James McMurtry

Houston Bands Prepare to Invade SXSW

Starting this coming weekend, a slew (yes, a slew) of Houston bands will be invading Austin to take part in SXSW's official and unofficial revelry. Grandfather Child, Electric Attitude, Something Fierce, Bagheera and many others will be playing free day parties, showcases and pop-up festivals. Rec ... More >>

Upcoming: Black Crowes, Scott Biram, NRBQ, Air Supply, Etc.

Air Supply: Sun., Jan. 27, 8 p.m., $29.50. Arena Theatre, 7326 SW Freeway, Houston. Augustana: With Lauren Shera., Tue., Jan. 29, 8 p.m., $12/$16. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Beach Bones: Wed., Jan. 30, 7 p.m., Free. Heights Vinyl, 3122 White Oak Drive, Houston. The Black Crowes: Sun., ... More >>

The 30 Best Texas Albums

Ranking the 30 best Texas albums of the past 30 years seemed like an impossible task. We did it anyway.

Upcoming: Roky Erickson, Gucci Mane, Marc Anthony, Toby Keith, Daniel Johnston, Etc.

40 oz. to Freedom (Sublime Tribute): Fri., July 27, 8 p.m., $7/$10. Scout Bar Clear Lake, 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., Houston. Aesthetic Perfection: Sat., June 16, 9 p.m., $15. Numbers, 300 Westheimer, Houston. Alpha Rev: Sat., May 19, 8 p.m., $12/$15. Jet Lounge, 1515 Pease St., Houston. America: Thu ... More >>

Moonshining On The Rise in East Texas

For the second time this month, East Texas cops have broken up a moonshining operation. The latest case took place near Tyler, in tiny New Chapel Hill. Smith County Constables seized two stills belonging to one man whom they have charged with a misdemeanor, with more charges possibly pending. Cops ... More >>

6 Musicians Who Messed With Texas

Today, March 2, is Texas Independence Day, the day a bunch of old white politicians and landowners declared this part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas to be its own sovereign republic in a cabin near Washington-on-the-Brazos. For some inexplicable reason, Rocks Off does not have the day off ... More >>

Some Questions About the Texas Music Awards 2012 Ballot

If you think we were flabbergasted by songwriter Bob Cheevers touting his election as 2011 Songwriter of the Year in the Texas Music Awards sponsored by mytexasmusic.com and "sanctioned" (a hedge word that appears frequently in relation to the Texas Music Awards) by the Texas Academy of Music (high ... More >>

First Look at the Band Lineup for Chris Gray Day January 14

Chris Gray Day will be held in Houston, Texas on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at The Continental Club complex, at 3701 Main, affectionately known to locals that live near and haunt the grounds as "The Island". Today Rocks Off gets to announce the first round of bands playing that day's festivities, be ... More >>

Saturday Night: James McMurtry, Jason Isbell at Firehouse Saloon

Photos by Jason WolterJason Isbell (left) with Amanda Shires on violin.​Wow, Rocks Off is a huge fan of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, but Saturday night this hard-charging band from Muscle Shoals, Alabama got a lesson in Texas big beat. Isbell himself was sitting in the backstage area while J ... More >>

Survival Skills

Jason Isbell sees a glimmer of hope in his true-to-life melancholy story-songs.

James McMurtry Can Make It Here

​One of the truly gifted Texas songsmiths, James McMurtry has carved a nice, viable career out of great lyrics, stellar playing, hard touring, a good work ethic, and common sense. His last two studio albums, Childish Things (2005) and Just Us Kids (2008), established McMurtry as one of the mos ... More >>

10 American Anthems That Tell It Like It Is

​Captain America, Marvel's newest superhero movie, comes out today. We'll pause until the excitement passes. ... Rocks Off likes Captain America. The three comic books we read with any regularity as a scupper were Cap, Batman (Detective Comics), and Spider-Man. But we love America. The land ... More >>

Dick Dale Destroys Continental Club

Photos by Jason Wolter​In spite of a lifetime of healthy living that includes vegetarianism, martial arts, and an aversion to drugs and alcohol, Dick Dale, King of the Surf Guitar, realizes that he has a date with Grim Reaper. In our interview this week, Dale described the litany of medical pr ... More >>

Upcoming: The Blow, Incubus, Kyuss Lives, Opeth, Etc.

