Dead Kennedys

Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death at Fitzgerald's, 5/10/2013

Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Immolation Fitzgerald's May 10, 2013 By the time the clock struck 9 p.m. at Fitzgerald's on Friday night, it didn't appear possible to cram another black T-shirt into the place. Longhairs were already stacked up past the rafters inside the old club on White Oak, even ... More >>

Remembering Phil Ochs, the "Singing Journalist"

Phil Ochs was never Bob Dylan. Oh, he wanted to be Dylan, but ol' Zimmy booted that bastard right out of his limo. "You're not a folksinger, you're a journalist." If only Phil had accepted himself as "the singing journalist." After failing to find the commercial success he so desired, Ochs turned ... More >>

10 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: November 9-11

Glass the Sky Fitzgerald's, November 9 Glass the Sky has been around about a year, but consider Friday's show a coming-out party. According to bassist and vocalist Michael Mazzella, the five local musicians had been playing in other bands for years and gradually realized they were going through the ... More >>

Remembering The Island: Where R.E.M. Played, but XTC Wouldn't

Despite the dust of time that usually befalls venues and lore from punk's rambunctious past, The Island has remained a steady icon of Houston's underground movement that swept to the surface as classic arena rock and cosmic country choked the FM airwaves. Rewind: Houston's Island of Misfit Bands B ... More >>

Dust Off Your Flannel

Does the looming '90s revival presage a Nirvana-style breakthrough?

Last Weekend: When We Ruled H-Town Showcase at Fitzgerald's

Note: It took us a little while to track down pictures from the show. Thanks again to Mr. Adler for letting us use his. -- Ed. When We Ruled H-Town reunion feat. deadhorse, Manhole, Tread, Wishbone Bush, Taste of Garlic, Fitzgerald's August 3-4, 2012 An interesting experiment happened in Houston ... More >>

Last Night: Agent Orange At Warehouse Live

Agent Orange, The American Heist Warehouse Live February 21, 2012 In retrospect, Mardi Gras might not have been the best night for venerable surf-punk outfit Agent Orange to kick of their 2012 tour. The crowd in the Warehouse Live studio was sparse, and Rocks Off would like to tell ourselves other, ... More >>

Rick Perry Campaign Songs You May Hear Soon

Bryan Williams"Hey man, is that Freedom Rock? Turn it up!"​In news that surprised absolutely no one, Rick Perry - governor of the great state of Texas for 11 years running - announced his candidacy for Presidency of the United States last weekend. The news of Perry throwing his hat in the ring ... More >>

Bobby Fuller: Still No Answers 45 Years After His Death

​Forty-five years ago today, on July 18, 1966, rocker Bobby Fuller was found dead in the front seat of his car in Hollywood, covered in gasoline, with the liquid also found in his system. The cops said he died of gas inhalation, with the fumes doing him in, but couldn't conclude for sure if it ... More >>

1986: Best Musical Year Ever?

​For almost two weeks now, Rocks Off has been obsessed with the year exactly 25 flips of the calendar backward from this one. It started when Steve Earle did one of his "Time Machine" shows, where the singer-songwriter who plays House of Blues Wednesday spotlights a dozen or so of his favorite ... More >>

Street Soul

Alejandro Escovedo puts strings on ice for the penetrating rock of his past two albums.

Saturday Night: Mojo Nixon At The Continental Club

Photos by Jason Wolter​Mojo Nixon & the Toadliquors Continental Club February 26, 2011 When Mojo Nixon "retired" from recording and touring following 2009's Whisky Rebellion, the music world breathed a sigh of relief (or sorrow) that one of its principal loose cannons had finally been silence ... More >>

Riding The Musical Wave At Saturday's HPMAs

The American Heist at Walter's on WashingtonJim Bricker​Saturday didn't start out very promising: Almost as soon as Rocks Off arrived at the intersection of Washington and Silver, where the Bud Light main stage was set up, the sky darkened, then drizzled, then began pouring rain. The downpour ... More >>

Chatter: Say Hey

Spearhead leader Michael Franti's Middle Eastern trip inspires an unlikely Top 40 hit.

Houston Punks Legionaire's Disease Band, Gone But Hardly Forgotten

Coffin Corner

WTF Island: Jackson Five, Kid Rock, Glenn Danzig, Rock Camp and Assteroids

Even as our economy continued to go up in flames like the Toyota Center, the carnival of WTF kept trolling along this week. It seemed that every day we saw something so asinine and foolish that we couldn't keep up. Jackson Family slavery museums, rock and roll fantasy camps, Kid Rock's new beer, "As ... More >>

Buckcherry's Sweet Success

Drinking and drugging with crazy bitches sounds like more fun than the law will allow, but playing in a red-hot rock band is not always an all-you-can eat orgy. "I think people realize there's a lot more to this band than just fucking and partying," says Buckcherry guitarist Keith Nelson. That r ... More >>

Think Buckcherry Has Mellowed? Crazy Bitch...

All Lit Up Again

The Judy's Come Back

Just in time for SXSW, the Pearland New Wavers brush off the mothballs

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

You wanted the best — you got the best: Guitar Hero III

Bored with Apathy

Houston's old-school punks reunite to aid a stricken legend

Band on the Run

A murder confession puts the Jonbenét in the news

Exene Cervenka & the Original Sinners

Friday, April 7, at the Meridian, 1503 Chartres, 713-629-3700

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Wack's Very Special Holiday Music Guide

Down Is Up

System of a Down is rock's least likely success story

Play It Pretty for Cabaret Voltaire

A Rice grad stakes his claim as the inventor of the ironic "Freebird" request; also: there's a Lanky new kid on H-town's burgeoning pop-rock scene

Swede Emotion

Capitalism gives the leftists in the (International) Noise Conspiracy a raw deal

A Star Is Reborn

Mike Haaga of dead-horse infamy leaves metal in the wake of a glorious new record

switchfoot

No matter what you call 'em, they're headlining the Music Awards

Lutefisk Sushi

Sweet J.A.P. is without a doubt the best Japanese punk band from Minneapolis

All His Life

The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl is always between rock and a hard place

Barnyard Boogie

Former Houstonian Kev Russell talks about Snoop Dogg and Cow Fish Fowl or Pig

Hot Tunes, Summer in the City

Houston Press Music Awards Showcase 2002

Diarrhea of a Madman

With the Experience, GWAR's Brockie examines the subtler nuances of bodily fluids

Think Small

Houston rockers Dirty Rotten Imbeciles keep the faith with intimate venues

Son of Jack

Kerouac-inspired, Austin-based Guy Forsyth trips out in Americana dream

Chucking It All

Bryn Tustin was an electrician from New Jersey who became a punk-music DJ in Houston, opened a record store and remade himself into Chuck Roast.

Talking Revolution

Michael Franti and Spearhead are into change, if not the Internet

Ground-in Dirt

Bad boys Taste of Garlic are trying to clean up their act. Yeah. Sure.

Road Rules

The Toadies have two addresses -- one on wheels, the other on-stage

Prankster Punk

Chixdiggit make a mockery of everyone -- including themselves

Rotation