A Legendary Trip In A Rock n' Roll Time Machine: Part I

The Legendary Goodtimes getting seriously high 

@ Double R Pub in Rogue River 5-23-14.

Great Scott!  Much has transpired since the last blogging of the band's Legendary Deeds!  So many faces have been melted into gooey rock puddles!  How ever shall we begin to chronicle months of Rock n Roll Mischief?  

Like this totally epic night in Rogue River waaaaay back in May... the first three rows of females accidentally became pregnant simply by listening to TLG's new songs!  For legal reasons, and because several paternity suits are pending, The Legendary Goodtimes consider this mass impregnation to be a totally unrelated coincidence.  Also rocking that night was Ponderosa Breeze, friends of The Goodtimes and all-around cool guys.

TLG testing out some prototypes for their new line of Rock Poses

@ The Rockytonk Saloon in Medford 6-8-14.

And what about the Battle of the Beards back in June?  The band hasn't seen that many bearded ladies since their last tour of Kazakhstan.  The dudes had some impressive facial hair, too.  Sharing the stage for the first time that evening was Buckle Rash, the local punk-country phenomenon--awesome bunch of guys with high energy tunes.  Highly recommended Southern Oregon music, so say All of Us.

This kid was on crutches just moments before--the power of Rock healed his body, and he expressed the Joy of Music through this interpretive dance.

TLG was stoked to play the wedding reception of their friends Michael and Stephanie in August.  These two crazy kids have been to so many Goodtimes shows, they've almost earned Honorary Membership in the band.  All ages shows are always some of the best, and this one was a prime example.  The kids joined the band onstage for much of the performance, dancing and Rockin Out.  Too much fun.

A room full of dancing girls, booze, and music.  You've been to a Goodtimes show, right?  You need to go.  Seriously.  @ Cattlemen's in Rogue River 8-22-14.

The band returned to one of their favorite venues on Planet Earth, Cattlemen's Saloon in Rogue River, with the express goal of makin' booties shake.  Mission accomplished.  Matt got up on the bar (with the owner's permission, of course). David made several ladies swoon (from a safe distance, of course, as he also got married a few weeks prior).  Mark played his drums so fast, the music actually ripped a hole in the space time continuum, nearly creating an alternate universe where all matter is replaced by solid Rock.  Amazing.

Partyin' down in their hometown, TLG brings the Rock to Medford

@ Howies on Front 8-30-14.

Oh snap!  The boys brought their song and dance to Howie's on Front, delighting the Medford late night crowd with marvelous Acts of Rock.  Opening the evening was a very new band in the local scene, The John Dough Boys.  Have you seen them, have you heard of them?  You should.  Rowdy blackgrass awesomeness abounds.  Matty recently recorded their debut EP at the Goodtimes Ranch, and it sounds pretty damn good.

Dialing in the sound at Bluejay Audio.

Early in September, TLG spent the day with their favorite recording engineer, Mark Thomas Johnson of Bluejay Audio.  The boys hauled their gear out to the Bluejay studio in Jacksonville to make a few test recordings for their upcoming second album.  You may remember that Johnson recorded the first TLG album to analog tape back in 2012, a feat the band is preparing to repeat this Winter.  Stay tuned for more info on the new record!

October 3rd!!!  The Legendary Goodtimes will save Cattlemen's Saloon in Rogue River from snakes!  By hitting them.  With a gun.  Yeah.

Wowie!  That almost brings this Time Machine up to the present day, but there are still THREE more shows to chronicle from the past month, so check back soon for A Legendary Trip In A Rock n' Roll Time Machine: Part II!  In the meantime, come hang out with The Goodtimes in Rogue River on October 3rd, hear music destined for the upcoming second album, and share in an Evening of Massive Feats of Rock!  See ya then.

The Goodtimes Go To Ashland

 Wheedly wheeedly wheeedly WEEEEE!!!!! Matt takes a solo during TLG's set @ Club 66 in Ashland 5-2-14

Sometimes, the Goodtimes play to a packed room.  Sometimes, an empty room.  In their travels, TLG has discovered that you don't always get the crowd you desire, but you must ALWAYS play your heart out, no matter how many folks show up.  Playing in front of 3 people is no different that 30,000--play that music like you mean it, like you wrote it, like you own it.

And so they did, at Ashland's Club 66, and it was Good.

 SIP!!!

First up was Medford's newly reborn (as a two piece!) SIP aka Survive in Peace.  Everyone loves a heavy duo (think White Stripes, Local H, Black Keys...) and TLG loves SIP.   These fellas bring a lot of energy and love to what they do, which earns them The Eternal Respect and Brotherhood of Struggling Musicians Everywhere.  Our hats are off to these excellent Gentlemen of Rock.

 This happened, for realsies.

TLG, keepin' it tight.

TLG played a full set, decked out in their finest Rock Regalia, with an extra helping of Sweaty Awesome Rock Poses.  Though attendance was light that night, the boys gave it their all, and the Great Rock Spirits nodded in approval.  Success. 

What about the very next morning?  What was the band doing then, you ask?  

 No pressure.  

The band was back in Ashland the next day, inside a television studio.

Matty J, runnin' in the shadows.

Dave and Mark just before the final note of the session.

Without giving away too much, the Rock was thrown down for the auditory and visual pleasure of all Earthlings.  Stay tuned for some live videos of TLG, courtesy of Rogue Valley Television.

Rock n roll in Rogue River!

TLG returns to Rogue River on May 23 @ Double R Pub!!  They will be joined by Southern Oregon's Ponderosa Breeze.  Come quaff beverages and hang with the band!

