Julian Casablancas

Why Has the Strokes' Comeback Tanked?

The great hope of rock and roll critics at the start of the 21st century, the Strokes, released their newest record Comedown Machine last month. It was met with the sort of lukewarm reviews that the band has been receiving for years now; about the greatest compliment anyone can give it is that "it's ... More >>

Daft Punk Rumors Abound at Coachella

Ed. Note: This one comes to us from our friends at LA Weekly's West Coast Sound. No, Seriously, Is Daft Punk Playing Coachella? This is, so far, the burning question of this festival, being asked everywhere from the campsites to the press tent. Even though the French dance-punk duo officially squa ... More >>

Last Night: Unknown Mortal Orchestra at Fitzgerald's

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Foxygen Fitzgerald's February 22, 2013 It took a good twenty minutes, but finally the lights went red (just like last time they were here) and Unknown Mortal Orchestra slithered to the stage. Frontman Ruban Nielson was ominous in a black leather skullcap and what I believe ... More >>

iFest: Top 5 Argentine-American Musicians

The Houston International Festival enters its second weekend tomorrow, with featured musical acts WAR, Joe Louis Walker, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Texas Tornados, Del Castillo, Steel Pulse and lots more. Although iFest's performers come from all over the world, all around the main stages will be the sig ... More >>

Father Figures: 100 Famous Musicians' Paternal Professions

If you're a Texan of a certain age, this week you've probably spent some time mourning the death of Jerry Haynes, the children's TV host better known as Mr. Peppermint. Haynes' show on WFAA-TV in Dallas, Peppermint Place, ran from the '60s to the '90s and was widely syndicated across the state, incl ... More >>

The Modern Age: 10 Facts You May Not Know About The Strokes

Marco TorresThe Strokes' Julian Casablancas at ACL 2010​This week marks 12 years since the Strokes debuted as a live band, at NYC's Spiral on September 14, 1999. The crowd, they recall, was five paying customers and assorted band girlfriends - humble beginnings for a band that would be both ex ... More >>

The 20 Best Tribute Albums Of All Time

Hootie covered Zeppelin!? '90s U So Crazy!​This year alone has seen a multitude of tribute albums, from two Buddy Holly lovefests to the upcoming ZZ Top tribute set from a very motley crew of artists, including Nickelback, Daughtry, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (yum), and Wyclef Jean. Let t ... More >>

Buddy Holly Raves On Into 21st Century

​Lonesome Onry and Mean's buddy doesn't like the new tribute to Buddy Holly, Rave On, which features a major-league lineup of artists ranging from Sir Paul McCartney, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and Graham Nash to youngsters like Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Black Keys and the unlikely inclusio ... More >>

Music's Top 10 Most Fashionable Women Right Now

GroovehouseThe Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival​Fashion, like songwriting and other artistic outlets, is a form of self-expression. It adds to one's aura; it speaks on her behalf. Yet fashion sometimes gets overlooked in music, and undeservedly so. Follow ... 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 >>

SXSW Last Night: The Strokes At Auditorium Shores

Craig Hlavaty​Of all the free shows going on around Austin this week, the biggest ones can be found over at Auditorium Shores. They may not have free finger foods and booze galore, but they do have some pretty stellar acts most of the time. Case in point, last night's sundown set from The Stro ... More >>

Ten Years After: Our Favorite 2001 Albums

​This hlist is kind of funny now, seeing that the dearly departed White Stripes are smack-dab in the middle with White Blood Cells. We swear this final hlist was made Tuesday afternoon, before Wednesday's breakup announcement. Funny how the band has actually been on the tips of our lips for a ... More >>

Ten Bizarro Christmas-Carol Covers

​Thanks to holiday-themed compilations like A Very Special Christmas and Little Steven's Christmas A Go-Go, we often hear our favorite modern artists putting their spin on holiday classics. But for those who are tired of forcing Mariah Carey's eight-octave "All I Want For Christmas" on their f ... More >>

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 >>

ACL Day 1 Recap: Sonic Youth, Spoon, The Strokes, Nice People...

