KISS (Band)

The Rocks Off 100: Jose "Chapy" Luna, Percussionist Con Corazón

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. One of the city's hardest-working musicians ... More >>

5 Ways Bands Could Make Compilations Actually Interesting

Recently my colleague Nathan Smith cobbled together the Destiny Child's compilation Beyonce doesn't want you to see and it gave me an idea. Compilations are both the most necessary and aggravating albums in an artist's catalogue. One the one hand, it's always nice to have a good, definitive greatest ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Broadway at the Box, Knock Me a Kiss, The Lion in Winter, The Young Man from Atlanta

Woodlands Pavilion Moves Up to World's No. 2 Amphitheatre, Says Pollstar

Houston's edgy restaurants and diverse museums may have drawn the attention of The New York Times, but both alternative and classic rockers, plus brawny country stars, scattered boy bands and Latin lovers, drew enough people through the turnstiles of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion that concert- ... More >>

Toby Keith, Demi Lovato, Luke Bryan Kick Off RodeoHouston 2013

Moments ago, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo announced its first four non-George Strait entertainers for the 2013 season: Toby Keith (February 25), teen stars Demi Lovato and Austin Mahone (March 3), Jason Aldean (March 11) and Luke Bryan (March 16). As usual, the rodeo is offering two pocket-si ... More >>

Who Should Play RodeoHouston In 2013?

On October 30, just a few days from now, RodeoHouston will announce its first round of performers for the 2013 edition of the star-studded, yeehawin', nearly three-week event at Reliant Park. The booking the last few years has been getting more adventurous, with the likes of Kid Rock, KISS, Mary J. ... More >>

Gonzo Artwork and Lone Star Labels on the Rise: The 10 Best Beer Labels in Texas

Last week, we took a look at some of the very worst labels you can find on a bottle of beer. To counterbalance all that artistic vomit, we gathered some of the most iconic and creative labels on shelves today -- labels that feature artwork as original and important as craft beer itself. 10. Boulev ... More >>

5 Weird Music Figurines To Spruce Up Your Home or Office

For those looking to bring a bit of personality to their cubicle or to add character to a boring bookshelf there is a whole world of music collectables out there to choose from. From statues to bobbleheads to dolls these figures, no matter what you call them, are yet another revenue stream for the e ... More >>

Disco Sucks, Long Live Disco: Your Essential Disco Playlist

Disco, that uniquely '70s, coke-laden, soulful, brash and flamboyant genre, was Public Enemy #1 for rockers and punks in the latter half of the Me Decade. Hippies and suburbanites cut their hair, stuffed their noses and took to the dance floors, tripping the light fantastic in their best polyester u ... More >>

Last Night: Buckcherry & James Durbin At Warehouse Live

Buckcherry, James Durbin Warehouse Live April 25, 2012 I confessed I walked into Warehouse Live last night solely for the purpose of hearing Buckcherry play "Lit Up" and "Crazy Bitch", two of the biggest songs of a career that has now reached a decade and a half. There was a time in 2006 when you c ... More >>

Do You Remember Rock N Roll Comics?

Ilko Davidov's documentary film Unauthorized: The Story of Rock N Roll Comics is finally available on DVD today after having been originally released in 2005. Hopefully you remember Rock N Roll Comics, the series of illustrated unauthorized biographies that Todd Loren put out to the rage of many unt ... More >>

Black Market Syndicate: Punk Believers Rejoice With Peasants

Black Market Syndicate are true believers. Besides releasing second album And the Peasants Rejoiced at Fitzgerald's Saturday, the Houston punk quartet is streaming it all weekend on their ReverbNation page. For the people. Produced by Street Dogs' Johnny Rioux, Peasants stands up for the powerless ... More >>

From Fan Clubs To Militarys: 40 Years In The Evolution Of Fandom

The Beatles had a problem. They were getting up to 400 pieces of fan mail every day. Not a bad problem to have, but consider the math: That's 2,800 letters a week, 12,000 letters in a short month, and up to 146,000 letters in a year. Even with four members answering their share of the letters, that' ... More >>

15 Things Rocks Off Learned Watching The ACM Awards

Sunday nights, I usually like to watch The Amazing Race after 60 Minutes. I don't usually watch much reality television at all, but something about the combination of total incompetence, vicious backstabbing and exotic locales as several, two-person teams race around the globe is completely intoxica ... More >>

Who Should Induct Axl Rose And Guns N' Roses Into The Rock Hall?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is coming up quick on April 14, and the presenters for the event have been announced, except for one artist. Just who will speak about and induct Guns N' Roses? Who is even qualified? Rapper Chuck D will induct the Beastie Boys, while funnyman Ch ... More >>

