Lee Alexander

Canned Acoustica Compiles Cornucopia of Local Clips

Canned Acoustica, the popular "unplugged"-style local concerts that over six installations have raised both money and food for a variety of charities, has put the final touches (for now) on its YouTube channel, offering local music fans an easy place to browse through intimate and sometimes unconven ... More >>

Upcoming: Geoff Tate, Jill Scott, Action Bronson, Propain, Two Gallants, Etc.

The 71's: Sat., Sept. 15, 1 p.m., Free. Cactus Music & Video, 2110 Portsmouth St., Houston. Action Bronson: Sat., Sept. 22, 8 p.m., $15/$23. Numbers, 300 Westheimer, Houston. Another Run, The Soapbox Revolution: Sun., Sept. 23, 8 p.m., $5/$10. Scout Bar Clear Lake, 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., Houston. ... More >>

Merry Christmas From The Houston Music Scene: Free Music Downloads (UPDATED)

Welp, it's been a year to say the least. There has been so much great music, amazing shows, new discoveries, many sad and happy milestones, and Rocks Off tried to cover all of it these past 12 months. Next year will be even more awesome, for so many reasons, which we will get into the next two wee ... More >>

Musicians Oblige Peer's Request For Honest Critique

​Rocks Off likes to troll the musicians' section of Craigslist in an effort to catch interesting acts at their very inception. Usually we get the same old thing day in and day out: Need FOC (Friend of Christ) bass player for worship band. Must have ride. 18 SERIOUS singer looking for band. M ... More >>

Last Night: Canned Acoustica II At Warehouse Live

Southern Backtones' Hank Schyma​Canned Acoustica II Warehouse Live March 3, 2011 Check out our photos of Canned Acoustica II: Acoutstic Boogaloo! It's awfully hard to dog a charity event, especially one donating to a cause as noble as the Houston Food Bank, so Aftermath won't even try. Besid ... More >>

30 Seconds With Roky Moon

Jay Dryden​Rocks Off sat down with front man of arguably the No. 1 act in Houston at the moment, Roky Moon of Roky Moon & BOLT to see what we could learn about the glam-rocker in 30 seconds. Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Roky Moon: That "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" song. ... More >>

Upcoming: Das Racist, Echo & The Bunnymen, Surfer Blood, Etc.

​Arcade Fire, Explosions In The Sky: Wed., May 4. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Bob Schneider: Thu., April 7. McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Cory Morrow: Sat., April 23. The Firehouse Saloon. Das Racist, Fat Tony, Muhammadali, Simple Success, DJ iPod Ammo: Tue, March 22, Fitzgerald's. David C ... More >>

Lack Of Social Safety Net Tying Many Musicians To Day Jobs

"I fantasize sometimes that my musical career would hit gold and help us escape these grim realities, but it's not something I really expect to happen." ​There are few issues in the current political climate more fraught with contention than whether or not the U.S. government will take a more ... More >>

Has The Houston Music Scene Turned Things Around?

​It's hard, if not impossible, to argue that Lee Alexander is one of Houston's most celebrated musical sons. If his Houston Press Music Awards were stacked on top of each other they would be taller than he is. Like many of the solid veteran names in Houston, Alexander has occasionally felt the ... More >>

What To Do When The Crowd Yells "Free Bird!"

​Sooooooo.... Thursday, the U.S. Constitution was read aloud on the floor of the House of Representatives, an act that Rocks Off views as the government equivalent of doing your homework on the morning bus, but whatever. Just as Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J. was reading the bit about the eligibi ... More >>

Local Musicians Choose Their Favorite Super Powers

Lee Alexander, pictured with his band of invisible skulking perverts​It wasn't that long ago that a few brave filmmakers realized that it was in fact possible to make a superhero movie that didn't suck IQ points from an audience and might even, surprise surprise, be somewhat faithful to their ... More >>

Lee Alexander Recording Zappa-Inspired Children's Album

Austin Miller​Lee Alexander remains one of Houston's most celebrated musicians. He is currently the best male vocalist in the city, but the list of accolades he has acquired over the years goes far beyond mere singing talent. After years composing and performing adult-oriented music, Alexander ... More >>

Why Do Bandmates Want To Kill Each Other?

