3 Doors Down

The Republican Candidate's Guide To Picking Campaign Music

This week Republicans from around the country gather in Florida to celebrate all things conservative and curse Issac for stealing the national spotlight. For me the 2012 Republican National Convention marks the true start of the presidential campaign season, the playoffs to the primaries' regular se ... More >>

6 Unsolicited Suggestions About the Astros Fan Experience

The Houston Astros sent me a little fan survey last week, wanting my thoughts on the so-called fan experience at Minute Maid Park. There were some rather standard questions about where I usually sit, what price I usually pay for tickets and for parking. There weren't however, very many questions a ... More >>

ZZ Top Readies New Texicali EP For Release Next Week

Our long national nightmare is over: ZZ Top is finally releasing new music next Tuesday, June 5. Their Texicali EP will include four tracks off their upcoming Rick Rubin-produced album, which as of right now, still has no official title. "I Gotsta Get Paid," "Chartreuse," "Over You" and "Consumpti ... More >>

2012 Summer Guide: It's a Scorcher

A summer concert season to melt your face off.

Upcoming: Guided By Voices, English Beat, Gaslight Anthem, Yanni, Cave Singers, Etc.

3 Doors Down: Sat., June 23, 7 p.m., $35-$65. Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas, Houston. Big Pokey, Lil Flip, ESG, Lil Keke, Yungster: Wed., June 27, 8 p.m., $25/$30. Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, Houston. The Cave Singers: Sun., June 10, 8 p.m., $8. Continental Club, 3700 Main, Houston. Citizen ... More >>

What Happened To That ZZ Top Show In The Woodlands?

A few months back, Rocks Off announced that ZZ Top, 3 Doors Down and Gretchen Wilson would be playing the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on June 23. Now it appears that it isn't happening, after being listed on the venue's site and the Top site, it is now nowhere to be seen. Tickets had not gone ... More >>

ZZ Top Taps SUC Classic to Shill Dubious Malt Beverage

Rocks Off did certainly not expect to find this on the Internet today. Or ever, really. But what could possibly be the first single from ZZ Top's long-awaited new album is now appearing in a new ad for a budget line of liquor-flavored malt beverages, the kind you might find in a tub of ice near the ... More >>

ZZ Top & Their Gang Of Outlaws Hit The Woodlands June 23

ZZ Top is returning to the Houston stage June 23 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, for their "Gang Of Outlaws" tour, along with openers 3 Doors Down and Gretchen Wilson. Before you complain, Rocks Off would like to kindly remind that ZZ Top is the greatest group to come from Texas and the Ho ... More >>

"Comeback" Albums Nobody Is Really Asking For

Marc BrubakerLimp Bizkit flexes their "Gold Cobra" at Buzzfeest XXIV, May 2010​Mark your calendars, fellow music lovers. June 28 will be a sales matchup that'll make 50 Cent and Kanye's 2007 album release square-off look like a playground brawl. The contenders are Limp Bizkit and Taking Back S ... More >>

Movin' Out: Songs That Will Scare Off Bad Roommates

​Often times in our young adult lives, we come across a roommate who initially seems like a good match. They're capable of paying their rent on time and seem nice enough, so the possibility of your living arrangements blossoming into a sitcom looks fair. Then in a month's time, the Friends r ... More >>

The Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp From Hell

Rocks Off recently got invited to cover something known as Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp, which works a lot like baseball fantasy camp, except none of the participants can field a line-drive grounder. Among the idols rock campers will meet include 3 Doors Down, Mark Farner, the drummer from the Hooters a ... More >>

Hidden Things

Mercer is an upscale neighborhood nightclub, if you can find it.

The Music of True Blood, Episode 2: Austin's Vallejo Lies Down With a "Snake In the Grass"

​Vallejo is a rock and roll band of the highest caliber from just a few miles away in El Campo. The band started as a trio of three brothers who moved to Austin in order to pursue their dream of being the next Santana. Once in the "live music capital of the world," they added a rhythm guitarist an ... More >>

Pay for Play

Superstar session drummer and Dadaist marketing genius Josh Freese (Devo, A Perfect Circle, the Vandals) sells himself, his famous friends and all-you-can-eat shrimp at Sizzler to promote his new album.

Distant Early Warning: Houston's Concert Horizon

[Ed. Note: Since we already run a list of concerts just added/announced in print, we figured we might as well do it online too.]3 Doors Down: Sat., June 27, 8 p.m. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Baskery: Thu., Sept. 10. McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Cameo, One Way, The SOS Band: Sat., Aug. 15. Arena Th ... More >>

Suckfest - Sorry, Buzzfest - XXII Lineup Announced

Hey, didn't Korn break up after this album? They didn't? Our bad.In the midst of getting our collective Rocks Off panties in a twist over SXSW next week and the impending sweat-stained Westheimer Block Party, it's easy for us to forget what it's like on the other side of the music-snob fence. ... More >>

Aftermath: The Killers at Verizon Wireless Theater

Photos by Torey Mundkowsky Next year this decade will be over, and very few new bands have distinguished themselves either at the turnstiles or the cash register. Even one of the main ones that has, the Killers, chose to hit the theater circuit this winter after releasing its th ... More >>

Were These Really the Best Songs of 2008?

The Gutter Twins Maybe Rocks Off spent a lot of 2008 with his head in the archives, but he was paying attention to new stuff too. Occasionally. It's as easy as satellite radio, channel 47's (Ethel/Alt Nation) weekly new-music hour Submission/Transmission. Monday night, S/T happened to be playing ... More >>

Welcome to Never Ever Land

The Kids are Alright: Seventh Grader Reviews the New 3 Doors Down

Rogue Waves

A new report cuts through the static on the radio industry

Farewell to the Twenty Nickel

Looking back on the '05 and dreaming in the '06

Low Ride, Take It Easy

A trip to the Los Magnificos Car Show sets us to pondering why there can’t be a local rock equivalent

...And Justice for All

Rock's prime offenders face the music

Songs of Planet Krypton

The Man of Steel's pop-culture appeal is inscribed in decades of lyrics

How Long, Oh, Lord, How Long

Another outpost of crap plops onto the Houston dial, as this open letter reveals

Hip-hop, Tejas

Latinos take on rap music and make it their own

Houston Music Map

Queen Norah reigns, Josh Groban pains, and lots of Natalie Maines

Made With Love

Rosanne Cash is the friend who will say, or sing, what you can't