Ya'll, I am sick of this weather. At least its warming up,but I want my Texas sunshine. Good weather to get tattooed I suppose. Remember that sun and swim is the enemy of fresh ink. Not the ink so much as the Healing Skin. Anyway, I've been playing with the go-pro and making shop movies as well as just out having fun. (I'm pretty damn good at having fun) If ya'll are so inclined you can follow along by subscribing to my Youtube account just search out Johnny Mudbug and you'll find me. You'll also find many of the playlist we use here in the shop for music. I want to start making short videos for each artist. 

Dec, 12 2017   

Putting a lot of energy into calming down lately. Breathe deep and enjoy your surroundings. I call it Un-fucking yourself. I allow myself to be in the moment, unoffended by anything going on around me. Pleasant sounds, smells, scenery, are all part of having a good day. Who the hell wants to have a bad day? Not me.  

 Anyway let's check out some new pics from the shop.  

    So much news to talk about! My good friend Bryan Rolph is no longer working in the shop. He has moved to Hawaii and opened his own Vagabond Tattoo on the island of Maui. We are super stoked for him and wish him all the best on his new adventure. We'll miss him a lot but look forward to seeing him again as a guest artist. and of course using this as an excuse to go to Hawaii. 

    With the absence of Bryan we hired on Steve Goodspeed.  If you follow the shop on social media you've already seen his work. Steve specializes in incredibly tight traditional Americana images, putting his own spin on the timeless classics. Steve has a great work ethic and a soft spoken easy going attitude making him the perfect fit in the studio. 

   Now for the BIG NEWS, we are just two weeks away from the 1 YEAR Anniversary of Good Times Tattoo Studio ! I am so grateful for all the support of our amazing clients we've worked with in our first year.  We've worked hard and had a lot of fun. I've only had to throw out 2 maybe 3 drunks all year!  

   New Shirts are on the way. we are all sold out of the first edition white lady head shirts. Even sold the one that was hanging on the wall. New Phone lines are in place, if you tried to call us in the past you know what a struggle that was. Now we can hear each other. We even got our first Bad Review. Thanks Yelp for giving whining teenagers a platform to talk shit and blame others for their own mistakes and lack of communication skills. HAHAHA, no sweat. 

     Thanks for reading my ramblings. I've got some drawing to do. 

Dylan Jonez is turning out some new artwork that I'm pretty stoked on.  His pencil drawings are dope and directly correlated to his skills in tattooing. 

First session in the new shop. opening day March 14, 2016

Bryan and I hit the road early in the morning to raid our neighbors to the north like so many vikings before us. Kickstands up at 5:30am into Oklahoma and Arkansas for some Ozark mountain riding. Got lost, broke down, camped in a parking lot to ensure we'd get back on the road in the morning. Thanks to Old Fort Harley Davison in Ft Smith.  

if you really want some adventure ask for directions in Oklahoma; " is this highway 271?"

 " i don't know, I aint too good with math."

 hahaha 

Summer is in full effect and its hard to sit still in the shop. the river is calling and all i wanna do is sit in the shade with my cold drink and my hot wife.  So I take a few breaks when i can.  The ride through the Ozarks was incredible but pretty fast paced. Celebrating the 4th was a different story.  Willie Nelson puts on a damn good party. Kris Kristofferson sang us a song and we laid around with our feet in the pond sipping on American beers until the fireworks went off overhead. I appreciated the shit out of that day. No where to be, no schedule to keep, nothing to do but have the best time i could. It's a feeling I'm not quite ready to let go of. So, here i am at work, appreciating the shit out of today. the sun is out and the AC is cold.  the music is good and there is ice cream next door. there is no one here dressed business casual telling anyone to turn in some meaningless report. no politicians yelling out buzzwords to sell you on the latest corporate buyout. Just me doing what i love to do. take 'er easy. and if she's easy take 'er twice. Don't stress. Don't take on other peoples worries. Don't believe the hype. Enjoy your day. and if you need an oasis to escape the bullshit, you know where to find me.

