MONEYSHOT

Amped is surprisingly one of the more memorable melodic aggressive rock recordings to be released so far this year. Moreover, the opening track “System Check” is the type of song that has the potential to make the smallest band monumental in their success. With an unforgettable chorus that displaced people everywhere can easily identify with, accompanied by musical ferocity, a catchy arrangement and lots of “Whoas” to sing along to, the song remains the true highlight of the release. However, the remaining five songs on, Amped are not to be misplaced as they do hold their own ground and show great promise for the band’s future.
Shawn Merill - Exclaim! Magazine (www.exclaim.ca)

My god, I think the've finally done it. Local Victoria boys Moneyshot have finally put out a record that starts to capture the band's explosive live show, Their third efford boasts a good solid dose of Moneyshot's brand of metal influenced punk rock. Catchy melodies of the california skate punk scene mixed with some balls to the wall 'Kill em All' guitar stylings. Highlights include the straight-up punk rock hockey anthem 'Blades Of Steel', as well as my personal favorite 'Lines In The Sand' - it has all the makings of the perfect driving song. Now if only they could have recorded another 6 songs to make this a full-length, then I could have been really happy.
Scott Laming - Offbeat Magazine (CFUV Campus Radio)

The stratospheric rise of young stars Nelly Furtado, Swollen Members and Hot Hot Heat has provided the Canadian music industry with a much-needed shot in the arm as of late.

But the pressure to finish what these homegrown performers started could end up being a lethal injection into the careers of our other local heroes.

"There are alot of eyes on Victoria now because of some bands coming out of here at the moment," said Josh Erickson, guitarist for the local hard rock outfit Moneyshot. "Everybody knows the story."

Now considered an official haven of up-and-coming talent, the pressure to act more professional, sound more professional and look - well, less professional - is seeping into the heretofore unnoticed bars and jam spaces of the Garden City.

The prospect of securing a recording contract has lead to a hesitant and competitive local community, one where occasional infighting arises.
Erickson, for one, wants no part of it; he'd rather support acts slogging it out on the local circuit.

"Victoria is fairly accepting, but it's fairly critical at the same time. Everybody has their idea of what the ideal type of music is, and that's fine. But the guys in Hot Hot Heat got where they are by working hard. I really respect that."
For erickson and the rest of Moneyshot - singer-guitarist Tim Rodier, drummer Jeremy Erickson and bassist Tyson Yerex - years of hard work are starting to pay dividens. In fact, the quartet's latest E.P., AMPED, just might be its last as an independent unit.

Erickson, a Vernon native, acknowledged that record labels have been sniffing around in recent months, in part due to a tireless tour schedule that included high-profile Vancouver appearances at the Warped tour in July and with NoMeansNo earlier this month.

"Some of them are big names, but I probably can't say which," said the soft spoken guitarist.

A yearning to make music for a living was the impetus behind years of travelling and recording, Erickson said. But the positive word of mouth behind the song 'BLADES OF STEEL' is what could break the band to a wider audience, said Al Ford, program director for local modern rock station The Zone (91.3 FM).

"They know what they want to do and they get it done," said Ford, who's been a big supporter of the song. "They are always promoting and they are always playing, which are the keys to being a successful band."

An October performance to promote the release of AMPED drew a record crowd at the local club Soundgarden, and a planned appearance on Vancouver's CityTV in December - where the band will perform the hockey-themed BLADES OF STEEL in the presence of members of the Vancouver Canucks - have only added interest in the band.
But whether Moneyshot will ever decide to sign with a larger label is still unsure, Erickson said.

"If you want to make it as a musician, there comes a point when you have to look at what you're doing as a business. But it really depends on what they want from us as a band. If it is something we all want to do, then great."

Moneyshot performs with No Means No this Friday at Sugar Nightclub in Victoria. Tickets are $16 in advance.
- Victoria Times Colonist (www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist)

Victoria, British Columbia rockers Moneyshot look and sound like longhaired heshers from western Canada, but their connection to their audience has more in common with anarchist punk collectives inspired by the likes of Crass or Fugazi: on their regular cross-Canada tours, ticket prices are nominal, and CDs are free for the asking. It's all about the fans, eh? That same level of blue-collar unpretentiousness suffuses The Illusion of Quality, which is a straightforward hard rock album in the style of AC/DC or Canadian legends like Max Webster or Bachman-Turner Overdrive. But this is straight '70s boogie, understand — none of that nod-and-a-wink roleplaying of the Darkness or Wolfmother here. Singers Tim Rodier and Josh Erickson have rough everyman voices perfectly suited for the meat and potatoes rock and roll of tunes like "You Ain't Nothin'." But this isn't dumb music, as snotty indie hipsters might initially dismiss it: a song like "All My Neurons" is as sharp and funny a tune about adolescent angst as anything the Queers or the Mr. T Experience has written on the topic. At 13 songs in just over an hour, The Illusion of Quality starts to drag a bit towards the end, but the best stuff here is outstanding.
Stewart Mason - All Music Guide (www.allmusic.com)

There's something undeniably enjoyable about Victoria rockers Moneyshot. It could be the almost 50's style melodies found in some of their punked-up tunes, such as the charmingly titled "Aint that a Bitch" on this new disc. Or it could be the Motorhead-meets-Guns'n'Roses attitude found on opening track "Dealer" that makes them so likable. It's definitely the almost-Def Leppard by the way of certainly-Hanoi Rocks sound of the standout track "Sofia." Whatever it is, it's probably not the agonizing running time of this album - an hour tests the patience with the best of rock bands. Regardless, Moneyshot has crafted another fun disc that shows them moving further away from their pop-punk roots and into a more rugged and trashy street rock sound, one that doesn't sacrifice melody and hook for a quick shock fix. Why Moneyshot continue to fly under the music industry's radar is beyond me-this is top class stuff. Maybe they should move to Hollywood, cultivate some heroin habits, and begin their ascension to the top of the rock heap.
Greg Pratt - Monday Magazine (Victoria, BC)