Michael Stipe

10 Songs In the National Recording Registry That Might Surprise You

Here's something you may not have realized. The U.S. government passed a law to preserve important films in the Library of Congress back in 1988, but it took them until 2000 to get around to doing so for recordings. We music lovers get no respect. Luckily, Congress did finally get around to archivi ... More >>

The 5 Worst Disasters In Benefit Concert History

Benefit concerts are great. The practice of bands playing to raise money for a cause can be as local as helping a fellow unsigned musician pay for their son's hospital bills to as international as world hunger. Though we may pinch our noses at the perceived sanctimoniousness of people like Bono and ... More >>

5 Songs About Andy Kaufman NOT By R.E.M.

Today would have been comedian Andy Kaufman's 64th birthday... assuming of course he isn't playing a really long practical joke on us all. Anyone else in the world and such a claim would be rightfully seen as conspiracy theory nuttery, but with Kaufman and his legendary dedication to character and c ... More >>

Spike Jonze's Top 9 Music Videos

There's no doubt that Spike Jonze is an enigma of a director and artist. He's worked in all types of mediums: he filmed bullriders at the Astrodome, changed the world of skateboard videography, and visually recreated the brilliance of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are. Plus, he's made us al ... More >>

Years of Refusal: 8 More '80s Icons Who Should Follow Morrissey Into Retirement

Morrissey announced this week that he plans to retire in two years. That's tragic news in some circles, but we think it's a good move. In 2014, he'll turn 55, and the Smiths thing is never happening. How much longer is he supposed to do this? Another ten years 'til he's 65? He's Morrissey, not a Chi ... More >>

Last Night: Robert Earl Keen At House Of Blues

Robert Earl Keen House of Blues December 28, 2011 It sucks when your college roommate is more successful than you. Heaven knows Rocks Off was pleased as punch to hear ours had ended up blowing merchant marines for salvia in Vladivostok (just kidding, Doug!), but Robert Earl Keen's old front porch p ... More >>

Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano On Halloween & The Pressures Of Bloodletting

Photos by Amber Boggs​Concrete Blonde emerged from the crucible of 1980s post-punk L.A., fueled by Jim Mankey's signature guitar riffs and the introspective lyrics and distinctive wail of singer/bassist Johnette Napolitano. Their early history is well known, down to the oft-repeated story of h ... More >>

All Eyez On Me: Rating The Best/Worst Rock & Rap Sex Tapes (NSFW)

This week, we found out that a sex tape featuring Tupac Shakur exists, made in 1991 just five years before his fatal shooting in Las Vegas. Shakur's estate is the only entity that can release an item with the late rapper's likeness involved, and his mother Afeni Shakur is unlikely to allow a video o ... More >>

Tumblrin' Dice: Kanye West Does Like White People

West with Kelly Osbourne, white daughter of noted white musician Ozzy Osbourne.​This morning in our daily Tumblr stroll for skull and Katy Perry pics, we found Kanye West With White People, a site dedicated to pictures of Der Fuhrer West with various white folks who are in natural poses, even ... More >>

Atlantis Wake-Up Music So Far: Ranking The Good, The Bad & The Ugly On The Last Shuttle Trip

What's with all the damn Coldplay?​NASA, always on the lookout for good publicity, has made a cottage industry out of the wake-up music it uses to rouse crews orbiting the earth. They recruit artists to record messages that are played after the song, because the first thing you want to hear ... More >>

Idol Beat: YouTube Saves The Day

So close to never having to listen to any of you ever again. At least until next year.​Here's the thing, dog: My cable went out about 20 minutes before American Idol started. A lengthy call with a Comcast tech named Edgar yielded the knowledge that there's apparently a weak signal plaguing my ... More >>

American Idol: YouTube Saves The Day

So close to never having to listen to any of you ever again. At least until next year.​Here's the thing, dog: My cable went out about 20 minutes before American Idol started. A lengthy call with a Comcast tech named Edgar yielded the knowledge that there's apparently a weak signal plaguing my ... More >>

