Cheap and Sunny by Fast Heart Mart

On these hikes, he discovered the unsettling fact that many of the folks he met were on the lamb. Anyone on the trail without a pseudonym became suspect. The name, "Fast Heart Mart," was born.

SCHOOL SUCKED and Fast Heart Mart just wanted to be a backpacker or a hobo. He was broke and didn't want another crappy job, because, after dying, he knew that life is too short to do things you hate, so he played music on the street for money. He played in the subways in New York City. He played in Boston. In 1997, he relocated to New Mexico where he found the weather to be better for busking and mountain biking.

TAP-DANCING HARMONICA player Martin Stamper was Fast Heart Mart’s grandfather and namesake and a SW Virginia legend. Relative Hiram is featured in Smithsonian Folkways for his definitive Eastern Kentucky fiddle style and Hiram's son Art Stamper gigged with all the greats from Doc Watson to Ralph Stanley, leaving his mark in the Bluegrass Hall Of Fame. In addition to these iconic Olde-tyme players, Fast Heart Mart was strongly influenced by East Indian Raga guru Ravi Shankar; Punk acts like Violent Femmes and Nirvana; Hip Hop artists DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince and the unclassiisifiable BECK. All of them can be heard in the signature sound he calls, "Sidewalk Rock."

CHEAP AND SUNNY was recorded in 2008 at Mutant Mariachi Studios with Roblyn Crawford on snare; Tanya F. Nunez on Upright and bowed bass; Murdock O'Mooney on the drum kit; Michael Whitton on electric bass, and Seth S. Scott on keys.

Roblyn and Tanya sang backing vocals.

SLIDING WILDLY on his trademark, alternately tuned, double-necked, acoustic "gitar," Fast Heart Mart churns out memorable harmonica hooks between mountain style vocal outbursts and urban rapping rhymes about quitting your job and why The Apocalypse is gonna be a good time:

“Talkin’ to my boss (Gone!) ‘Bout bein’ on time (Gone, gone!) Things I do wrong

I wanna take a vacation! Workin’ my job will be no more, when we all are livin’ poor.

Civilization shut its door!” (’Mayan Prophecy’ from the CD ‘Cheap And Sunny’ c 2008)

A COMIC APPROACH, combined with the courage to tackle controversial subjects, draws his audiences into the show. Witty stage banter and strong audience connections win him fast and loyal fans. Questions are encouraged throughout the performance, as is heckling (providing folks follow his many, “ Rules of Heckling Etiquette.”) For example: "You can't say the same thing more than once," he explains to an aggressive heckler, "Or people will think that you're drunk."

BUSTLING SIDEWALKS, intimate lounges, coffee shops, farmer's markets, house concerts and festivals are Fast Heart Mart’s favorite venues. He maintains a rigorous touring schedule and plays 150 shows per year . He drives a VW bus that runs on salvaged vegetable oil which he and the band collect and process themselves. Through hard work, he has gained an exceptional reputation, and has canceled only one gig in eight years, (when he was hospitalized and the doctor refused to release him!)

A POPULAR HEADLINER. Fast Heart Mart has also enjoyed opening for international stars as diverse as BECK, Handsome Family, Calexico, Marshall Crenshaw, The Melvins, award winning San Francisco comedy troupe, Kasper Hauser and even 999 Eyes Authentic Freak Show! Currently, he performs with Roblyn Crawford on snare and acoustic bass. He describes the act as "Intimate, yet dinky. Quiet, yet rockin'!"

(For fans of Violent Femmes, Bob Dylan, Primus and Nirvana

~unplugged.)

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