Kiss, Motley Crue Hit Houston Together August 3

Kiss and Motley Crue are set to go on tour this year together, hitting the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion August 3, in the the thick of what will probably be a nasty, hot Texas summer. What should they call this tour? Maybe the "Shout It Loud at the Devil Tour"? Or how about "Detroit Rock City Bo ... More >>

Last Night: Lady Antebellum At Reliant Stadium

Lady Antebellum RodeoHouston, Reliant Stadium March 1, 2012 Someone should put Lady Antebellum on TV every week. Let 'em guest-coach an episode of The Voice. Better yet would be a series like The Partridge Family or The Monkees (RIP Davy) that would blend concert footage and "behind the scenes" mom ... More >>

Why The Monkees Should Be In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

The death of Davy Jones Wednesday isn't just the end of one man's life. For fans of the Monkees, it means the end of a lot of things. It means no more reunions. It means no more movie and TV cameo appearances. It means no more new music It means no performance to celebrate the Monkees' induction ... More >>

Last Night: T-Bird & The Breaks At The Continental Club

Photos by Jason Wolter​T-Bird & the Breaks Continental Club February 23, 2012 It may be an optical illusion, but some kinds of music just sound better when the band looks nice. Sharp suits and simple choreography, like the way guitarists or horn players sometimes rock back and forth to the be ... More >>

Ten Cruises We'd Rather Take Than the KISS Kruise

​Imagine a vacation where made-up members of your favorite glam rock band wander the decks of a cruise ship. Does that sound like heaven on earth? Well, glam boy, you're in luck as the second annual (yes, they've done one before this) KISS Kruise sets sail this October featuring that cuddly '7 ... More >>

10 Lesser Known Pre-Sammy Van Halen Songs to Prepare for the Tour

When I was a kid, the first record (or cassette in this case) I wore out was the first album from Van Halen. I played the cassette so many times, the tape started squealing. I got another copy and did the same thing. It along with KISS' Alive II re-enforced the hard rock tendencies that simmered ben ... More >>

The 10 Most Popular Rocks Off Posts of 2011

Photo by Marc BrubakerKe$ha, Slutwave queen.​Each December we take a moment to reflect back on the writing of the year, looking at those posts that seem to most fervently stir the hearts and imaginations of our readers. This year, you guys were really, really into films, soundtracks and music ... More >>

Sunday Afternoon: Maroon 5 On A Cruise Ship And In Concert

Photos By Craig Hlavaty"What do you think, Adam?"​Yesterday morning I found myself in Galveston boarding Carnival's brand-new cruiser, the Magic, for a presser with Maroon 5, who are currently burning up radio and the iTunes with their hit single "Moves Like Jagger". The band is helping promot ... More >>

HPMA Preview: Get This Party Started Edition

Courtesy of GenesAddiction.net.Gene's Addiction (rock and roll all night and party...you know)​Music is primal. Sure, it can be intellectual, make you think and even change perspectives. But, at it's heart, music is about making you want to shake what your momma gave you. After all, rock and r ... More >>

Pop Rocks: Gene Simmons Is A Lucky Man -- Our Six Favorite Shannon Tweed VHS Covers (NSFW)

On behalf of all of us here at Art Attack, I'd like to congratulate Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed on the joyous occasion of their marriage. The pair lived together, "happily unmarried," for 28 years before finally deciding to take the plunge. I have no idea what prompted them to tie the knot (I'm ... More >>

Shot In The Dark: The Ones Who Got Away (So Far)

UPDATE (3:23 p.m.): Promotional video by Monica Fuentes added after the jump. Jay LeeLittle Joe Washington at the Continental Club's 10th anniversary, July 2010​Slowly but surely, Rocks Off has been getting ready for our "Shot In the Dark" photo exhibition at Warehouse Live's Studio next Thur ... More >>

Top Five Songs About Horses

​Rocks Off's regular readers presumably know by now that we love few things more than offbeat anniversaries, and recently we came across one of the oddest yet. Thirty-two years ago Monday, on Feb. 28, 1979, the "actor" who played the original Mr. Ed in the 1960s TV show passed away. Yes, we're ... More >>

30 Seconds With Gen, Genitorturers' No. 1 AC/DC Fan

Kym O'Donnell​Rocks Off has been a big fan of the Genitorturers ever since we saw a bumper sticker that read, "My honor student got sodomized at the Genitorturers show!" We sat down with Gen, the lead singer of the long-running industrial band to see what we could learn about her in 30 seconds ... More >>

