KISS (Band)

The Disco Experiment: Why It Worked For Pink Floyd, But Not KISS

In 1979, disco was all the rage. For all the kids who had never bothered to pay attention when their parents would talk about it, it was sort of like dubstep. It was ubiquitous on the radio and even rock bands were vying to get in on the action so they didn't get left behind in the new revolution. S ... More >>

Frank Zappa and Other Quicksand Artists

Tonight House of Blues will be graced by Zappa Plays Zappa, led by the late Papa Frank's oldest son Dweezil, who inherited some of his father's guitar skills. Zappa Plays Zappa is the preeminent traveling Zappa tribute show going, and Dweezil's love letter to his father's body of work, which has onl ... More >>

5 Guitarists Who Got Started on Christmas Presents

Odds are those of you reading this are music fans, and if not, congratulations on having been driven here by reading everything else online! It's also possible that you're musicians yourselves, and since any instrument besides your voice, hand claps, and armpit farts is generally a major purchase, I ... More >>

5 Movies That Used the Power of Rock to Slay Demons

I have it on very good and not at all fruitcaked authority that rock and roll is the devil's music. It corrupts the minds of young people, turning them all into savages that breed and destroy in an orgy of murder-boinking that caused the end of the America we all remember so well. Or, you know, not ... More >>

Welcome Back: 5 "Retired" Artists Who Have Returned

Retirements in everyday life are often final, rewarding caps to distinguished careers so that the retirees can pursue lifelong hobbies and ambitions. Alternatively, they move to Florida and join a country club. In music, however, retirements are often little more than an excuse to sell concert tick ... More >>

Special Delivery: 5 Artists Who Could Be the Future Face of Pizza Boxes

Recently my partner in crime and I decided to have a pizza night. This is pretty typical for us, but what wasn't typical was the question Papa John's asked me while I was ordering: would I like to add a copy of Taylor Swift's new album Red to my order for only $13? I said no -- who pays $13 for CDs ... More >>

The Song Is a Lie: We Wanted the Best. We Didn't Get It.

This week it's all about exposing song titles that are complete and outright blatant lies. So far the Beatles have let us down. George Harrison's guitar wasn't gently weeping, it was breathing easy in a corner while Eric Clapton's rig wailed like a broken-hearted banshee all over the "White Album." ... More >>

Gatsby-Mania: 5 Songs for the New Great Gatsby Soundtrack

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is the greatest novel ever written that everyone had to read in high school. And now it's going to be the greatest movie ever made that everyone will have to watch, supposedly out in May, because Leonardo DiCaprio is in it. It's in 3D for some reason too, even ... More >>

6 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Gene's Addiction, Free Radicals, MUHAMMADALI, Etc.

Adios to Mike Campion of Gene's Addiction, who is leaving after Friday's show to check out the glamorous Kiss cover scene in Vegas, where Gene's performed in a contest in front of Kiss themselves earlier this year. Good luck to Mike, but first he's got one more show with Gene's at our "Cocktails & C ... More >>

Kiss, Mötley Crüe

Braving the Boos: Bob Dylan and 10 More Artists Unafraid to Piss Off Their Fans

Forty-seven years ago this week (wow!), a '60s folk icon by the name of Bob Dylan made his third and final appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I. It was a highly anticipated set -- Dylan was the de facto leader of the American folk-music revival at the time, and his folkie flock ex ... More >>

Bottoms Up: 5 Beers From 5 Bands To Give You 5 Hangovers

Whether you're at a show with friends or just putting your feet up while listening to some tunes after a long day at work, for many alcohol is just another part of the rock and roll experience. And when hard liquor gets too expensive and wine seems too highfalutin, there is one drink that's always t ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Kiss of the Spider Woman, New Arrivals, Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins, The Psychic

Knock Me a Kiss

Top 10 Weirdest Kiss Memorabilia Items Up For Sale

In rock n roll and pop music, merchandising has always been a somewhat lucrative ordeal. This especially rings true whenever an artist becomes extremely popular. It is a great marketing ploy, whether for teens, diehards, collectors or regular fans. Let's face it, when it comes to music merchandisi ... More >>

