Martin Stephenson is a supremely gifted singer, songwriter, musician and performer, whose career in music stretches back now almost twenty years. Born in County Durham, in the North-East of England, on the 27th. July 1961, Martin was initially fired up to play in a band when the Punk Rock phenomenon went overground in the late 1970's. Then, as now, however, Martin's free spirit incorporated a love for an eclectic range of musical styles, from Rockabilly, show tunes, through to straight ahead rock and full-tilt Punk.

He convened The Daintees in the early 80's, the name deliberately chosen as a response to the humourlessness and angst of much of the music of the time. The Daintees became one of the first bands to sign with the Newcastle-upon-Tyne based independent label, Kitchenware, and their debut single, "Roll On Summertime" was a sparkling, cheerful item that announced the arrival of a considerable new talent.

After Kitchenware packed Martin to London Records, he released the marvellous debut album, "Boat To Bolivia" (1985) with The Daintees, under the Production auspices of future Pixies/Bunnymen/James sound man Gil Norton. The album positively burst with excellent, rootsy pop songs, boasting a veritable rainbow of styles, sung and played with a youthful enthusiasm and warmth that paradoxically, perhaps, displayed a mature, unique Songwriting voice. Songs such as the bittersweet "Crocodile Cryer", the alcoholic's lament "Little Red Bottle", the emphatic "Running Waters" and the haunting ballad "Rain" further underscored the impression that "Roll On Summertime" had made. Lengthy bouts of touring saw Stephenson and the band taking his music to the people, and they loved it, carving an awesome reputation as a live act.

Subsequent albums, "Gladsome, Humour, and Blue" (1987), "Salutation Road" (1989), "The Boy's Heart" (1992) however, failed to distil the essence of Stephenson's muse quite so effectively. London's quest for a hit single ran converse to Stephenson's desire to make a purer, more heartfelt music, although all said albums had their moments.

Martin's instinct to kick against the label's constraints saw him undertake tours of highland Folk clubs and tiny bars.

Martin left London in 1993, and also severed his ties with the Kitchenware management team. He signed to the West London based indie Demon Records, for whom he made three, highly acclaimed albums "Yogi in My House", "Sweet Misdemeanour" (both 1995) and "Beyond the Leap, Beyond The Law" (1997).

Following the sale of Demon in 1998, Martin moved on, releasing "When It's Gone, It's Gone" on the Tyneside-based independent, "Get Rhythm", and during April 1999, released his eponymous album for the Floating World label. The album consists of re-recordings of some of his finest songs, from all stages of his career, free from commercial constraints of the mainstream music industry. Now relocated in the Highlands of Scotland, Martin remains a gifted, but self-effacing, and modest individual. He ploughs his own furrow, still refining his already prodigious musical skills. "The Lilac Tree", a more acoustic-based project that displays further evidence of a maturing talent in its prime.

When he's not singing in Tee-Pees with the highland tree People or playing the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall with Janis Ian, you could see him standing on the corner in Inverness town with a banj/tar playing ragtime. Maybe travelling through Spain solo or with his swing band 'The Toe-Rags', cutting original 'Sun-style' tunes selling Vicar St out in Dublin - bang on Merle Travis & Scott Joplin! Blistering thumbpicking(!) or playing chess, writing poetry in an Alness Cafe or an intimate London show in the 12 Bar, Denmark St. next to "Hank's" guitar shop where he hacked his two vintage Gibsons in 1992. But you'll not see him drinking or with the fat cats. Time's too short. There's too much Doc Watson to learn out there!


