Celebrity News

Pop Rocks: Pocket Full Of Kryptonite

Lindsay Lohan's in my next movie? Just leave the bottle.​I'd done a decent job putting the fact they're rebooting the Superman franchise *again* next year out of my mind, that is until a flurry of recent Man of Steel-related news items popped up in the last week or so. "Wait," you're saying, ... More >>

Solo Albums: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

​Tomorrow night, former Audioslave lead singer and (thankfully) current Soundgarden member Chris Cornell will be at House of Blues for a long-sold-out acoustic show. Recent set lists have included a number of Temple of the Dog songs, some solo work, the usual 'Garden and 'Slave tracks, plus a ... More >>

Beyonce, Dad No Longer Client, Manager

​Beyonce has severed business ties with her father and longtime manager since the days of Destiny's Child, Mathew Knowles, according to a press release from Houston-based Music World Entertainment. "The decision for Beyonce and Music World Entertainment to part was mutual," Mathew Knowles, Mu ... More >>

Top 20 Despised, Yet Wildly Popular, Bands And Musicians

Scott Stapp, lead singer of Creed (above), stops at House of Blues tonight on his current acoustic tour. More than likely you have already clicked off this blog, or at least already gone on auto-pilot to call him a fuck-ass in the comments section. We'll wait a sec for you to come back. OK, the ... More >>

Tweens Shrug Off Influence Of So-Called Slutwave Singers

Purple Apple's Olivia, age 13, prefers Joan Jett to Katy Perry.​Earlier this year, Rocks Off took a curious delve into the bewildering appeal of today's successful female pop singers. When such artists are aptly and comfortably categorized into a subgenre called "Slutwave," it makes us wonder ... More >>

Idol Beat: Idol Worship

Fox​The Daily Beast had a story up yesterday about how this season of American Idol might be the best ever: This year, the contenders have already proven energetic, and the audience is responding, with half a dozen developing breakout followings across the Internet, even before the finals hav ... More >>

Pre-Bieber, Five Memorable Musician Interview Gaffes

​Remember in the days before "Bi-winning," when Twitter was all up in arms about Justin Beiber's interview with Rolling Stone? Was it really a surprise that some of the pop star's opinions, as told to the magazine last month, would be half-baked and maybe even a bit ignorant? Put aside for a ... More >>

Idol Beat: Some Girls

​I missed most of last night's introduction because I was still trying to get my head around how they're going to milk tonight's selection show for two freaking hours. American Idol is just another example of domestic ineffeciency: take what should be -- at best -- a thirty minute program and ... More >>

Colin Firth for Best Actor? Not So Fast.

​I realize the actual Academy Awards aren't set to be broadcast until Sunday night, when millions of people will watch -- for the first hour, at least -- as co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway lob Nerfball zingers at their fellow actors, make passively tasteless jokes about speech impedime ... More >>

Diddy's Top Five WTF Videos

​Sean Combs Sean "Puffy" Combs Puffy Puff Daddy P. Diddy Diddy is coming to Warehouse Live on May 12 on his "Diddy Dirty Money Tour," behind his newest album, Last Train To Paris. The prolific businessman, producer, and rapper is embarking on one of his very, very scarce tours. We aren't too ... More >>

Like the Obamas Wanted to Go to Your Stupid Royal Wedding Anyway

The invite the Obamas -- and you -- didn't receive​Despite having cast off the shackles of the British monarchy over 230 years ago, our great nation has yet to free itself of the embarrassingly colonial obsession with all matters concerning the Royal Family. A cursory scan of Google News yest ... More >>

Somebody Make a Charlie Sheen/Lindsay Lohan Reality Show Already

It'll be just like this, only with more felony warrants and broken teeth​Believe it or not, writing about so-called "pop culture" has its difficulties. For starters, it's hard to deal with the effusive praise and overwhelming respect heaped upon you by your colleagues, none of whom view entert ... More >>

Clay Aiken: Tried and True

Top 10 Super Bowl Halftime Shows

idontlikeyouinthatway.com​This Sunday, Rocks Off will be live-blogging and tweeting this year's Super Bowl halftime show, which will feature noted scholars The Black Eyed Peas. We are diligently studying the entire BEP canon and that of all of their solo members, like the dedicated pop histori ... More >>

Tubby Chubcakes' Lyrics Will Melt Your Brain

Tubby Chubcakes: The great beef hunter strikes again.​Rocks Off was going to write a review of the new Tubby Chubcakes album, Tubby vs. The Musical Brain-Eating Disease, but honestly it's kind of like trying to explain Scientology to a blind water snake. Remember Tubby's video "Destroy Nickel ... More >>

Safe at Home

PJ's Sports Bar is the coziest tavern in Montrose.

Too $hort

Slutwave: Pop Phenomenon Or Feminist Scourge?