Sticky Fingers: 10 Musicians Who Deserve Their Own Ice Cream

Ice cream is good -- especially in the summer and of course today. With the advent of the deliciously yummy Ben and Jerry's ice cream, among others, ice-cream companies have been naming their flavors after artists for years. Ben and Jerry's especially has been at the forefront of naming their ice ... More >>

Sail To The Bahamas With Anthrax & Hatebreed On The Mayhem Cruise

What do younger people have against cruises? You can (sometimes) gamble, drink, eat all you want, and there is always tons of grim people watching to do. You don't have to drive anywhere, and if you want you can just hole yourself up in your cabin and not do a damned thing. Rocks Off has detailed ... More >>

Sonisphere UK Cancelled: Are Music Festivals in Trouble?

News emerged late last month that the U.K. date of Sonishphere, the traveling European hard-rock festival, has been canceled. It's a pretty big blow for music fans across the pond -- the headliners scheduled for the event included Queen with Adam Lambert, KISS and Faith No More, and reunited Swedish ... More >>

Top 5 Bands We'd Like To See At The Ballet

Tonight, Houston Ballet performs Rooster, Associate Choreographer Christopher Bruce's dance interpretations of eight Rolling Stones songs including "Little Red Rooster," "Paint It Black" and "Sympathy for the Devil." If that sounds a little lowbrow for the ballet, the program also includes two works ... More >>

Happy Birthday Paul Stanley: His Top 6 Non-Kiss Songs

Today the man who was born Stanley Harvey Eisen and later became the Starchild Paul Stanley turns 60 years old. You are always defined by your favorites KISS member. If it's Stanley, like with us, then you're an outgoing, charismatic person who lives for fun. If it's Peter Criss, then you're a quiet ... More >>

Ace Frehley's Wild Rocket Ride

No Regrets by Ace Frehley with Joe Layden and John Ostrosky 320 pp., $26, Gallery Books ​Even by standards of '70s hard rock excess, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was out of this world. In this breezy, buzzy, and debauched memoir, The Spaceman takes readers on a rocket ride through his ... More >>

RIP Ryan Dunn: 15 Car Crash Songs

film.com​Rocks Off has always been a Jackass fan. The exploits of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O and the recently deceased Ryan Dunn may not be for everyone, but we've always maintained it's better to be a willing participant in mayhem and physical abuse than not (*cough* America's Fun ... More >>

“Shot in the Dark: Houston Press Concert Photo Exhibition”

Last Night: KISS At RodeoHouston

Photos by Groovehouse​KISS Reliant Stadium March 15, 2011 We'll drive you wild with our photos from last night's show. In Tom Snyder's 1979 interview with the original members of KISS, only two of which remain, he asked bassist Gene Simmons, "What would happen if you went out on stage for a ... More >>

Multi-Tracks, One By One: An Aural Autopsy

​This past weekend Rocks Off hung out with a producer buddy, listening to multitrack recordings of some of the biggest acts in history, including the Beatles, Queen, Beastie Boys, and Van Halen. For someone who spends his entire life trying decipher recorded music as it is released and later p ... More >>

Championship BBQ Cook-Off

Nasty Nique EP Has The Heart Of A Champion

​This year, the New Houston Collective has really become a force. In no particular order, their attendance sheet: Fat Tony, Propain, B L A C K I E, Hollywood FLOSS, Preemo, Eskabel, Hubbard, Nosaprise, hasHBrown, Thuro, H-Kane, Delo, Les, Roderick, The Niceguys, John Dew, Montana, Virgo, Dirty ... More >>

FAIL: Gene Simmons, Steve Albini, INXS, Danzig (Not)

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn Gray​Gene Simmons Is Donald Trump In Makeup: Fails has never been a big KISS fan, but we can't imagine watching Gene Simmons' behavior makes being one any easier. If you're a die-hard KISS fan, watching his douchey whoring and cutthroat CEO tactics must be d ... More >>

Bon Jovi, Rock & Roll Hall Of Famers? It Could Happen...