​The Blow: Fri., July 8. Fitzgerald's. Bury Your Dead, Evergreen Terrace: Sun., July 10. Warehouse Live. CJ Ramone: Sun., July 17. Warehouse Live. The Dear Hunter, Wild Orchid Children: Mon., Aug. 22. Warehouse Live. Dwight Yoakam: Fri., July 8. Arena Theatre. Filter, Saliva: Wed., Aug. ... More >>

Five East Texans Charged After Firing Weapons Near Oil Rig, Mocking Police

(Your reading enjoyment of the following story will be greatly enhanced if you play the video below at the same time.) In our second Only in East Texas story in as many days, we bring you what sounds very much like a true-life scene from James McMurtry's "Chocktaw Bingo"... At 1:45 in the wee ho ... More >>

Rocks Off Open For Bidness On Memorial Day

someecards.com​James McMurtry, "Memorial Day": Rocks Off has no idea what we're going to be doing on Memorial Day; we just know we're not going to be here, as in the office. We suspect Leon's Lounge will be involved somehow, because it usually is. But you should be here, as in on this very ... More >>

Last Night: Hayes Carll At Warehouse Live

Photos by Jason Wolter​Hayes Carll Warehouse Live December 28, 2010 It was almost New Year's Eve, just not cold as hell for Houston. For the third year in a row, Woodlands native Hayes Carll shambled back from Austin for his post-Christmas show at Warehouse Live, which might explain why the ... More >>

The Moonshine's A Harsh Mistress, East Texas (Of Course) Man Learns

Uncle Slaton's got his Texan prideBack in the thickets with his Asian brideHe's got an Airstream trailer and a Holstein cowStill makes whiskey 'cause he still knows how -- James McMurtry, "Chocktaw Bingo" Thanks to an informant's tip, a real-life Uncle Slaton was busted earlier this month in Smith C ... More >>

A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas: "New Texas"

In the third in our continuing series on the music of the five states of Texas, we examine the fictional state of New Texas, comprising Austin and the Hill Country. See Part 1 here and Part 2 here. New Texas Capital: Austin Patron Saint: Willie Nelson ​Lesser Icons: Roky Erickson/Thirteenth Floor ... More >>

A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas: "Palo Duro"

View Five States of Texas in a larger map As any proud Texan can tell you, the Lone Star State is entitled constitutionally to split into five states if it so wishes. The scenario has rarely been more in the news than it has relatively recently, when Gov. Rick Perry played to the wingnut gallery in ... More >>

Artist of the Week: Matt Harlan

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. It's hard to explain ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: A Tribute to Chris Gaffney

Chris Gaffney Right on the heels of Wednesday's announcement of Vanguard's new Doug Sahm tribute album comes Yep Roc's tribute to Chris Gaffney, The Man of Somebody's Dreams. Ironically, it includes some of the same high-profile roots artists who pay tribute to Sahm: Dave Alvin, Los ... More >>

Annual Pazz & Jop Results Released

Congrats, TV on the Radio! This morning our sister paper in Manhattan's Cooper Square, the Village Voice, released the results of its annual Pazz & Jop poll, where hundreds of music writers and editors rank their favorite albums of the past year in what has to be an absolute nightmare for th ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Miss Leslie Takes Top Honors in Freeform Americana Radio Awards

Miss Leslie and Her Juke-Jointers, "Yes Ma'am" Houston's own Miss Leslie Sloan of Miss Leslie and Her Jukejointers was tipped for a slew of honors in the most recent Best of 2008 voting by FAR (Freeform Americana Radio) members. She was voted Female Artist of the Year over Eliza Gilkyson and C ... More >>

2008 in Texas Albums and Local EPs

Tonight and Wednesday: Chris Knight at McGonigel's Mucky Duck

James McMurtry

Weekend Music: (Just Like) Starting Over

Tonight: Dustin Welch at Under the Volcano

Happy Record Store Day

Joe Ely

One of the original kings of alt-country is experiencing a renaissance

Nothing Happening Here: Protest Music, Then and Now

Big Chris Gates and Gatesville

Big Chris Gates and Gatesville perform Friday, March 2, at the Continental Club, 3700 Main, 713-529-9899. James McMurtry also performs.

This Just In: Music World Acquires Compadre

This Just In: Music World Acquires Compadre

Bored with Apathy

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

Farewell to the Twenty Nickel

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

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Camp Death

The site of Cindy Sheehan's war protest is crowded with opinions and ghosts

"I Raq and Roll" vs. "We Can't Make It Here"

Two Houston-connected musicians offer up different takes on the war. One veteran tells Racket which he thinks is better and why.

Take Me Out...

...to the ball game. Lauding baseball-in-rock's finest moments.

Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey! Bands, Bands, Bands!

A South By Southwest diary

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

James McMurtry and the Heartless Bastards

Live in Aught-Three (Compadre Records)

Reckless Kelly

Saturday, July 12

Townes Van Zandt

Texas Rain: The Texas Hill Country Recordings and The Best of Townes Van Zandt (Tomato)

James McMurtry

Saturday, May 4

The Book of James

Colorful characters fill James McMurtry's Tex-rock sound

Rotation

Dandy Affair