate, yet dinky; quiet, yet rockin'. They have often been compared to Violent Femmes, White Stripes, Bob Dylan and Primus. They travel the US in a VW van that runs on waste vegetable oil.
History, 1999-2009:
During his ten year career, he has opened for international acts as diverse as Calexico, Beck, The Handsome Family, Marshall Crenshaw, The Melvins, Bob Log III, Kasper Hauser Comedy Troupe, and 999 Eyes Human Oddities Freak Show.
In 2002 and 2003 Fast Heart Mart was featured in the prestigious New Mexico Music Showcase.
That was the year he began his olde-tyme string band Hobos In Limbo with Roblyn Crawford on acoustic bass and Kevin "Jr" Jones on 5 string banjo.
In 2005 he founded his own Mutant Mariachi Records label in order to foster other local acoustic artists.
Also that year, videographer Rob Nakai in association with Media Ikonz released an independently produced documentary about Fast Heart Mart's first five years as an artist in New Mexico, entitled, "Arrhythmia". The 30 minute work was featured in The New Mexico Filmmakers Showcase.
In 2006-2007 Fast Heart Mart toured New Zealand where his shows included playing on the ferry between the North and South islands, and the World Buskers Festival in Christchurch.
In 2008, Fast Heart Mart headlined the Minstrel Stage for Solfest at The Solar Living Institute North of San Francisco. Considered the world's premiere two day sustainability event, he shared the bill with New Monsoon, Maria Muldaur, activist Ed Begley Jr. and Congressman Mike Thompson.
Also that year, he began creating a video tour blog about his life on the road as a touring street musician who has an eye on his ecological footprint.
The staff of The Weekly Alibi voted his newest album "Cheap And Sunny" into the Top 10 Releases of that year.
In March of 2009, Fast Heart Mart was voted Albuquerque's Best Singer/songwriter and Best Busker and received second place for Best Americana/Folk/Country Band in the "2009 Best Of Burque" Weekly Alibi Reader's Poll.
He has been invited to speak to creative writing classes at the University Of New Mexico in October of this year.
Future, 2009-?:
Fast Heart Mart intends to increase his touring on the East Coast; work on breaking into Europe; record more releases with his own act, and his bluegrass band Hobos In Limbo; secure soundtrack placements, and continue adding videos to his tour blog, while fielding offers for a reality television show based upon it.
Links