Stay classy, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame...​This morning the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced this year's ballot of nominees, with the winners to be announced in December and inducted next March in New York. Fifteen names are on this year's ballot, ranging from hip-hoppers, proto-metal icons, ... More >>

Friday Night: KISS At The Woodlands

Photos by Groovehouse​KISS Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion September 17, 2010 For more photos from the show, see our slideshow here. There are those who say that KISS is dying. Fans have heard this before. ​Even before WWII, fathers sternly told their children that comic-book superher ... More >>

Cage Match: KISS Vs. Fiskadoro

​Ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow night a battle for your musical soul will be waged in our fair city. In this corner, wearing make-up, black leather, and underpants made of your money, the knights in Satan's service, KISS! And in this corner, weighing in at 600 lbs, the masters of the jungle c ... More >>

KISS Merchandise The Band Hasn't Thought Of... Yet

owensworld.com​KISS pulls back into Houston Friday night for a show over at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, less than a year after their last Bayou City stop at the Toyota Center. We aren't really sure if this show will be much different than the one we saw in December, save for this time yo ... More >>

House Of Blues Extends Tax-Free Merch Sale Through 7 p.m. Today

​House of Blues has extended its "Great Rock 'N' Roll Sample Sale" to a second day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today in the Bronze Peacock Room. Sales tax for all merchandise, available for as low as $3 for CDs and hats (Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, KISS) or even $1 for tour programs (Springstee ... More >>

"Metal, Dude!": Ten Juicy Quotes From The Ultimate Metal Movie

​With hair-metal legends(?) Ratt playing Warehouse Live this evening, Rocks Off decided we'd take a look back at the definitive document of that era of metal in Los Angeles: Penelope Spheeris' rockumentary The Decline Of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years. Ratt isn't featured in the fi ... More >>

The Village People

KISS Brings "Hottest Show On Earth" (Duh) To Woodlands

Jay Lee​ KISS returns to Houston for the second time in less than a year September 17. This time the monstrously monolithic classic-rockers will be gracing the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion for a tour they are calling the "Hottest Show on Earth." A local on-sale date will no doubt be announced s ... More >>

Upcoming Events

Midgets dressed as KISS. (This will be important in a second.)​With big food events like Menu of Menus, iFest, the Grand Food & Wine Affair and the Big Bite Night behind us now, what else is there to look forward to in the coming weeks? A lot, that's what. Cinco de Mayo is right around the co ... More >>

Songs We Play When We Play With Guns

​After almost 27 years, Craig's Hlist has found himself immersed in gun culture. It's not so much a masculine phallic thing (believe us, we have questioned it), as much as it is a family bonding experience. It's easier to go to a gun range with our family out in Pearland on a Sunday afternoon than ... More >>

KISS Online Takes the Pruning Shears to Rocks Off's Already-Favorable Review

Photos by Jay Lee/ Click here for a slideshow​ Rocks Off welcomes any artists' opinion of our critiques of their work, be it one of our more shining reviews or the instances where we pull up out the six-shooters and make them dance for their musical sins. But it's when you take our entire review, ... More >>

Aftermath: KISS, Hotter Than Hell and Strutting Like Dinosaurs In Houston Rock City

Photos by Jay Lee​ KISS is a depleting natural and cultural resource. One day there will be no KISS left, and all the world will have is four garish black and silver suits sitting in some futuristic Smithsonian display. We have had KISS on this Earth for almost 40 years, and many people have never ... More >>

The Great Unmasking and Other Embarrassing Moments in KISS History

​ The Knights In Satan's Service are back, and they'll be rocking the Toyota Center Saturday night as ably as a couple of 50-somethings lumbering around on platform boots can reasonably be expected to. There will be blood, as Paul Thomas Anderson might say, and flames, and a couple of guys in "Spa ... More >>

KISS Off

The makeup-clad rockers may be hilarious, but they're hardly metal.

Selecting The Proper Valentine's Day Soundtrack

A Fine Romance

Kid Rock, Rock n Roll Jesus

Rock n Roll Jesus

Tribute Bands Struggle for Respect

Talking to local fakers Dressed to KISS, Black Dog, Lights Out, Bad Motor Scooter, Toology and Brian's Johnson

Rotation

Rotation

Night & Day

October 29 - November 4, 1998

Notes from the Front

Vamping down memory lane with members of the Kiss Army

Rotation