"Every generation needs a new revolution." - Thomas Jefferson Marc BrubakerKe(Dollar Sign)ha at House of Blues, July 2010​As one of the few women on the Rocks Off writing team, we were fervently proud to take an introspective stab at the new, curiously named micro-genre that 2010 bestowed upo ... More >>

Top 10 Musician Movie Cameos

Rocks Off has no idea why Mick Jagger might prefer Performance to Ned Kelly.​Over recent years, Rocks Off has been repeatedly surprised by the quality performances of musicians in films. Naturally, there are some duds in the mix; even Mick Jagger himself, who starred in 1970's Ned Kelly, disow ... More >>

KISS, Kid Rock, Janet Jackson Head 2011 Rodeo Lineup

​KISS, Janet Jackson and Kid Rock head the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's 2011 concert schedule, which the rodeo announced earlier Monday morning. Among the other 13 entertainers rounding out this year's lineup are recent rodeo stalwarts Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Lady Antebe ... More >>

Another Year

2010 is old news. Here are ten to watch out for in 2011.

Guns N' Roses, Rolling Stones, Prince Coming In 2011?

Sind Axl und Slash wieder Freunde geworden?​Rocks Off is in the concert business for all intents and purposes. We scour Pollstar and other Web sites and almost hourly looking for new shows and tours to tell you about around the clock. In the span of writing this introduction we just listed Luc ... More >>

Island Of Misfit Christmas Albums: Teen Pop Meltdown

​It happens like this: You are in charge of a major teen-pop act who can sell anything with their face or voice on it, be it training bras, shaving cream, or caskets. You have a week off in the summer from touring. Do you let the talent go home and sleep in their own beds or do you shove the ... More >>

Prince William's Bachelor Party: A Snoopadelic Recap

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn GrayClick image to enlarge (trust us on this one)​When Rocks Off saw a press release with the subject line, "SNOOP DOGG RELEASES BRAND NEW SONG FOR PRINCE WILLIAM'S BACHELOR PARTY," we assumed perhaps April Fool's had arrived early. Last week, you see, whe ... More >>

Katy Perry? For Album Of The Year? Seriously?

​Don't get Craig's Hlist wrong, we think that Katy Perry is extremely attractive. In fact, if we think about her long enough, it makes us want to cry and punch a wall. She's a buxom, bubbly, raven-haired pop star who dresses like she's expensive grandma candy. We even interviewed her last ye ... More >>

New Dynamo Stadium May Not Change Concert Climate Much

Marco TorresLady Gaga at Toyota Center, July 25​Conceivably, today's announcement that the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has agreed to act as landlord for the proposed Houston Dynamo stadium in downtown's East End could present a serious challenge to the Houston area's reigning concer ... More >>

Exes On Tour: White Stripes, ABBA, Lindsey & Stevie...

​We're all familiar with the credo against intra-office dating, often crudely expressed as "Don't shit where you eat." Most of us subscribe to it, knowing the potential drama it could ensue. "How will this affect my work," we wonder. "What happens if we break up?" But all's fair in love and ... More >>

Kombucha Comeback

​For those experiencing withdrawal over the last six months from the kombucha crisis of 2010, you can now rest easy in knowing that it's back. The fermented probiotic beverage was abruptly pulled from supermarket shelves across the country last June after Lindsay Lohan's SCRAM ankle bracelet, ... More >>

Taylor Swift's Top Nine Future Feuds

​Still the No. 1 album in the country, Taylor Swift's Speak Now is awash in lyrics bashing her former flames, friends, lovers and Kanye West. The pop-country singer knows how to turn a bitter phrase, and we can only hope that she keeps getting better and better at it. She's not yet 21, but S ... More >>

Ten Rock-Star Crushes We Still Haven't Outgrown

​Artists like Elvis Presley, Madonna, and Mick Jagger undoubtedly helped define the consumate rock star crush. But there have been a handful of worthy others along the way - armed with that certain je ne se quoi - who haven't left our radar. Years later, turns out we're still smitten with thi ... More >>

Backmasking Bieber, Black Keys, Kanye, Etc.: What Do You Hear?

​"It's my sweet Satan ... Oh I will sing because I live with Satan." "Turn me on, dead man." "Turned out nice again." "Eat donkey crap." Every since the beginning of rock and roll, listeners and disgruntled parents alike have been searching for hidden meanings in music. Was Paul dead, w ... More >>

Eight Halloween Ideas For Today's Hottest Pop Stars

Photo Illustrations by Monica FuentesJohn Mayer as Justin Bieber​Halloween is only a little over a week away, and the spirit of the season is in the air. Rocks Off knows everyone has already picked out their costumes: Girls are starving themselves to fit into that slutty nurse or cop uniform, ... More >>

Falcon Lake: Casting The Inevitable Lifetime Movie

Tiffany Young-Hartley: Only Reese Witherspoon could do her justice​Okay, so it's time to get started on the script and casting for the movie about David and Tiffany's fateful Jet-Ski trip on Falcon Lake. First, what to name this movie? The Pirates of Falcon Lake will never do: it conjures Johnn ... More >>

So Who Hasn't Gotten Naked?