Johnny Mudbug Williams

Tattooing is the only life for me. I respect the history of the craft and the future of the art. Good Times has landed in the perfect neighborhood, where our clients are familiar with the art, and have an appreciation for the craft. We have been able to get on the same page and start working on some projects that keep us motivated and inspired. Thank you so much for the support, faith and confidence. 

  This positive energy flows directly from client to artist and right back to client. Now that's the kinda thing you're going to want to wear on your skin for many years to come. 

   More of the same yet everyday is different. We still do not offer piercings, so if you could tell your friend to stop calling us 8 times a day about it , that would be great.

      Been a Sobering time around here lately. While I had to say goodbye to some friends who left this world all to soon; Mike became a grandpa celebrating with his oldest daughter the birth of her son.  Many more friends and family came through with news of pregnancy and the circle of life continues.  I had to leave the shop and sit with my Mother in her last days. Grieving her loss weighed heavy on my mind but a large family was close by to help carry the weight and share in the love we all felt. 

   Life and Death are everyday themes in tattoos because we all deal with it in our own lives. No one can say for sure what happens when we die but we know for sure that we are missed by the loved ones we leave behind. Take some extra time each day to enjoy the time we have in this world with the people who love you. Spread love, smile more, help out when you can. Give more and more will be given to you. 

    Thank you for taking the time to read these thoughts of mine. 

Here we go again, summer season 2018.  We are staying busy and trying to get in all the walk-ins we can. 

He's been here a few days and lucky for us he's gonna stick around another week. From Gainesville FL, killing some solid, bold, traditional style. We've been having a blast with good tattoos, craft beers and jamming tunes. He's making a trip out west and we're stoked to have him here and help put some gas money in his pocket. Follow him on Instagram @Austen_Minor ​

keeping on keeping on.

new stuff from the studio. GTTS running strong.

Some upcoming events: Yes we are doing Friday 13th tattoos. but better than that is Saturday 14th you don't wanna miss our grand opening party.   Also I'm stoked to be able to help sponsor the PYSCO De MAYO RUN this year. A one day motorcycle ride through the back roads of the Texas Hill Country. I'm throwing in two $100 gift certificates for the raffle. Show up, have a blast, meet new people. I went last year and it is indescribable to be part of a large pack of bikes winding through the hills and curves like some giant robotic snake. out of this world. 

Alright, Alright,Alright, let's have some Fun!  Wednesdays  aren't really the funnest day of the week and typically slower in the tattoo shop than the weekend madness or the early week appointments of the big pieces. So let's use the down time to party, Good Times style. Dylan and I up for the Challenge of doing $100 Basic tattoos of almost anything we can draw. bring us a $100 bill ( or any combination of american bills totaling $100)  and we'll get you a tattoo of ... well what do you want?  a Cat, you got it. a Rocket, can do. sacred heart? no problem. you see where i'm going with this.  We'll have some sheets of designs to choose from and if you have a good idea that catches our interest we'll draw you something custom. not every idea is going to work well as a small tattoo but try us and see what we can do for you.. here's the rules: you can't be a pain in the ass. and you have to understand it's not $100 sleeve day. so be respectful.no appointments, first come first serve. Bring cash. 

Corona-Rita-Virus-Party--2020

Recent posts at the bottom of the page. 

Scroll Down.

Hope ya'll had a good holiday weekend. We did.  Rested and back in the studio with a few things to get started on this week.  a few things from last week getting scrapped because some folks are just flakes. that goes with doing business so close to so many bars i guess. people talk a lot when they drink.  There are no memorable stories of dealing with drunks in the shop. you try and forget them as soon as you usher them out the door.  Do your drinking after the tattoo.  

  There is one memorable drunk. I was Tattooing at the Rally in Sturgis SD. sometime around 04 or 05, Buddhas on Main street is the busiest two weeks of my career. You never know whats next. The work day starts at 8 Am ( insane early in my world)  and it goes non stop. you tattoo, you clean up and holler next, someone brings you their paper work already filled out and the stencil already made and you go to work on them. you never even leave your seat. 

