Joey Ramone

It Came From the Bowery: Punk Magazine Returns

The Best of Punk Magazine Edited by John Holstrom It Books. 372 pp., $30. While the thought of a hardcover, slick-papered, coffee-table book anthologizing the decidedly low-rent, ragtag Punk magazine might seem the antithesis of punk, even a curmudgeon like Johnny Rotten would have to spit a gob in ... More >>

Top 10 Heartbreaking Holiday Covers

Last week we took a look at some of the most holiday spirit-dampeningly awful songs ever recorded. We aren't quite done ruining your holiday spirit just yet however, as this week we have compiled ten of the saddest holiday cover songs ever recorded. Rewind: The 10 Worst Holiday Cover Songs Ever ... More >>

Why Is Cee Lo Green's "Blitzkrieg Bop" Cover Not a National Emergency?

The United States has a lot on its plate these days. Things like the looming presidential election, whatever the hell is going on in the Middle East at the time of this writing, and just a general feeling of panic, paranoia and resigned fear. Rewind: Say No to Cee Lo: 5 Musicians Who Should Get Sit ... More >>

Start the Revolution! 10 Songs About Historical Events

If you ever look at music throughout time, along with a history book -- they kind of complement each other. Some of the greatest songs in rock, R&B and rap have chronicled history both social, major news events, sports, entertainment and political. In my opinion, many times, the song is about what ... More >>

Star Wars Day: Recasting The Movie With '70s Rock Stars

Today is Star Wars Day, or "May the 4th be with you." Something less than a national holiday but more than a horrific pun, it's evidence that we still very much live in a Star Wars world 35 years after the movie was released, as well as that once the Internet gets ahold of an idea, the rest of us mi ... More >>

Iron Men: Five Rock 'n' Roll Cancer Survivors

Sad news emerged today that heavy metal godfather Tony Iommi has been diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma. It was a big shock for Black Sabbath fans, as the group's original lineup have a new album and a world tour planned for 2012. Though already counted among rock and roll's ultimate sur ... More >>

Comfortably Numb: Songs For Your Deathbed

"My ride's here."​Rocks Off has never died, it's true. Though we sometimes find ourselves dying in small doses day to day when we spy an old man clip his toenails in the nude at the gym, or we open up a dozen emails from record label PR folk touting a five-date national tour. Living humans a ... More >>

R.I.P Joey Ramone: Top 10 Ramones Songs...

Besides "I Wanna Be Sedated" And "Blitzkrieg Bop" Dawkeye via Wikipedia​It was ten years ago today that the world lost their first Ramone, when Joey Ramone succumbed to lymphoma in New York City at the age of 49, one month shy of turning 50. The iconic punk frontman would lead the Ramones in ... More >>

Five Vices That Need Celebrity Endorsements

Ed. Note: Rocks Off does not advocate trying any of the products mentioned in this article (even if they exist) or, really, following any of Jef With One F's advice about anything at all. ​When Marilyn Manson put out Mansinthe, that was cute. Then David Lynch put out his own brand of coffee, ... More >>

Ronald Reagan: Biggest Punk Icon Of The '80s

​Forget names like Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, Joe Strummer, Sid Vicious or even Joey Ramone. The most iconic figure of the '80s punk and hardcore scenes wasn't a dude with liberty spikes or a three-inch gash in his forehead. It was the retired film actor, father of five, former governor of C ... More >>

UC Radio's Mike Yusi: How To Succeed In Podcasting

"Traditional radio is as dead as Joey Ramone." ​Last year, Rocks Off's editor - who will be played by upcoming Celebrity Apprentice contestant Gary Busey for the duration of this article - hauled us into his office and said, "Dammit, With One F! This radio on the Internet thing is blowing up ... More >>

Top 10 Non-Traditional Christmas Songs

"Baby Jesus, born to rock..." ​Amidst the time of year when we're bombarded with cliché holiday tunes and trite Christmas-carol covers, Rocks Off will now take time to appreciate a few original nontraditional takes on festive songs. Whether they're dismal adaptations of holiday malaise, tale ... More >>