W Magazine: All about the art.​In the latest news from the Land That Talent Forgot, Kim Kardashian has gone starkers for the November issue of W Magazine: Kim Kardashian has bared all on the cover of a fashion magazine. The reality star, who turns 30 on Oct. 21, appears nude on W Magazine's ... More >>

The Five Most Bogus Rapper Apologies

​It's the unwritten rule in rap: never apologize. Offering apology in hip-hop is a sign of weakness and rappers simply can't appear weak, no matter what. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Yet, every now and then we'll see a rapper apologize for stepping out of line. Earlier this week, Paul Wa ... More >>

Adam Lambert: Reviewing Our Review

Photos by Faith Silva​Rocks Off would like to take this opportunity to address the hundreds of comments that Brandon Hernsberger's review of Adam Lambert's performance last Wednesday at the Hobby Center provoked. First of all, Rocks Off is not homophobic, nor would we allow anyone we even sus ... More >>

Is Tupac Really One Of The Top Five MCs Ever?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Trae, Mr. Lee, V-Zilla, Fat Tony, Candi Redd, Yung ... More >>

FAIL: Lady Gaga, Spain

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn Gray​Oh No, Not Lady Gaga, Too: Get ready, kids. We've got some truly shocking, devastating news for you. Are you sitting down? Okay, good, now listen closely. Lady Gaga - the whacked-out pop singer you've been listening to for the past couple of years - has ... More >>

Sheryl Crow

Ten Iconic Musical Nicknames, And 25 You May Never Guess

​You know what sucks? Getting saddled with a really awkward family nickname when you are younger and it following you until it takes a frenzied freak-out to stop it. We were once called "Pooter" by our mother until an eight-year-old Rocks Off gave her a terse look right before third grade star ... More >>

Vanilla Ice And 11 Other Artists Dallas Can Keep

​Tomorrow night at 2016 Mainstage, Houston gets to relive its (our?) dark white-rap past when Dallas native Vanilla Ice hits the stage at the venue formerly known Sammy's On Main. Yes, that Vanilla Ice, from our haughty neighbors to the north who can do no wrong in the eyes of Texas Monthly. ... More >>

Justin Bieber's Autobiography: The Lost Introduction

​Today Rocks Off got word that pop sensation Justin Bieber was finishing up his first autobiography. The 16-year-old is set to release Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story in October - in print, not tweet by tweet, no less. Following in the footsteps of other poppers like Miley Cyrus, ... More >>

What Does Katy Perry Taste Like?

​Last week when we gave Kesha a bloggardly shellacking, we compared her and other female pop stars of her ilk to burritos. You may remember we said she was a gas-station burrito and Miley Cyrus was a Big Mac wrap. It was either a stroke of genius or the starved ramblings of a music writer subs ... More >>

What Does Katy Perry Taste Like?

​Last week when we gave Kesha a bloggardly shellacking, we compared her and other female pop stars of her ilk to burritos. You may remember we said she was a gas-station burrito and Miley Cyrus was a Big Mac wrap. It was either a stroke of genius or the starved ramblings of a music writer subs ... More >>

6 Ideas: How to Dress Like A Rock Star

​This Saturday we'll be Partying Like A Rock Star with Allen Hill and DJ Psychedlic Sex Panther... and maybe Tina Turner, Pink, Zombie Michael Jackson, and probably a few Elvii... or at least some people in attire inspired by famous singers. The event at House of Dereon is a fundraiser benefit ... More >>

Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010

The greatest of guitar greats dazzle during a two-hour film documentary

Lindsay Lohan: 10 Songs To Put Her In The Mood For Prison

​It was just six years ago that the world was in love with Lindsay Lohan, the grown-up child star of The Parent Trap and that year's Mean Girls. At the time, Craig's Hlist was dating a girl who forbade her visage at every turn - we were a Hilary Duff couple, and in her mind Lohan and Duff were ... More >>

Weird Al Yankovic Dishes On Gaga, Michael Jackson, McCartney And More

Seth Olenick​While most comedy artists quickly dissipate into one-hit-wonderdom, Weird Al Yankovic has continued to reign as the accordion-toting king of musical satire for over three decades now. In anticipation of Saturday's show at Verizon Wireless Theatre, Rocks Off chatted with Weird Al a ... More >>

Free Lindsay Lohan: Chances Hath Spoken!

Craig Hlavaty​You get it? Because Lindsay Lohan dated a girl and Chances is a bar where women kiss women on the mouth and hold hands?

Lindsay Lohan: Five Celebrity Courtroom Meltdowns Better Than Hers

​Turns out the Mean Girl wasn't so mean after all. Former child star and current cautionary tale Lindsay Lohan broke down in court after receiving a 90-day jail sentence for probation violation: "Are you serious?" she sobbed to her attorney as she furiously plucked Kleenex out of a tissue bo ... More >>