Sexual Napalm: Ill-Advised Rock-Star Hookups, Starring Our Boy John Mayer

Photo illustration by John Seaborn GrayLike this, John?​John Mayer: He is just fantastic. In a disastrous Playboy interview, Mayer opened up about many things. For example, we discovered that, although some white comedians have successfully worked the "N" word into their jokes, Mayer is not one of ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: R.I.P. Vic Chesnutt

The saddest musical news from the Christmas holiday is the overdose suicide of Athens, Ga. singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt. Rumors circulated on the Internet Christmas Eve that Chesnutt had died overnight but, according to a spokesperson from his record label, he remained alive but in a coma. The la ... More >>

Westheimer Block Party Listology: The Watermarks (Minus One) Choose Their Favorite Duets

All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. Next up, four-fifths of local electro-tinged post-punks the Watermarks choose their favorite duets. Jessica Brand ... More >>

Westheimer Block Party Listology: Flowers to Hide Chooses the Saddest Songs In the World

All this week, Rocks Off is previewing Saturday and Sunday's Westheimer Block Party by asking WBP performers to fill out a list from Lisa Nola's Music Listography book we're so fond of. Next up, Jesus and Mary Chain-y alt-rockers Flowers to Hide tell us the saddest songs in the world. claudiabelle†... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Maria Taylor's LadyLuck

During his Fourth of July road trip to San Antonio, Lonesome Onry and Mean found himself listening to Maria Taylor's excellent LadyLuck and wondering how he could have been so remiss in not reporting on such a fine record. Producer, singer, writer, arranger, Taylor is a huge multi-threat talent who ... More >>

The Big Tweet: Wild Moccasins Tour Edition

Kim DouglassIt's now been exactly a week since the Wild Moccasins kicked off their first-ever extended tour with a sweaty show before a packed house at Mango's, and like a lot of people (we imagine), Rocks Off is curious how the H-pop heroes are faring on the road. Luckily, instead of having to rely ... More >>

The Top 10 Reissues of 2008

[Note: This is the first in a series of articles that constitute Village Voice Media's year-end music package. The others - pop, indie-rock, dance mixes, Latin, country, alt-country/Americana, metal, rap/hip-hop and special graphics breaking down the year in charts and 2008's worst lyrics - will be ... More >>

2007 Music Year in Review

The Houston 100: The Master List

The Houston 100: From Mack Hayes to Hersal Thomas

Drenched In Blog: ACL Fest in Photos

Miss Pop Rocks: Pop Culture Dealbreakers

Into the Frey

If you thought A Million Little Pieces was a pack of lies, wait till you check out the Mötley Crüe biography

Dubble Trubble

Troubled Hubble packs a one-two wallop of great music and an even better live show

Rotation

Marrying the Mainstream

White men learned to dance, and the emoting was as thick as the eyeliner on the year's best pop-rock records

Marrying the Mainstream

White men learned to dance, and the emoting was as thick as the eyeliner on the year's best pop-rock records

Electric Avenue

Is MySpace.com the future of the music business, or just another Web site?

Classics Rock

Which Greek god is your favorite musician?

Screaming Fidelities

This fan has her own Dashboard Confessional to give

Chasing Mandy

A pop-star-turned-actress tries to move into her "mature phase"

Mariah Carey

Thursday, August 28

Cheating the Reaper

Vic Chesnutt died 20 years ago. Catch him live this week.

Wood Redux

Greg Wood puts his old band and a young heart attack behind him with Ash Wednesday

Cultural Clash

SXSW turns a cold shoulder to the Houston music scene

R.E.M.

Reveal (Warner Bros.)

Okie Glamour

Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman as poor white folk? It's best not to question the attraction of Where the Heart Is.

Rotation

More Blues Than You Can Use

Rotation

Rotation

Rotation

Baby, It's Him

Burt Bacharach isn't making a comeback -- he never left

Splendid Isolation

For Warren Zevon, it's all about how he looks in the hat

Sound Check

Critic's Choice

Appalachia Calling

Dollars for Discs

Introducing a shopping guide for sounds

No Respect

Trish and Darin: The band you love to hate?