Email Author Chris Gray

Awards

• 2012 - Best of the West/First Amendment Funding, Inc., published February 10, 2011

  "Getting Past the Bouncer"

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2009 Stories by Chris Gray

• Art Rock: The Jerry Lightfoot Festival, In Memory of Rory Miggins, at the Continental Club

  published Nov 20, 2009

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  FEATURED STORY

  Inquiring Minds: Elizabeth Cook on Rodney Crowell, Florida Folk and "Apron Strings"

  published Nov 20, 2009

  rMost mornings, Rocks Off wakes up to Elizabeth Cook's country-as-cornbread drawl on her Outlaw Country satellite-radio program, "Apron Strings" (Sirius 63, XM 13, 5-9 a.m. Mondays). On her 2007 L... More >>

• Three Bassoons Walk Into a Bar...: The Near-Classical "Noncert" at Under the Volcano

  published Nov 20, 2009

  Under the Volcano does not feel like Under the Volcano. The TVs are off, so no more NBA on ESPN. Hayes Carll's Trouble In Mind has come and gone - in its entirety - on the jukebox, taking its bad liv... More >>

• "Buddha Bubba": Billy Gibbons and Bill Narum's Fellow Artists Comment on the ZZ Top Graphic Designer's Passing

  published Nov 19, 2009

  When Rocks Off learned that Texas countercultural icon and longtime ZZ Top graphic designer Bill Narum passed away Wednesday night, one of the first things we did was reach out to the ZZ camp for a st... More >>

• R.I.P. Bill Narum, KLOL Co-Founder, Leading Texas Counterculture Artist and ZZ Top Stage Designer

  published Nov 19, 2009

  Bill Narum, a key figure in Houston's counterculture in the late 1960s and early '70s, passed away Wednesday night at his home in Austin. The cause of death was an "apparent heart attack or something ... More >>

• Art Rock: Recess at Boondocks

  published Nov 19, 2009

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  FEATURED STORY

  Is Lightnin' Hopkins Finally About to Get His Own Official Historical Markerr

  published Nov 18, 2009

  rBoth Rocks Off and our predecessor in the music editor's chair have written about what a travesty it is that there is no official marker honoring perhaps the most famous and influential musician ... More >>

• Is Lightnin' Hopkins Finally About to Get His Own Official Historical Markerr

  published Nov 18, 2009

  Both Rocks Off and our predecessor in the music editor's chair have written about what a travesty it is that there is no official marker honoring perhaps the most famous and influential musician to ev... More >>

• Houston Dance Club Rich's Shut Down for Apparent Nonpayment of Taxes; Liquor License Suspended; May Reopen Tomorrow

  published Nov 18, 2009

  Update: According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's Web site, Rich's - listed as owned by MZM Nightlife, Inc. - has had its liquor license suspended. The license was scheduled to expire on ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Rich's Closed Over Tax Dispute, Possibly Only For A Short While

  published Nov 18, 2009

  rHair Balls received an email this morning that longstanding Houston dance club Rich's had been shut down. So far all the information we have been able to gather has come from social-networki... More >>

• I Gave Her a Ring...: Musical Minutiae About Fingers and Birds

  published Nov 17, 2009

  Although we recently discovered how to access the primitive version of Facebook on our non-iPhone (so watch out), Rocks Off generally lives in an Internet-free bubble outside the office. And happily s... More >>

• Uncle Charlie, In Considerably Fewer Words Than We Expended

  published Nov 17, 2009

  They say less is more, and in this case they're probably right. Houston poster artist Uncle Charlie, the subject of one of Rocks Off's recent columns in his ink-and-paper Noise persona, is currently t... More >>

• Honky-Tonk Revival

  published November 19, 2009

  There's a new fad taking hold on the hipster-crowded streets of deepest, darkest Montrose. Except this "fad" should be familiar to anyone who grew... More >>

• The Way He Sees It

  published November 19, 2009

  Raphael Saadiq is a musical soul, which probably explains why he has so much. The Oakland native, born Raphael Wiggins, is probably best known for... More >>

• Dwight Yoakam

  published November 19, 2009

  All Dwight Yoakam's local fans who have been waiting for him to please, please (baby) come back to Houston can now say "Thank you." When he came... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  One Final Word About the Westheimer Block Party, and the Rest In a Few Easy Clicks

  published Nov 16, 2009

  r Things could have gone smoother this past weekend on lower Westheimer. No one is denying that. Rocks Off has learned to live with the inevitable scheduling delays and interminable sound checks... More >>

• See What You Missed (or Didn't) at Westheimer Block Party With These Lovely Videos

  published Nov 16, 2009

  Video by Craig Hlavaty Right now Rocks Off HQ looks more like a MASH unit as we slowly recover from this weekend's Westheimer Block Party. We won't be on the shelf for long - not with the Marleys, Dw... More >>

• Free Press Staffer's Death Darkens Westheimer Block Party

  published Nov 16, 2009

  www.freepresshouston.com rThe first bit of news to report from this weekend's Westheimer Block Party is not a happy one at all. Late Saturday night, Free Press Houston staffer Lee Powers, 19, fe... More >>

• Westheimer Block Party Listology: Flowers to Hide Chooses the Saddest Songs In the World

  published Nov 12, 2009

  All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. Next up, Jesus... More >>

• Westheimer Block Party Listology: The Watermarks (Minus One) Choose Their Favorite Duets

  published Nov 12, 2009

  All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. Next up, four-... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  We've Been Had: The Enduring Wisdom of Uncle Tupelo's Anodyne

  published Nov 11, 2009

  Anodyne: Noun. Anything that relieves distress or pain. (dictionary.com) rWhen Son Volt goes onstage tonight at the Continental Club (we've heard around 11 p.m.), there's an outside chance the ba... More >>

• Westheimer Block Party Listology: Bright Men of Learning Remember Their Parents' Favorite Music

  published Nov 11, 2009

  All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. It's not too l... More >>

• Westheimer Block Party Listology: Paris Falls' Favorite, and Least Favorite, Musical Moments In the Movies

  published Nov 11, 2009

  All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. It's not too l... More >>

• Aftermath: Regina Spektor Wins a New Fan at Verizon Wireless Theater

  published Nov 11, 2009

  "This bed is on fire with passionate love..." Aftermath has always loved James' "Laid." It's one of our absolute favorite '90s songs, and there couldn't be a better one to preface Regina Spektor's imp... More >>

• Westheimer Block Party Listology: The Live Lights Choose 10 Albums to Take Into Space

  published Nov 10, 2009

  All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. It's not too l... More >>