Friday Night: GWAR At House Of Blues

Photos by Matthew Keever​GWAR House of Blues November 5, 2010 See pictures of GWAR playing a tarp-covered stage at the House of Blues in our slideshow. It's difficult to describe GWAR. Some say the band is a mixture of KISS, World Wrestling Entertainment and the Rocky Horror Picture Show; ot ... More >>

Sideshow Tramps Want To Be Texas State Fair's "Best Dad Band"

Sideshow Tramps on Facebook​Think of Houston barnburners the Sideshow Tramps and naturally the first thought that comes to mind is "wholesome family enterainment," right? The band themselves admitted as much in an email they sent to Rocks Off HQ Wednesday afternoon, calling themselves "known f ... More >>

Kinks, Black Flag, Too Short (Almost) Launch Rocks Off Covers Night

Actual songs may vary.​Besides Saturday's Houston Press Music Awards showcase - be sure to tune into our Facebook and Twitter pages for plenty of chances to win more wristbands Friday - Rocks Off has finally nailed down all the details for the first installment of our monthly cover night, set ... More >>

Blogging Bonnaroo: GWAR, DJ Deadmaus And Cheesy Fries

Photo by Meghan Hendley/See the slideshowGWAR performs at the Bonnaroo Music Festival​Houston artist Tyagaraja recently won the Ford Fiesta Team Houston Battle of The Bands, the grand prize of which was a trip to perform at the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee. Meghan Hendley, keyboardist/ ... More >>

Glee: Sir, You're No Vinnie Vincent

​Apparently you've forgotten our deal, Glee: I won't goof on the fact that you keep hitching yourself to trendy musical topics and awkwardly using old Top 40 sings to teach that week's life lesson, and you won't mess with any of my favorite bands. This time, it's personal. More on that later. ... More >>

Glee: You're No Vinnie Vincent

​Apparently you've forgotten our deal, Glee: I won't goof on the fact that you keep hitching yourself to trendy musical topics and awkwardly using old Top 40 sings to teach that week's life lesson, and you won't mess with any of my favorite bands. This time, it's personal. More on that later. ... More >>

Pop Rocks: Ten Musicians I Want to Have Sex With Less Than Lady Gaga

​I understand Lady Gaga's declaration of celibacy last month was something of a big deal, if only because most of us have a hard time believing everyone in the music business isn't vigorously fellating each other on those off days when they're not sacrificing puppies to Clear Channel or auto-tunin ... More >>

Cutout Bin: Insane Clown Posse Predecessors Hello People

​ Hello People, The Handsome Devils (1974) Bricks (1975)​Looking over the pics of last Wednesday's Insane Clown Posse show got Cutout Bin thinking about bands who wear clown-ish makeup. Of course there was KISS, and the whole death metal thing, but how many readers remember The Hello People? Hmm ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Chamillionaire, Kid Cudi & Jay-Z, Mike Epps, The Kanye, T.I., Chris Brown, DJ AM, Slim Thug, etc.

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: Chamillionaire, "Good Morning" Wire To Wire Despite what you initially want to think about Cham's new s ... More >>

Bayou Beat: Come Play Beatles Rock Band With Rocks Off, Watch Us On TV, Zeppelin Lounge Goes Bye-Bye, Black Crowes Admit "Houston Don't Dream About Me," etc.

​Rocks Off has managed to secure a copy of Beatles Rock Band, and because we're not selfish at all, we're inviting everyone to come play along with us at 7 p.m. next Wednesday at Coffee Groundz, 2503 Bagby. Pit your button-mashing skills against Rocks Off's house band, enjoy Beatles-themed dri ... More >>

Michael Jackson: Magic Moments With The King Of "Alleged"

It's a sure bet that when Neil Armstrong dies, coverage will be limited to a two minute retrospective culminating with "One small step for man..." playing over his official NASA photo. Meanwhile, CNBC today is still reporting on the "financial impact of Michael Jackson's death." One walked on the m ... More >>

Aftermath: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at Toyota Center

Photos by Daniel Kramer Two words came into Aftermath's head shortly into the show uniting these former Blind Faith bandmates and arguably two of classic rock's biggest stars: peerless musicianship. They stayed with us for the rest of the concert. While we can appreciate the bombast and big show of ... More >>

Rock The Bayou Is a Bust

HARD ROCK CAFE'S

ROCK N' ROLL PUNCH

Letters

The Good Fight

Frayed Braid

Rotation

Rotation

Big Bang Theory

The Rock tests the hypothesis that moviegoers like 'em fast, splashy and loud

Too Damn Happy

Redd Kross should know that grins don't sell in rock and roll. Plus: The truly agonizing Life of whatever.