Albuquerque's Best Singer/Songwriter and Best Busker 2009 in the "Best Of Burque" Weekly Alibi Reader's Poll.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
As a comedian and environmentalist, Fast Heart Mart is controversial for questioning assumptions and stereo types on both sides of the political fence - yet anarchists, liberals and conservatives agree that his outlook is fresh - his humor, relentless.
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.
Thriving on the unpredictable element, Fast Heart Mart can never get enough hecklers at his shows, and the 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.
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, and 999 Eyes Human Oddities Freak Show.
Fast Heart Mart's illustrious family includes Hiram and Art Stamper inducted into Smithsonian Folkways and The Bluegrass Hall of Fame, respectively, for their definitive fiddle styles.
History:
Overcast 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.
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 PRODUCTIONS record 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, Arrhyhmia. 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 Busker's Festival in Christchurch.
In 2008, Fast Heart Mart headlined the Minstrel Stage during Solfest at The Solar Living Institute North of San Francisco. Considered the world's premiere two day sustainability event. 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 First Runner-up for Best Americana/Folk/Country Band in the 2009 Best Of Burque" Weekly Alibi Reader's Poll. He released a feature length rockumentary about his New Zealand adventures with drummer Roblyn Crawford in their $50 car called "Put Me On An Island."
Currently, Fast Heart Mart resides in Virginia and is learning to play the banjo.
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