Email Author Chris Gray

2011 Stories by Chris Gray

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  FEATURED STORY

  Whitney Houston In Houston: A Brief Retrospective

  published Feb 12, 2012

  All morning, the world woke up to the shocking, but not altogether surprising, news that troubled pop/R&B superstar Whitney Houston died Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles. Houston, 48, was pronounce More >>

• "Dude, You're Getting Adele." Better Late Than Never...

  published Feb 10, 2012

  ​The best joke in the music business right now is, according to Cactus Music's Quinn Bishop, something frequently heard recently at his cash register: "Dude, you're getting Adele." Even I bough More >>

• Rocks Off Now Sponsoring Some Cactus Music In-Stores

  published Feb 10, 2012

  ​After a preview last fall featuring Girl In a Coma, it gives Rocks Off great pleasure to announce that effective immediately, we will be sponsoring selected in-stores at Cactus Music, no fewer More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Summer Fest Promises 2012 Lineup "Soon"

  published Feb 09, 2012

  ​Rocks Off was setting our house in order after our long absence, when at some point we realized that while we were away, we had barely heard anything about this year's Free Press Summer Fest at More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Roosevelt Lounge Back In The Headlines, And Not In A Good Way

  published Feb 08, 2012

  ANOTHER UPDATE: Read about two eyewitness accounts of the incident, as told to Rocks Off's Shea Serrano Wednesday. UPDATE: Activist Quannell X is organizing a protest in front of Roosevelt at 4 p.m. More >>

• Local Musicians, Up Early, Remember Late Nite Pie

  published Feb 08, 2012

  Correction: Per the commenters, Late Nite Pie originally opened in the early 2000s, not the late '90s. ​Midtown pizza restaurant Late Nite Pie burned some time after closing in the wee hours of More >>

• Five Great Middle Finger Moments In Music History

  published Feb 07, 2012

  ​Monday morning, the Internet was awash in consternation and jpegs after M.I.A. flashed her middle finger during Madonna's Super Bowl halftime performance Sunday, meaning Janet Jackson is finall More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Madonna Playing Toyota Center October 24

  published Feb 07, 2012

  ​After her mostly praised Super Bowl XLVI halftime performance - aside from that whole M.I.A. middle-finger thing - Madonna will perform at Toyota Center on Wednesday, October 24, Live Nation an More >>

• Houston Rappers Freak Out Indiana KFC Diners

  published Oct 27, 2011

  ​Hopefully you've been keeping up with the exploits of Patron-loving Houston MC Marcus Manchild as he winds his way toward Warehouse Live with Method Man, Big K.R.I.T. and a bunch of others on t More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  10 Christmas Songs That Are Really About Drugs

  published Oct 26, 2011

  ​Halloween is right around the corner, so you know what that means: Time to start making a list and checking it twice. Bourbon, gin, scotch, vodka, Xanax, painkillers... Walgreen's and CVS have More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Mosquitoes: A Tiny, Highly Annoying Musical History

  published Oct 25, 2011

  ​The Texans are in first place (for now), the Texas Rangers may become the Lone Star State's first-ever World Series champions tomorrow (ouch), and early voting for the November 8 mayoral/City C More >>

• Concrete Blonde

  published October 27, 2011

  Besides the Pixies' Kim Deal, no woman sparked more crushes in the '80s/'90s U.S. college-rock scene than Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano.... More >>

• Wild Flag

  published October 27, 2011

  As Mastodon calls down the thunder upstairs, one of the hottest new bands of 2011 fires back from down below with a lethal dose of punk rock girl... More >>

• Mia Borders

  published October 27, 2011

  Artists like Mia Borders are what makes festivals like iFest worth going to — walk up to the stage with no idea who this person is and walk... More >>

• Chicken Fried

  published October 27, 2011

  A band with a No. 1 hit song called "Chicken Fried" couldn't be anything but country, perhaps. But even after a string of chart-topping singles... More >>

• deadhorse Gallops Back To Life At Warehouse Live

  published Oct 24, 2011

  Videos by Fuglymaniacs A wish many Houston music fans barely even dared to think to themselves, let alone utter out loud, came to pass when deadhorse returned from oblivion to face a nearly sold-o More >>

• Gene Kurtz, "Treat Her Right" Co-Writer, Passes Away

  published Oct 24, 2011

  ​Bassist Gene Kurtz, who co-wrote Roy Head's 1965 hit "Treat Her Right" and went on to play with a wide range of artists across rock, R&B, jazz and country, passed away Sunday night, according t More >>

• Funny HPMA Nomination Ballot Fails

  published Oct 21, 2011

  ​It does Rocks Off's heart good to see that our Music Award nominations have stirred up so much debate. As we mentioned Tuesday, according to our Web people, there were some 9,000 nominations su More >>

• Yes, deadhorse Is Playing Warehouse Live Saturday

  published Oct 20, 2011

  ​Ahh, the Internet - better than a game of Telephone. About an hour ago, the quiet of Rocks Off's peaceful Thursday afternoon (not really) was shattered by a phone call from Houston thrash-meta More >>

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  Houston "Doghouse" Blues Pianist Earl Gilliam Dead At 81

  published Oct 19, 2011

  ​Rocks Off contributor William Michael Smith just called in to regretfully inform us that Houston blues musician Earl Gilliam has passed away. Gilliam's friend and manager Sheri Goodman told Smi More >>

• HPMA Showcase: Win 2 Nights At South Shore Harbour

  published Oct 19, 2011

  ​Now that the 2011 Houston Press Music Awards ballot is up and running, Rocks Off would like to offer you a little more incentive to attend the HPMA showcase on Saturday, November 12. Head over More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Vintage Pics Of Destiny's Child, ZZ Top, Blue October & More

  published Oct 19, 2011

  ​The other day, one of the Rocks Off Crew was rummaging around in the Houston Press office and came across a bunch of publicity stills for various musicians. Allow us to explain what those are: More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Houston Press Music Awards Ballot Now Online

  published Oct 19, 2011

  ​Rocks Off is glad to see our 2011 Houston Press Music Awards ballot has been making some waves on Facebook and the Twitter since we posted it Tuesday evening. Now it's time for you to weigh in. More >>

• deadhorse

  published October 20, 2011

  There’s no telling how many lives were altered, and eardrums tainted, by the Houston black-metal squadron known as deadhorse. Even for... More >>

• BMC Block Party

  published October 20, 2011

  Another weekend, another outdoor music festival. This is getting to be pretty common around Houston, and we’re not complaining. In this... More >>