Good Time Gang:
Roadside Stories (2022)

“Roadside Stories,” the debut record by the Good Time Gang, was recorded in five days at the countryside home of drummer and producer Henri Jerratsch. Max Simons and Nico Graack first met while traveling and busking through Europe, playing acoustic blues. By coincidence, they crossed paths again later, started playing together, visited Henri, and wrote some songs. Telling stories about the real life of being on the road with nothing but a backpack, a guitar, and wanderlust inspired the songs on the record.

The three were joined by none other than one of London’s finest rhythm & blues bass players, Jeff Walker. With very limited resources, the record was cut on just twelve channels — all together in one room — with the toilet serving as an echo chamber. Jan Henning Johannsen played the piano overdubs, while Max Simons added harmonica parts and most of the lead vocals afterwards.

Slow Joe from the Last Row
A classic swing shuffle with a not-so-common 11-bar melody. Nico Graack’s guitar skills and Jan Hennig Johannsen’s piano playing are featured prominently. Henri Jerratsch closes the instrumental solo section and leads back into the melody again.

Hitchhikin’ Hero
A rock’n’roll and boogie-style fast shuffle written and composed by guitarist Nico Graack. Having spent most of his adult life hitchhiking, the lyrics share real insights into life on the road, moving forward with your thumb out. Jeff Walker’s downward-moving bass line shows his deep understanding of the style.

One-Legged Woman
A Jimmy Reed-style shuffle driven by Henri and Jeff, with extra breaks and turnarounds to fit the lyrics. Max Simons’ real-life encounter with a one-legged woman in Spain who “tore up the whole place” inspired this tune.

City Sara
Features one of the two acoustic setups, with double bass and acoustic guitar. Written for Max Simons’ good friend Sara from Torino, the song is a fictional love song to her — with the ironic twist that Sarah actually hates that kind of thing.

Piñacolada Mama
Showcases exceptional rhythm section playing by Henri Jerratsch and Jeff Walker experimenting with how far one can mix a shuffle and a mambo, the band grooves somewhere between swung and straight eighth notes. As Jeff Walker quipped: “Is it a shambo or a muffle?”

No Future
By far the darkest and most experimental song on the album. Max Simons’ vocals — delivered with a Tom Waits-like attitude — are backed by a heavily Leslie-affected guitar, powerful drums with a big room sound, and massive percussion overdubs. The out-of-time guitar breaks add a sense of weirdness and laid-back heaviness that make this track truly special.

Shoe Ain’t Fittin’ Right
Inspired by the hilarious fact that both Nico Graack and Max Simons, traveling
separately, were gifted ill-fitting shoes by strangers trying to help them out. Used to walking barefoot for miles, they kept the shoes out of politeness — and suffered more than ever. The instrumental reflects classic Chicago blues styles, played with two guitars and a harmonica.

Walk with Me
The first song Max, Nico, and Henri ever wrote together. A mix between country-blues guitar styles and JJ Cale-esque groove, Max Simons’ brilliant ragtime and fingerstyle blues playing is the centerpiece of this composition. The song picks up a little pace in the swinging bridges, only to cool down again into a laid-back acoustic feel. Max’s charming vocals capture the cool confidence of taking your girl out on a date.

Raggatime No. 9
Also based on Max’s precise fingerstyle guitar playing, but in a new soundscape. Mixing a funk halftime groove from drums and bass with offbeat rhythm guitar reminiscent of reggae, the “music gumbo” is complete. Max’s vocal ideas express the looseness and jam spirit that bring this tune to life.

End of the Month
Represents the transformation that shaped the entire record. The original song began as a country blues tune with brilliant lyrics written by Max Simons — soon to be reshaped by Nico and Henri’s love for rock’n’roll. The struggle of not having enough money to make ends meet comes alive in this track.

All Tracks recorded by Henri Jerratsch at Realwood Records Studio in Ulsnis.
Microphones by Felix Heupel.
Mixed by Mathias Riediger in Hamburg
Mastered by Jonas Roman at Chaos Compressor Club Hamburg.
Artwork by Florian Engelhardt.
Cover Design by Max Simons.

Equipment:
Sonor Rocker 20,12,26
Fender Squier Precission Bass, Höfner Short Scale Bass.
Fender Stratocaster, Squier Stratocaster
Fender Vibro Reverb Tweed, Fender Vibro Verb Silverface