worked with -
1982 JOHN ANDERSON TURNER (Cocteau Twins)
1984 ROBIN MILLAR (Sade)
1984 JEREMY GREEN
1984 PADDY McALOON - PREFAB SPROUT ('Crocodile Cryer’)
1985 VIRGINIA ASTLEY
1985 GIL NORTON (Pixies, Bunnymen, James)
1987 PAUL SAMWELL-SMITH (Cat Stevens etc.)
1987 WARNE LIVESY (The The)
1988 PAUL HARDIMAN (Chris De Burgh)
1988 RUSS KUNKEL (James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Neil Young)
1988 DENNIS BAVELL (Edwin Collins)
1990 PETE ANDERSON (Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked)
1991 CATHAL COUGHLAN (Fatima Mansions)
1992 LENNY KAYE (Patti Smith, Suzanne Vega)
1992 MARTIN BRAMMER (The Kane Gang)
1992 DAVE BREWIS (Prefab Sprout, The Kane Gang)
1996 MICK McNEIL (Simple Minds)
1996 KEN & DAVE McCLUSKEY (The Bluebells)
1996 THE DEVLINS/THE PRAYER BOAT


toured with -
AZTEC CAMERA
PREFAB SPROUT
THE BLUEBELLS
MICRODISNEY
ROY BUCHANAN
VIRGINIA ASTLEY
JOHN MARTYN
MELISSA ETHERIDGE (Brought Melissa to Britain in '88)
SIMPLE MINDS (Roundhay Park 1987)
HOTHOUSE FLOWERS (1989 - 3 months through America & Canada)
DEL AMITRI
ANDY WHITE
BERT JANSCH
JANIS IAN
THE DEVLINS (Supported Martin in 1990)


20 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT MARTIN

MARTIN'S HAT BELONGED TO JAMES CAGNEY AND CAN BE SEEN IN SEVERAL OF HIS FILMS.

MARTIN HAS A BLUE PETER BADGE, WHICH HE RECEIVED AFTER APPEARING WITH THE WHITLEY BAY HAWAIIAN ORCHESTRA - PLAYING TRIANGLE BACK IN 1971.

MARTIN WAS A REGULAR FOR HARTLEPOOL RESERVES (A TALENTED RIGHT BACK) HE NEVER MADE THE FIRST TEAM.

MARTIN'S FAVOURITE FOOD IS DAIRY LEA CHEESE - ESPECIALLY THE TRIANGLES

MARTIN HAS A BEER MAT FROM EVERY GIG HE HAS PLAYED.

HE ALSO COLLECTS MATCHBOXES (AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU GAVE HIM SOME AT GIGS).

EVERYONE KNOWS MARTIN IS A NEWCASTLE FAN, BUT HIS SECOND TEAM IS DYNAMO KIEV AND HE REGULARLY WATCHES VIDEOS SENT FROM HIS RUSSIAN FANS.

MARTIN PLAYS RHYTHM GUITAR ON SHAKIN' STEVENS "GREEN DOOR".

MARTIN WENT TO SCHOOL WITH FELLOW FAMOUS "GEORDIES" STING, JIMMY NAIL AND REBECCA OUT OF CORONATION STREET.

MARTIN HAS BEEN AN EXTRA IN SEVERAL EPISODES OF "THE BILL".

MARTIN IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF HIS LOCAL VENTURE SCOUTS; HE IS CURRENTLY DOING HIS SILVER DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD.

MARTIN ALWAYS CHOSE THE ARCHED WINDOW ON BBC'S PLAY SCHOOL.

MARTINS FIRST TRUE CRUSH WAS ON CRYSTAL TIPS OUT OF CRYSTAL TIPS AND ALASTAIR.

MARTIN'S FIRST GUITAR WAS A SWAP FOR HIS CHOPPER BIKE.

MARTIN REFUSED A PLACE AT KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, TO CONCENTRATE ON HIS MUSICAL CAREER.

MARTIN IS CURRENTLY WRITING THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF AMERICAN PLECTRUMS. TENTATIVELY ENTITLED, "PLECTRUMS I HAVE KNOWN AND PLUCKED".

MARTIN IS A KEEN APIARIST, (BEEKEEPER).

IRONICALLY, MARTIN MET "GYPSY DAVE SMITH" ON A CARAVAN HOLIDAY IN HEXHAM.

MARTIN REFUSED TO WRITE MIDDLESBOROUGH'S CUP FINAL SONG, BECAUSE OF HIS ALLEGIANCE TO NEWCASTLE UNITED F.C.

ALL MARTIN'S PETS ARE NAMED AFTER FAMOUS GUITAR PLAYERS, INCLUDING HENDRIX THE HAMSTER, RORY THE RAT AND WOODY THE STICK INSECT.