Brittanie SheySonic Youth​ For lots more pictures from Friday, see our slideshow here. Rocks Off wonders what kind of guitar budget Sonic Youth has. They aren't very gentle with their instruments. This occurred to us as we were standing a few feet from the large screens projecting their exte ... More >>

ACL Day 1 Recap: Vampire Weekend, More Strokes & Sonic Youth, Sulking

Photos by Marco TorresVampire Weekend​ For lots more pictures from Friday, see our slideshow here. Friday night at ACL began with Aftermath charging our phone up until 6:45 p.m., then sulking because the Internet was down in the media tent (duh), and then stocking our man-satchel with cans o ... More >>

ACL: What Could Possibly Be Worse Than Last Year's Mudbath?

Mark C. AustinCan't WAIT to go back!​In exactly one week, Rocks Off will be broadcasting live from the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin's Zilker Park. This will be our fourth spin around the grounds since 2007, and every year we swear we won't fall in love with a bartender in the me ... More >>

Acts We Think - OK, Hope - Are Playing ACL Fest This Year

​By this time Tuesday, we will all know who is playing the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October. Damn, it seems like we have speculating about the line-up since, well, we got the last of the "Dillo Dirt" out the middle of our toes after last year's muddy and rainy ACL weekend. Tuesday brig ... More >>

Aftermath: Julian Casablancas, Once A Stroke, Always A Stroke At House Of Blues

Photos by Groovehouse​ It was literally just a decade ago that the Strokes were basking in an adoration by rock critics that they had only previous lavished on the Smiths, or maybe even the Beatles to a bigger extent. The New York band was a breathe of fresh and scuzzy air after what felt li ... More >>

Magnolia City Mixtape: All The Scoop In One Fell Swoop... ACL Starts Us Off

Mark C. AustinWe sure hope this doesn't happen two years in a row at ACL.​ Austin City Limits will be October 8-10 this year, and MCM expects the line-up to be released in the next month or so. You can sign up for the e-list to get first notice of who's playing. If your profile is updated by today ... More >>

Fails Of The Week: The Runaways, Pete Doherty, The Strokes And Liam Gallagher

If you're reading this, you're either on the Internet, or else you've mastered multi-dimensional thought-projection processes that would make Michio Kaku cry like a little girl. We'll assume the former, and just in case you don't already know, the Internet has decided that the word "failure" is too ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: The Blasters, Bobby Bare Jr., Chaka Khan, Dead Confederate, Jimmie Vaughan, Julian Casablancas, Etc.

​The Blasters: Sat., May 8. Fitzgerald's. Alexisonfire, Trash Talk, La Dispute, Therefore I Am: Mon., May 3. Warehouse Live. Billy Joe Shaver: Fri., April 9. The Firehouse Saloon. Bobby Bare Jr., David Vanderveld: Tue., March 16. Rudyard's. BT, Glint: Wed., March 17. House of Blues. Chaka Khan: F ... More >>

"My Son Is the Lizard King, and I'm an Admiral": Successful Rock-Star Parents

​Late Thursday, word came across the ticker that legendary comedian and TV star Soupy Sales had passed away at age 83. After a stint in the military and on radio, Sales went on to be one of the major pioneers of televised sketch and children's comedy. In 1965, he pulled a stunt where he asked his ... More >>

The Lonely Island: Incredibad

Spring Cleaning

Little Joy

Re: Explain Your Most Played

What Made Milwaukee Famous

What Made Milwaukee Famous performs Friday, March 2, at Walter's on Washington, 4215 Washington, 713-862-2513. Dr. Dog also performs.

Albert Hammond Jr.

Albert Hammond Jr. performs Friday, January 19, at Verizon Wireless Theatre, 520 Texas, 713-230-1666. Incubus also performs.

The Strokes, with the Eagles of Death Metal

Wednesday, March 15, Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas, 713-230-1666

The Strokes

First Impressions of Earth

A Thin Line...

Introducing the most hated men in rock (besides Sting)

The Strokes

Thursday, January 24