​One of overseers of this circus is a man named Bitchin Bob from Nebraska. he brings to my chair a 6 foot 5 wild animal of a man whose nickname i can't recall. but i do know that his first tattoo from me that week  was " TRUST NO BITCH" in 4 inch letters across his stomach. That morning he had woken up in tree. after being awake for 6 days he finally passed out in his perch. He had climbed up there to get a better view of Jackyll playing at the Buffalo Chip campground. Totally refreshed from his nap he was ready( he thought) to get his stomach tattooed. well he wasn't. he couldn't shut up, trying to talk to everyone in the shop and jumping around looking at the girls and an occasional hit from the flask he had snuck in. Madness. But he had a good tale to tell.

 At 15 years old He ran away from home in Chicago. he made it to Phoenix Az and got a job assembling office furniture.  eventually he is able to build office furniture for himself and then hire other people to build it for him. Now he owns his own company. and if you've ever worked in a cubicle you've probably seen his work.  From a runaway teenager to a 30 something millionaire. 

​  so money gets you a lot but it doesn't get you a solid relationship. he hates his mother, been divorced enough times to know better, and still dates strippers.   he moved out deep into the desert because one of his favorite hobbies is discharging his 44 mag in the living room.  Says he went through 3 televisions that year. That's what scared off the last attempt at marital bliss.  so here we are tattooing "TRUST NO BITCH" across his grizzly bear belly.  i remember struggling through every inch of that tattoo. All his hooting and Hollering made from some of the shittiest line work i've ever put out. and to this day i don't know why I agreed to allow his crazy giant self in the chair to wrestle that tattoo in his skin,  but its in there. and he was a good tipper. he came back three more times that week for smaller tattoos of various skulls and snakes. 

​I've met a lot of bullshitters in my time but this dude wasn't one of them.  one hell of an experience for both of us. 

 there is no moral of this story, except maybe if you think you're going to come in here after a few too many and bullshit me. I've been there and back and you don't have enough money. 

 so we close at 10pm come in early and mind your manners. 

Oct 5, 2021

  Wowie Zowie y'all   what a GREAT time to be alive and kicking.  It seems like everyday we are reminded of our short and unpredictable time in this world. Our hearts go out to all those mourning a loss. Pray to remember their spirit and to look for the signs that your loved one is with you.  the VEIL is thin an sometimes that warming sensation from pure love is able to seep through time and space and envelope us for a quick moment of reassurance. If you allow it.  Be open to growing and receiving a new light; not to be tied to a tradition of fear and oppression. Don't eat that poison apple.   

   Celebrate everyday. Find your GRATITUDE and hold it each day. Allow yourself to find wonder in the world and freedom to explore and learn.Know that everyone and everything is a reflection of ourselves. 

    anyway news from the shop;  WE HAVE A NEW FACE! His name is Jimmy and he answers the phone and is working hard to pay off the debt owed for his new life.  Jimmy has started the path of a tattooer and I'm very excited to teach him what I can and watch the progress.   Many have tried to start this path and many were found lacking.  

      Jimmy also runs the brand new TIK TOK page for the shop   see whats up @churchofgoodtimes.. I'm so fucking grateful that I do not have to operate TIK TOK or have to open another damned social media platform.  hahahahaha gratitude y'all find it wherever you can..  peace. 

a few shots from the grand opening party. Thank You to everyone that came out to support.

      Alright, alright, alright.  What a great day to be in the shop.

I'm a big fan of teamwork around here. This shop wouldn't be what it is without our team.  Our team is growing, starting today I'd like to welcome, and introduce you to Aaron Dor Dixon. A  20 year veteran of tattooing, Aaron is the real deal tattooer. Old school values and a style developed through tradition. We'll get into that more later, or come see for yourself Monday through Friday. Let me add a Thank You in here for Aaron. He brought in an amazing collection of his own hand painted flash and I can't stop looking at it. Aaron and his art are an exciting addition to GTTS. 

