Shotgun Overdose: Press & Reviews

Shotgun Overdose brings back loving feeling for live music & dancing


Heads up patrons of the arts. If you have experienced the desire to support good local talent, as this writer does enthusiastically, if you haven't already heard, there is another band to add to your dance card! They are known as Shotgun Overdose and lovingly referred to by this reporter simply as Shotgun Overdose - "Rawks"!

With their hearts of gold and record label talent, this band will bring back that loving feeling for live music patronage and drive the impetus to shine up your dancing shoes. That is what this reporter did one evening after actually hopping on a bus to catch a gig at the Hawthorne Theater for their charitable concert event last summer, Rock for the Kids Foundation. After that, it was a must to catch their Nov. 13 show at the Ash Street Saloon. This further ensconced the band straight into the upper echelon of all-time favorite status to keep on the must-see list!

These guys are dedicated to their fans, music and good charitable causes. Equally amazing is the rock’n’roll woman in their lives that is band manager Tracy Fitzgerald, wife of Jim Fitzgerald, a founding member and very good guitarist!

Shotgun Overdose often does benefits or other benevolent charity events for those in need. They simply are a very nice group of people who are a happy, secure, drama-free bunch, focused on giving the people a solid rock’n’roll show that blows away the few bands that can compete with their work. All that shows with the pride, loyalty, communication and hands-on interaction they have with their fan base of eager rockers, out to enjoy the original plus cover tunes played by these competent musicians. These men really bring a show to life by driving their audience to really feel the songs they empower with new energy you'll be happy to discover. Happy, enthused, revitalized are all things you will feel if you do a mental check upon leaving the venue of any Shotgun gig!

Self-described as a blue-collar rock band, Shotgun is able to expand into other flavors of the musical spectrum as well. They can deliver more than happy mediums in most musical preferences with a variety of styles on a wide spectrum of genre choices. That is nice in case you like to go beyond just the rock/blues scope. This is a humbly unpretentious band made up of non-posers with a truly diligent work ethic that symbolizes their hard-working, good-natured, blue collar brass. Their nitty gritty work ethic kicks in and takes over the challenge to please the palate of any hypothetical music lover.

Be sure to catch Jim Fitzgerald on guitar and vocals; Robert Englund, bass; and Chris Scholten on drums at one of these upcoming dates: Saturday March 17, Duffy’s Irish Pub, 3779 SR 4 Grays River, Wash.; Saturday March 31, The Rock Side, 7901 SE Powell Blvd, Portland. All the above shows start at 9 p.m. and charge a $5 cover. For the bands complete schedule, check their website at http://www.shotgunoverdose.com. Visually this motley crew belies the angels they really are!

Shotgun Overdose: "Too Ugly To Strip"


In my ongoing quest to find the Northwest’s best bands, I came across a band based out of Vancouver, WA. They call themselves Shotgun Overdose. The band issued their debut album, Too Ugly to Strip, on December 6th, 2011. Shotgun Overdose are a hard-rocking (and well armed) quartet fronted by Jim Fitzgerald on guitars and vocals. The lineup is rounded out by Paul Smith on lead guitar, Robert Englund on bass, and Chris Scholten on drums. Shotgun Overdose’s influences, as stated in their press kit, are staples that you’d find in any true rock fan’s collection: Metallica, The Ramones, AC/DC, and Guns N’ Roses. Simply put, they are working man’s hard rock; a dirt-under-the-fingernails kind of band.

To my ear, Shotgun Overdose sound like what Ted Nugent would sound like if he teamed up with Brand New Sin in 2012. In short, the music is abrasive, discourteous, straightforward, and unapologetic. There are riffs-a-plenty on Too Ugly to Strip and the solos blaze throughout the record. My only criticism about Too Ugly to Strip is that the album lacks bottom end and that the drums should bash your ears like a rain storm dropping sledge hammers on your skull, but they don’t. I suppose the album’s shortcomings should encourage the listener to get out to a show and see this act live and in the flesh. An arsenal of tracks like “Get Up,” “You Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me,” “454,” and “Both Barrels” should make for a good time. I can only imagine what kind of response a track like “Jager & Beer” would get from patrons six beers deep at a filthy, sleazy hole-in-the-wall. In closing, I’d like to point out that Shotgun Overdose end Too Ugly to Strip with a fantastic ballad, “Waiting,” that is a departure from the rest of the album. The song is listed as a bonus track and it’s probably the best song on the album.

Shotgun Overdose is ass-kickin' rock & roll that makes you want jager & beer

If people can see you guys on stage, your lead singer is amazing the sound and the energy is what separates you guys from everybody else.

Totally agree - saw em at Cowchip, blew it apart!

these guys are some of the classiest, and talented people I've met... they worked their tails off for the Rock for Kids event... and then managed to find enough energy to Rock the House! These guys put on a heck of a show for the kids and they LOVED IT!

What a night!! Jake and I would like to thank Tracy and the band for such an awesome event! Talk about going above and beyond! People like this make this world a better place! Btw if Shotgun Overdose is in your area , go see them. They put on a great rock show and are even greater people! Kid still has a smile on his face!

Amazing show

you guys are awsome, love the music,,, keep it coming

you guys are awesome!!!!

Kick ass guys!!!

Loved you guys when you where in Longview, WA

Anybody who has not seen or heard of these guys has to make it a point to see em, I saw them in portland, they seriously kickd f--ckn ass.

You guys were awesome! I was so glad to finally catch you on stage :)

You guys are awesome !!! :)

Saw you guys tonight at Cross Keys... you rocked the house.

Sweet new swinging sounds!