Annie Lennox

Seething in the Rain

Musical Weather Update: Eurythmics

Author Ian Rankin On The Rolling Stones, Graphic Novels & Houston

Playing by Heart

Joseph Samuels never had any musical training. But five years ago he sat down at a piano, and people have been listening ever since.

Lady Sings the Pinks

Self-created disco-diva Pinque: If this is camp, it's camp with a guilelessly straight face

Five Best Strip-Club Movies

In concluding our tribute to the recently departed Penthouse Club, and as a service to future generations who may never know the joys of spending $9.50 for a Miller Lite or learn what a "bottle charge" is, here are some of the more memorable movies where strip joints serve as the main setting.5. Va ... More >>

Rotation

In concluding our tribute to the recently departed Penthouse Club, and as a service to future generations who may never know the joys of spending $9.50 for a Miller Lite or learn what a "bottle charge" is, here are some of the more memorable movies where strip joints serve as the main setting.5. Va ... More >>

Hold the Creamed Corn

Striptease captures the essence of Carl Hiaasen's darkly funny novel

Counter Revolution

At the Empire Cafe, employees let them eat cake

The Sister Cities Of Houston: A Critical Appraisal, Part 1

With the recent addition of Karachi, Pakistan, Houston now is a sister to 18 other cities around the world. Hair Balls is on the case - we studied all of them so you wouldn't have to. In the interest of brevity, though, we are parceling out our findings over the next couple of days. Here are the f ... More >>

Our Favorite Albums of 2007

Panning for gold in an avalanche of 2007 releases

Annie Lennox, Songs of Mass Destruction

CD Review

Cruel Summer

Are we hearing the death rattle of the sheds?

Hot-Rodding with the Top Down

The DragStrippers show why girls 'n' cars go so well together

Thea Gilmore

Avalanche (Compass Records)

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Maria Taylor's LadyLuck

During his Fourth of July road trip to San Antonio, Lonesome Onry and Mean found himself listening to Maria Taylor's excellent LadyLuck and wondering how he could have been so remiss in not reporting on such a fine record. Producer, singer, writer, arranger, Taylor is a huge multi-threat talent who ... More >>

He Said She Said: A Stripper Soundtrack, Part 2

You can leave your hat on...but get the rest of that kit off fast. The ladies don't mess around when it comes to superficially hot, oiled-up dudes (of questionable sexuality, but does that really matter?) getting naked on the stage at La Bare. But because the musical content at places like Chippend ... More >>

ACL 2009 Day One: Aftermath

Photo by Mark C. AustinSchool of Seven Bells​Before we start discussing the great music we heard yesterday, we would like to take time to thank the Gods Of Rock for blessing Day One of the Austin City Limits Festival (ACL) 2009 with an amazing afternoon and evening of weather. Anyone who has ... More >>

Can Rocks Off Withstand an Entire Hour of Sunny 99.1's Holiday Programming?

​Since Thanksgiving night, local dentist office-core radio station Sunny 99.1 FM has been pumping out non-stop Christmas tunes as they have been doing now for quite a few years. It's a Houston phenomenon and an ominous bellwether for the coming holiday. You pretty much know when you can hear Vanes ... More >>

American Idol: The Tumor is Removed...Eventually

​This is my first season of American Idol, and thus my first brush with the behemoth that is "Idol Gives Back." This is the third time the show has staged its charity event, and there were far fewer celebrities this year. The goal was ostensibly to educate viewers about the plight of the needy ... More >>

American Idol: The Tumor is Removed... Eventually

​This is my first season of American Idol, and thus my first brush with the behemoth that is "Idol Gives Back." This is the third time the show has staged its charity event, and there were far fewer celebrities this year. The goal was ostensibly to educate viewers about the plight of the needy ... More >>

Imogen Heap

​This is my first season of American Idol, and thus my first brush with the behemoth that is "Idol Gives Back." This is the third time the show has staged its charity event, and there were far fewer celebrities this year. The goal was ostensibly to educate viewers about the plight of the needy ... More >>

Beavis And Butt-Head's Greatest Video Hits, Dillhole

​On the night of November 28, 1997, Rocks Off was sitting in his friend Chad's parents' house in Pearland, watching the final episode of MTV's Beavis and Butt-head. The boys had been a part of our daily lives since at least fifth grade, and as we marched into the second semester of ninth grade ... More >>

Shellee Coley's Somber Tidings Of Comfort And Joy

​Shellee Coley is an acoustic siren with an amazingly haunting voice, and one of the many talented acts in the Magnolia Red family. Her debut album, The Girl the Stencil Drew, was a soft, sad, sweet spinning disc of delightfully dark ironies that we still cannot believe didn't make it into our ... More >>

NASA's New Comet Recordings: Worth Sampling Or Not?

nasa.govThe Temple 1 comet as seen by NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft​On Valentine's Day, NASA's Stardust was able to get within spitting distance of the comet Temple 1. This was the second visit by our spacecraft after Deep Impact buzzed Temple back in 2005, so it gave scientist their first cha ... More >>

Four Comic-Book Characters Inspired By Musicians

​Rocks off just can't seem to get comic books out of our blood. Between being fully immersed in Comicpalooza last weekend and trying to point out to Broadway how many other comic characters would make better and safer musicals than Spider-Man, we've regressed to being 15 with ink-stained figur ... More >>

Last Night: Emmylou Harris At Verizon Wireless Theater

Photos by Jason Wolter​Emmylou Harris & the Red Dirt Boys Verizon Wireless Theater June 22, 2011 The song about the Italian painter wasn't in the set, and at the end it seemed like it was the only song not in the set, but watching Emmylou Harris and her Red Dirt Boys paint the curtained-off V ... More >>

Nothing's Shocking: Thank You, Iggy Pop

singinglamb.caA young Iggy Pop has his way with a microphone stand c. 1968​Cyberspace was all abuzz on Monday, thanks to Lady Gaga's "shocking" VMA performance of "You and I" dressed as a young Ralph Macchio, or at least that's what it looked like from here. It was creative and bold, and defin ... More >>

World AIDS Day: Artists Who Have Contributed to the Cause

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Anna Bella Eema, A Christmas Carol, Cinderella, Fruitcakes, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, The Nutcracker

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, A Christmas Story — A Ghost Story of Christmas, Fruitcakes, The Nutcracker, The Santaland Diaries

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Cinderella, Fruitcakes, The Santaland Diaries

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

Capsule Stage Review: Fruitcakes

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

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

​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 bought 21 yesterday, the swiping of a credit card that completed a cycle that began several months ago. O ... More >>