I've been working a lot with these super tight 3 liners. mixing fine lines with stippled dot shading. 

tattoo by Cody Jones 

Mikes head by Aaron Dor

september 3, 2021

 Wow man, this year really got away from me.  It's been awhile and not much has changed since I last wrote, Matthew is still booked everyday doing his flowers, Cody has been diving deep into anime art and black and grey realism. Aaron bought a new machine to test the new technology that the kids are all raving about these days. I'm still getting up slow from this whole Knee Surgery thing. You might notice your phone call getting answered at the shop some days. I guess that's new. that we turned the ringer back on the phone.. sometimes.  Bless your heart. 

Man time flies when you're crushing tattoos. 

We've had to kick a few people out lately. what gives? I don't really want to write up a long rant, cussing a few bad apples, so I'll keep it short. Behave yourself. If you don't belong, Don't be long. Texas tattoo legend Mike Belzel did us a solid deal and painted a sign to display our simple shop rules. 

Good Times for all times.  We're not into having bad days, take that drama somewhere else. 

​thanks. 

Waves of change keep rolling in

Mike P says, "it's important to keep your new tattoo clean."

Sept 11, 2024

  Remembering today, like I do every year since. I was still in my apprenticeship in 01.  

   we are just days away from Friday 13th and the Lowbrow Convention .  Such a fun way to spend the TattHoliday.  looking forward to seeing what kind of good times are gonna happen this year. Always great to see our local Texas tattoo buddies from the surrounding areas. 

    I still have not recovered from Arlington and the International Collectors expo.  I mean, I'm fine, but we are out of shop cards and stickers and swag.  DOH! its on the way just won't be here in time for this show. it snuck up on my while i was busy being my usual ADHD self.   

    I've made a new playlist for the season and it's 11 hours long. hopefully it last me a few months before i'm tired of it and need to spend another whole day collecting favorite songs to get me through the creative circus of the studio.   we are on a huge Doug Sahm kick around here.  

     Leeloo has started offering up some tattoos for her friends to get some skin in the game and I'm very happy with her progress.  She prefers coil machines and traditional designs. Daddy's lil girl is a bad ass. 

Bryans specialty is hard to nail down. He's comfortable in both bold dynamic color and Intense black and grey work.  His unique approach sets his artwork apart the same ol same ol.  on instagram he is @tatttoos.by.bryan 

You're not supposed to smile in these pictures.

Goodspeed doing beautiful work on Kenzies knee.  

"Johnny, why are you so bad at returning E-mails? "

 I don't know. I get pretty caught up in the day to day of the Tattooing and drawing and cleaning. I forget to check the E-mails so it might take me awhile to get back to you. If you're really in a hurry to get your questions answered it's better to call the shop.  So this is you're warning, E-mails take awhile for a response.  Typically the response is; Come in to the shop and we'll discuss your idea.  I can't/won't quote a price in an E-mail.  

   In other news; Its summer time again. and the A/C is blowing cold in the shop.  I (Johnny) have stopped taking appointments for the summer and am only tattooing on a walk in basis. Hopefully this makes it easier on both clients and myself. So many have rescheduled or plain ol skipped out on appointments because of vacation plans that I decided to try it the other way for awhile. This also frees me up to take a trip to the beach with the family. So, lets all have a great summer and don't forget the sunblock.   If you catch me in the shop I'm available to tattoo you, if I'm not here then try again. Thanks to all who continue to bring us great ideas and fun tattoos. Keep an eye on our instagram account @good_times_tattoo_studio for current works. 

Mike P and I are working on some live painting events that will start in January 2018.  Stay Tuned for that. 

Nov 14, 2023

As the world turns...  I'm still here counting my blessings, listing my gratitude, setting my intentions, allowing the universe to work its magic and trying not to get in the way of the big picture. I love it when a plan comes together.  It's not always a smooth road to get there but with a little patience and some well placed tenacity, we get what we need. 

    Plans for the next year are already presenting themselves to be some very exciting happenings. But we'll get to that as the time comes.  

 In the present moment we are preparing for our annual Christmas fundraiser.  Working again with Austin Angles we will be doing $100 tattoos with all proceeds going to benefit local children in foster care.  It's always a great day full of love and an overwhelming sense of community. we can't wait. 