And that is all.  Check back soon for more hijinks.

A Brief History of The Legendary Goodtimes

The Legendary Goodtimes, from left: Matt Jameson, David Moore, Mark Anderson.

Do people read music blogs for obscure history lessons on bands?  I dunno, maybe.

Anyway, waaaaay back in early 2012, Matthew Jameson and David Moore were out of luck.  In Between, their prog-alt-sludge-facegrind-metal band, was defunct.  Their musical brother and drummer Jon took a job in LA, leaving the band with no backbone.  While they auditioned prospective new drummers (and recorded tracks for a brutal 80s pop-metal side project), Matt and Dave were playing with a new idea.  In a nutshell, their idea was this--less chainsaw meets meat grinder style sonic brutality, more groove and soul, but 100% rock n roll.  Music written, played, and listened to while sipping top shelf whiskey.

From left, Dave, Mark, and Matt; when The Goodtimes were brand new, at the old jam spot....

Right on cue, they met a fellow named Mark Anderson through the magic of craigslist.  At that first jam session, the guys played through a few old metal tunes; the feeling was meh.  Been there, done that.  So they tried something different, something a little less melt your face, something a little more rock your soul.

And it was good.

So they went with it, all in.

In honor of their unique Chapter of the Legend of a Really Good Time (see yesterday's post), the band was reborn as The Legendary Goodtimes, totally committed to playing old school rock n' roll with some subtle modern flair.  Music that moves your body (and doesn't destroy your ear drums or vocal chords) and lifts your soul (The Legendary Goodtimes do love getting lifted up).

TLGT @ Flabby Road Studio in Medford, Oregon.

Within six months, TLGT had enough songs to record a full length album.  Feeling strongly about the material they'd written, the band issued a grand challenge:  play the album live to analog tape.  Though they would overdub vocals later, the music would all be live, recorded to two tracks.  Yes, only two.  A stereo left and right of the master mix.  No tracking out parts, no easy edits, no post mixing.  No deleting--tape is permanent stuff, not like hard drive space.  You get one sound, and a limited amount of tape, and very little post-production control.  It's risky.  Most bands lean towards tracking out every part and having full control while mixing.  The Legendary Goodtimes (or TLGT, if you will) did exactly the opposite.

The debut album.

The risk paid off.  The record sounds, in the humble opinion of The Legendary Goodtimes, raw and dynamic, like old rock n roll played on a turntable.  Very different from the ultra compressed, endlessly processed and maximized, cut and paste style digital recording that is all over modern airwaves.  This record came out warm and smooth, with little bite, like good bourbon. (Much of that credit goes to the amazing work of Mark Thomas Johnson of Bluejay Audio, whose engineering of the record included operating some rare and amazing analog hardware).

The band was very pleased.

Just a handful of the Goodtimes' 2013 flyers, design courtesy of Matt Jameson, TLGT's resident graphic artist and marketing professional.

The Legendary Goodtimes spent most of 2013 playing shows around Southern Oregon, sharing a bill with dozens of bands, including Gypsyhawk, Curtis Salgado, Jive Coulis, 100 Watt Mind, Dryseason, Tallboy, Ol' Mount n' Due, Diemonds, The Seaons, Black Ink Breakdown, The Hollowbodies...

There were rawkin' bar shows, quiet acoustic gigs, a charity event, a private party, a brewery, Last Band Standing, a couple festivals.  Sometimes the band packed up and drove for ten minutes to get to the gig; sometimes it was four hours and an overnight stay.  Everywhere TLGT took their music, the energy was high, the band met new friends and shared libations with old friends, and a Really Good Time was had by all.

Brave Sir Steven Riley is a total badass in hot pink.

Somewhere along the crazy ride, the band picked up a "fourth" member, one Mr. Steven Riley.  Originally hired to do photography for a few recording sessions, Steven found a place in the band at practice sessions and live shows alike, and proved himself indispensable.  Though his Legendary Deeds are many, he's usually credited as the band photographer, and indeed he can be found at every Goodtimes show, camera in hand.  If you are looking at a picture of The Legendary Goodtimes, chances are 97% of the time, Steven gets the photo credit.

With a very successful first year behind them, the band took a well deserved winter break.  It was time reflect on the year's good fortune and fun, to write new songs, to upgrade The Legendary Goodtimes in every way they could.  Most of all, to prepare for Springtime, when they will venture forth once more  to spread their music across the land, always in search of a Really Good Time.

That brings us to the present, where the Legend is still unfolding every week...

The Legend of a Really Good Time

The Legendary Goodtimes

at 2013 Last Band Standing in Medford, Oregon.

Once upon a time, a ragtag band of musicians decided to write their own stuff and just go for it.  

With only their instruments and the meager handful of coins the band members pooled, they would traverse the land, offering song and dance.  In return, sometimes they were richly rewarded; sometimes they were left penniless for their efforts.  The band faced many obstacles and foes, but they never gave up trying to spread their music to lands far off.  

They never quit because they believed in The Legend of a Really Good Time.

The Legend is old as the hills, passed down for many generations.  Like all legends, The Legend of a Really Good Time changes over time and with many tellings.  It is impossible to tell the entire story, and even summarizing it is no simple task.  Some even believe it is a myth.  

Listen now and hear me later:  BELIEVE.  

The Legend is true!

This blog is about one band from Southern Oregon, and their quest to add another Chapter to this Mighty Legend of Olde.

If ye care to skip all this storytellin' and get down to the music, or maybe you're more the social media type, check us out on Facebook and elsewhere:

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