Pocket Rockers: Ten Musicians 5'5" And Under

Photo illustration by Monica Fuentes; click image to enlargeThe Tall Guys, l-r: Ric Ocasek (The Cars), John Mayer, Joey Ramone​Saturday night, closet cat lover and reigning Dark Lord Glenn Danzig will be in town for a headlining gig over at Warehouse Live. The diminutive, but no less awesome, ... More >>

Seven Songs To Mourn A Beloved Pet

R.I.P. Cholula​The Craig's Hlist family had an emotional time this past week, to say the least. We had to say goodbye to our chihuahua Cholula after 11 years of bright-eyed yapping and begging for scraps and cookies. She had a bad back, which basically rendered her hind legs paralyzed the last ... 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 >>

Last Night: Hole At House Of Blues

Photos by Groovehouse / Click here for a slideshow​Hole House of Blues July 6, 2010 It wasn't a train wreck. And we all had such high hopes. Courtney Love and the four-man retinue she calls Hole these days - mostly distinguishable by their wardrobe (dreadlocked drummer, Scally-capped keyboar ... More >>

The Top 10 Music-Video Riots

From Agnostic Front's "Riot, Riot Upstart"​Just like the Stones said, "Summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the street, boy." Only the best social insurrections and riots happen in the heat of the summer. It makes us wonder why Houston hasn't had more angry, heat-stoked street ... More >>

The Energy

Rock 'N' Roll High School Revisited

​As a producer and director, Roger Corman earned his reputation as "King of the B Movies" with efforts like Attack of the Crab Monsters and Galaxy of Terror. Shout! Factory is issuing many of them on DVD, including this cult classic. The gloriously campy 1979 Rock 'n' Roll High School centers arou ... More >>

Get Lit: I Slept with Joey Ramone by Mickey Leigh with Legs McNeil

​Though the title indicates this might be a juicy memoir from a punk-rock groupie, it's actually by the brother of the Ramones singer, who did indeed share a bedroom with the tall boy born Jeffrey Hyman for many years. The crux of the book follows Leigh's (born Mitchell Hyman) extremely up-and-dow ... More >>

"Day of the Dead Rock Stars"

Carlos Hernandez turns Día de los Muertos into an homage to rockers

We Still Miss You, Joey Ramone

Even though he's been gone for almost a decade now, we still love Joey Ramone. We defy anyone to find a more perfect way to spend 30 or so minutes than listening to the band's self-titled 1976 debut. It cures what ails ya. The lead howler of the Ramones, born Jeffrey Hyman, would have been 58 Tuesd ... More >>

Ten Gruesomely Good Halloween Songs, Pt 1: New York Dolls, Dr. Elmo, Ramones and More

Byron Dean's Matagorda Island Discs

(In which locals sound off on the ten records they would take to Matagorda Island, the nearest major unpopulated sandbar to Houston.)

Double Vision

Jess and Lisa Origliasso give teen pop a harmonic jolt as the Veronicas

Legendary Beats

Get a heady dose of drum 'n' bass at Planet of the Drums

Rogue Bosoms, Bouncing Booties and Pac-Man Raps

Looking back on the '04

The Bamboo Kids, with Pearlene and the Bloody Hollies

Sunday, March 21

Love Bites

Mosquitos meld the Big Apple and Brazil

Rocket Redux

Cleveland legends come roaring full-throttle out of the tombs

Faux Strummer, Bogus Buzzcocks and Phony Ramones

Never mind the bollocks, here's Rudyard's punk karaoke night

The Star Spangles, with the Datsuns

Tuesday, May 27

Glamorous Youth

Sharon Osbourne put the local kids of Pure Rubbish in front of millions on MTV. Then things fell apart.

Rock and Roll Swirlie

Manhattan's Toilet Boys keep '80s hair metal and '70s glam rock from circling the drain

Joey Ramone

Don't Worry About Me (Sanctuary Records)

A Punk Looks at 50

Billy Idol's mind is still the devil's workshop

The Sperlings

Green Manilow (Self-released)

Quiet Riot

The indie movement that is Sleater-Kinney keeps getting bigger

Punk Put-On

Hard Core Logo takes a mock-documentary lookat musicians lost

Rotation

Static

Learning Curve

Once the music's in place, what, the Orphans ask, comes next?

A Taste of the Hellhole

Justice plans to "reinvest" in the community with a sampler of local bands