  The mood in the shop remains ever positive and we are continually grateful for our wonderful clientele that keeps us going.  Wheat is on a part time schedule but it's easy to book an appointment with her friday, sunday or monday. Rudy is steadily building a client base but remains available for walk-ins Friday- Tuesday.  Cody and Johnny are rocking out appointments and enjoying several smaller walk-ins each week between the larger bookings. If you have never stopped by the shop to check the vibe, we would love to invite you on in.   

October 28, 2017 

Perfect weather for getting Tattooed! Black work is definitely in fashion this year. Heavy black traditional or soft grey realism; its in high demand around here. Of course we're still doing bold color tattoos but probably 1 out of 4. No complaints here.  

​We've all been working on updating portfolios to reflect the work being done as of late. It's easy to keep up with the shop on instagram but its nice to walk in and flip through the books. Maybe I'm just old fashioned. Actually, I know I'm old fashioned. 

Don't panic, it's only a global pandemic.  Stay home, stay safe. Our doors are temporarily closed while we Social Distance. It's only been three days and I'm already bored as heck. I miss the shop and the guys and clients and the good times.  So to fight off the boredom I am going to do a series of line drawings to post here on the site that you at home can download and color and kill some time and we will all be in this thing together.  

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert

​

​Good TIMES

Tattoo studio

Mike P is back in the shop this weekend.  It's pretty rad to spend time with a Tattooer I've known for at least the last ten years. We've worked together in 3 different shops now. We've both got a little gray in the beard (maybe I have more than he does)  When he moved to Texas, I was his first point of contact.  We were working at 45 ink in South Houston, the only white guys in the shop, or in 5 square miles probably. it was a blast. A big Beautiful shop staffed with some incredible talent and everyone learning from one another and feeding off the styles that were happening all around.  Lots of painting going on. Mike puts out some of the most fascinating and unique paintings.  He has a signature element, a one eyed elephant type he calls Daryl. Reminds me of a Generation X Mickey Mouse. We'll be putting on a show of Mikes works later this year, as well as telling some great stories of our time in Houston.  Like the time all our neighbors were getting robbed late at night so we always had someone sleeping in the shop with the guns.  Or the time Mike walked out the front door and ran straight into a horse.  welcome to Texas, hahaha. 

Full time staff status. Very happy to have Dylan on board.  He has a deep love for the traditional and a natural talent for portraits. He likes kayne West but i try not to hold that against him. Mostly it's his attitude that secured his spot here in the studio. I've seen him grow up fast over the last couple years and he stays humble and hungry to learn.  check him out on the instagram.

drawing, drinking coffee, bullshitting about bullshit. its our thing, its what we do. 

August 28, 2023

  The Instagram followers already know; Aaron Dor has left the building.   One door closes and another one opens.  We've welcomed Rudy Hooven into the studio and we're pretty excited about it.  I'm definitely sad that Aaron is not here everyday but that's how life goes right? everyone on their own path and we continue to cheer on our friends and find joy in their triumphs and accomplishments.   

   we have turned on the appointment request form again has busy season is coming up fast and we wanna make it as easy as we can for you to get set up with the right artists.  

  as always we remain extremely grateful for the continued loyal support of the community and we look forward to serving y'all by doing our very best.  

Steve's lady heads are smoking hot. but if you follow him on instagram you already knew that.  @stevegoodspeed 

MADE IT! What a relief.  Day 365 is here and it's just how I wanted it to be. Good Times Tattoo Studio is staffed by 3 artists who love to be here.  I see that tattoos that are being done in this shop and I'm stoked on a daily basis.  Maybe that's when some people start to get lazy, like the work is done.  No way man, Everyday we're trying to make it a better one than the day before.  Thanks greatly to the customers and clients that put their trust in us, we wouldn't be here without you.  

  here's a few Remember Whens from the past year. 