​A band is the family you choose. We can't speak for your family, but in our family we send you to the hospital over the last piece of chicken. We've seen our cousins choked unconscious more often than we've seen Star Wars. Bands are like that too. On one hand, you're united in a common goal; ... More >>

Lightnin' Hopkins Marker Cast, Ready For Dedication

​Good news on the Lightnin' Hopkins historical marker front: It officially exists. R. Eric Davis, who raised the necessary funds and successfully petitioned the Texas Historical Commission to approve the marker, has received the monument to the legendary bluesman who spent the majority of his ... More >>

Like Hell Yeah

Upsets and upstarts at the 2010 Houston Press Music Awards

Last Night: The 2010 Houston Press Music Awards Ceremony

Photos by Marco TorresNick Gaitan & The Umbrella Man began Wednesday's performances with a steamy zydeco polka.​Houston Press Music Awards Ceremony Warehouse Live August 11, 2010 Ed. Note: See here for slideshows of performers and the crowd, and here for the winners. Aftermath is not going t ... More >>

HPMA Showcase Videos And A Brand-New Buxton Track

Jim BrickerBuxton at Kobain during Saturday's HPMA showcase​Despite arriving late due to another job, photographer/videographer Austin Miller shot some great photos at Saturday's Houston Press Music Awards showcase - just like all the other lensmen of Team Rocks Off - and managed to capture so ... More >>

Top 5 WTF Music Award Acceptance Speeches

Dana DonovanLittle Joe Washington and a pair of enthusiastic fans at the 2007 HPMA ceremony​As we may have mentioned once or twice, tonight Rocks Off and the Houston Press reveal the winners of this year's 2010 Houston Press Music Awards over at Warehouse Live. It's a free show, with performan ... More >>

Signing Off from the HPMA Awards Ceremony

Photos by Marco TorresLee Alexander, Best Male Vocalist​Ed note: The full list of winners will be published on Rocks Off within the next half hour, so please be sure to check back Rocks Off had been using our Flip cam since before 6 p.m., so by the time Tax The Wolf took the stage at 10:10, t ... More >>

Music Awards Ceremony Lineup: Umbrella Man, Fat Tony, Los Skarnales, Grandfather Child, Tax The Wolf, Lee Alexander

Austin MillerFat Tony at Pearl Bar during Saturday's HPMA showcase​Rocks Off is pleased to announce the lineup for tomorrow night's Houston Press Music Awards ceremony at Warehouse Live: Nick Gaitan & the Umbrella Man, Fat Tony, Lee Alexander, Los Skarnales, Grandfather Child and Tax the Wolf. ... More >>

Riding The Musical Wave At Saturday's HPMAs

The American Heist at Walter's on WashingtonJim Bricker​Saturday didn't start out very promising: Almost as soon as Rocks Off arrived at the intersection of Washington and Silver, where the Bud Light main stage was set up, the sky darkened, then drizzled, then began pouring rain. The downpour ... More >>

Imprisoned Iran Hikers: Mom Still Has Hope, And Obama, On Her Side

Photos courtesy Ben FellemanShane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fatta: The three hikers​Ben Felleman is almost a typical Millennial or Gen Y young man: a 25-year-old who digs the local Houston music acts, enjoys steady employment as an SAT instructor and his own freelance work as photographer, and ... More >>

Hikers Imprisoned In Iran Getting Houston Support Tomorrow

Music and a vigil this Saturday​Ben Felleman is hoping that the vigil he is hosting this Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of his cousin Josh Fattal's arrest and imprisonment in Iran's infamous Evin Prison is canceled: "I would be thrilled to get that call that could transform the event fr ... More >>

Upcoming: Allen Toussaint, Dead Confederate, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Vibrators, Etc.