* Christine dig a keg stand 

* Pete ate a half pound of raw beef and thought he'd be ok.  he wasn't

*Bat in the shop

*Cat Piss played some hillbilly jams

* Bryan saw the ghost wash its hands for the first time 

* Two insane Friday 13ths Both are kinda blurry for me 

* Good Times Motorcycle Run through the Ozarks.  3 am 90 mph only 200 more miles 

* Impressionism Art Show in the Secret Gallery

*so much Juggling 

*Steve showed up just in time for Bryan to leave for Hawaii

maybe i should just post a bunch of pictures.

feb 28,2024

 Busy Season is ramping up again! Walk-ins are lining up, appointments are being set and the good times keep rolling. Same as it ever was. 

  We are weeks away from the 8th Anniversary of the studio, so we are having a party March 16th.  we'll have some drinks and music , tattoo specials and an art exhibit in the secret gallery again.  some fresh new never before seen works from our crew and a few guest artists. can't wait to share some good times with our customers and friends. 

 Did I ever tell y'all about the time we were a topic of discussion on the Drinking Bros podcast?  I guess my responses to some bad reviews online are kinda popular. hahaha. don't start no shit, won't be no shit. 

We put on a pretty good show for the neighborhood kids. All 5000 of them. Round Rock shut down the streets and did it up carnival style with bounce houses, train rides, music, the whole shebang. We set up our Zombie Containment Unit in front of the shop, handed out candy and posed for Pics. Good Times indeed. 

Well here I am. My name is Johnny Mudbug Williams, and I just opened Good Times Tattoo studio in Round Rock Texas. I honestly didn't think opening my own shop was in the cards for me anytime soon, but as soon as I saw this building at 111 east Main I knew it was my shop. I'm in the "Red Front" built in 1878. 

  I've been tattooing full time for the last 16 years. I went through that apprenticeship that seems to be a myth nowadays. I made my own needles and had to build my own machine. I travelled with my master when i could and met some good people at the conventions and bike rallies. When it was time to leave the nest I landed in Houston Tx. I'll get into the details of my travels, trials and triumphs as well as sharing photos and whatever trips my trigger. Hope ya'll enjoy it. Thanks for taking the Time.

April 28, 2016

​

Sooooo, it's been a few months. First, I have to mention my friend travis Butchart is officially the newest crew member. He has over 10 years experience, grew up in Cali, tattooing around San Diego and moved to Austin about 5 years ago. We're very glad to have him on board.  

    We had a party last month when Allan Wayne Nicols came through town. Allan plays music and does tattoos on the road most of the year and we were lucky to be a stop on his tour. We spent the day talking machines and guitars, tattooing folks and eating BBQ. When the sun went down we killed most of the lights and poured some adult beverages as Allan played a set of his texas roots two stepping blues. It was a damn Good Time. 

We Are Taking Walk-ins EveryDay

That's the important thing to share with ya'll. 

Right on , right on. Not just a new year but a whole new decade. feels good to have such a fresh start.  Johnny and Aaron both smoked their last cigarette on Dec 31 2019. Fair warning if they seem a little irritable. 

  The city is doing construction on Main street, so please excuse the mess out front. It's a nice plan they have to make the area more pedestrian friendly, it'll be worth the 6 month inconvenience. 

  I've noticed a recurring theme in bad behavior amongst some of the walk-ins hoping for some tattoo work and I feel the need to mention a few things to some of the uneducated public.

 *Be polite . I shouldn't have to say this but I'm not interested in working with people who are rude to me or anyone of the artists in the shop. take that bullshit somewhere else. 

 * If you have a large area covered in amateur tattoos, poor work, nasty looking kitchen hook up jobs etc... that's not my fault and our first interaction isn't gonna be you piling that mess on my table. Get a fresh piece, get something nice, spend some time getting quality tattoos and if you prove to be a good client than I will consider helping you cover, repair, whatever your nasty-ass sleeve you gave yourself with your cousins tattoo kit she bought off amazon. 

* the old Japanese masters would consider the client and the design and would agree to take on the project only if they felt it would be a credit to their work.  And the client understood that they were getting that artists work.  Maybe this is the beginning of a much longer rant and I'll leave it here. No one reads this far into a blog anyway. 

Here's some pictures!!