​500 Megatons Of Boogie, The Jonx, Recreator: Sat., Aug. 14. Rudyard's. Allen Toussaint, Nicholas Payton, Joe Krown: Thu., Nov. 4. Miller Outdoor Theatre. Behemoth, Black Anvil, Withered: Tue., Nov. 23. Warehouse Live. Better Than Ezra: Wed., Dec. 29. House of Blues. Big Head Todd & The M ... More >>

Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett Praise Houston On NPR

npr.org​Monday around lunchtime, local singer-songwriter and multiple 2010 HPMA nominee Lee Alexander emailed us that Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett were being interviewed together on NPR's World Cafe. Not only that, he added, both men were saying lots of nice things about Houston, where - in cas ... More >>

Lightnin' Hopkins Historical Marker Text Approved

Andrew Hanson, 1959​The Texas Historical Commission has approved the text that Eric Davis submitted for the historical marker honoring late Houston blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins, and will now send the text to a foundry so the marker can be cast. The commission approved Davis' proposal for the mar ... More >>

Houston Leading "Ford Fiesta Movement" Bonnaroo Contest

myspace.com/blackqueenspeaksBlack Queen Speaks​ For what seems like months now, Rocks Off has been seeing emails and posts about Team Houston, Ford Fiesta, Backseat Jukeboxes, and the battle of the bands this Saturday at Warehouse Live. To clear up any confusion, Rocks Off recently asked local pho ... More >>

Two Houston Artists Named Finalists In John Lennon Songwriting Contest

myspace.com/alexanderleeLee Alexander​What do Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, singing pop sisters the Veronicas, former Grateful Dead bassist Bob Weir, ex-MTV 120 Minutes VJ Matt Pinfield and legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier have in common? They're all new fans of Houston Americana singer-so ... More >>

Miami New Times Music Blog Shouts Out Houston's Lee Alexander

www.myspace.com/alexanderlee​ Congratulations to Houston singer-songwriter Lee Alexander, whose Mayhaw Vaudeville was selected as one of 2009's best under-the-radar albums by Lee Zimmerman of Houston Press sister paper Miami New Times' music blog Crossfade. In fact, it was the first one listed by ... More >>

Running the Numbers

The 2009 Houston Press Music Award Nominees

Here they are, folks. You nominated 'em, we mulled 'em over and sorted out the stuffers, and now the 2009 Houston Press Music Awards ballot is set. Normally Rocks Off would say something cute like read 'em and weep, but since we've been listening to almost nothing but '80s hard rock and new bands th ... More >>

Houston Press Music Awards: And The Nominees Are...

Here they are, folks. You nominated 'em, we mulled 'em over and sorted out the stuffers, and now the 2009 Houston Press Music Awards ballot is set. Normally Rocks Off would say something cute like read 'em and weep, but since we've been listening to almost nothing but '80s hard rock and new bands t ... More >>

HPMA Aftermath: L.L. Cooper, Miss Leslie, Scattered Pages, Free Radicals and Hearts of Animals

Fried Rice: Updates from the field

2008 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase

A preview of the 60 bands and five DJs that are taking over downtown this weekend

Music Awards Nominees Announced Today; UGK, Indian Jewelry, Arthur Yoria, Tontons Head List

2007 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase

Norah Jones

Norah Jones becomes her own person

Dog Men Poets

Snit's Dog and Pony Show

Action!

Show Us What You Got

Let's Do This

Larry Cooper

Larry Cooper performs Thursday, December 7, at Mojo Risin' Coffee House, 1600 Shepherd, 713-426-1505.

The Orange Show

Spain Colored Orange takes home four Press Music Awards

2006 Houston Press Music Awards Supplement

Primary Season

Check out some of the new candidates for this year's Houston Press Music Awards

Norah Jones

Feels Like Home (Blue Note)

Crash Comfort

Soul Drunk Lingering Day (Seismic Music/Montrose)