Phil Collins

Retro Active: A Nuclear Era, But I Have No Fear

$13 at Zake Sushi Lounge

The Whole Wide World: Vieux Farka Touré's

The son of the late, great Ali Farka Touré definitely does not live under his father's shadow. After his impressive self-titled debut two years ago, he emerges with Fondo (Six Degrees) , a disc that explores and expands Malian blues with a more global perspective. Since his first disc came out, T ... More >>

Real Deal

The son of the late, great Ali Farka Touré definitely does not live under his father's shadow. After his impressive self-titled debut two years ago, he emerges with Fondo (Six Degrees) , a disc that explores and expands Malian blues with a more global perspective. Since his first disc came out, T ... More >>

Five Spot: Flipperace Is Magically Delicious

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Last year (around September or October, we think), The Game and Lil' Bow ... More >>

Selecting The Proper Valentine's Day Soundtrack

A Fine Romance

Recent Super Bowl Halftime Highlights and Lowlights

Backfield in Motion

British Television Advertising Awards

Think of today’s screening as the Super Bowl, without all the football — just the great, over-the-top ads

For Those About to Rock... Again

Rock Band 2

Single File

Rock Band 2

“what we want is too late”

Lawndale’s studio artists explore collaborative efforts separately

Grand Theft Auto X: The Screwston Chronicles

Lawndale’s studio artists explore collaborative efforts separately

Rock Band

It's never been easier to start your own (fake) band

Musical Food Groups

If singers were cheese, what kind of cheese would they be?

Rogue Waves

A new report cuts through the static on the radio industry

Undercover of the Night

Violent shootouts and dangerous love collide in Mann's visceral Vice

True Blue Confessions

Let's join Madonna for a friendly round of Celebrity Breach of Confidentiality

...And Justice for All

Rock's prime offenders face the music

Local Rotation

Rock's prime offenders face the music

Alphabet Soup

The Colour Clear knows exactly where it should be filed in the record store. But what about in real life?

Bearly Necessary

Jungle fever fails to catch hold again in this routine sequel

Playbill

L. Shankar and Zakir Hussain

Racket

Clear Channel keeps the air free of insensitive songs

Road to El Bathhouse

Animated film puts a gay spin on the old Hope-Crosby comedies

Reg Revisits Gay '80s

My Night With Reg

Rotation

My Night With Reg

Heckler's Delight: Robin Thicke

Who'd have imagined that Alan Thicke - he of Growing Pains fame - would sire a son who would grow up to be a multiplatinum R&B star? Not us, but we're sure glad he did. Robin Thicke's sultry vocal stylings are modern urban radio staples, with "Lost Without You" and "Magic" charting and dampening ... More >>

Slideshow on Demand: You Make the Call

chemistryland.comRocks Off loves to put together musical slideshows, and if the response to a few of our recent ones is any indication (hi, Digg!), you like them too. Album covers are an almost inexhaustible resource that are always fun to look at and can be grouped together any number of ways. So l ... More >>

An Exercise In Pain: Six Songs of Radio Phil Collins

John Seaborn Gray​ Inspired by Seanbaby's wonderful article using Pandora via Phil Collins as musical gaydar, Rocks Off logged on to our Last.fm account to see where a similar journey with the Genesis drummer and noted Texas history buff might take us. After all, it's not really scientific unless ... More >>

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inducts Stooges; Rocks Off Team Member Faints In Disbelief

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2010 inductees Tuesday. Somehow, Jann Wenner and his cronies even managed to induct an actual rock band this year: streetwalkin' Detroit cheetahs Iggy & the Stooges - who, according to RRHOF rules (25 years after an artist's first recording ... More >>

American Idol: Miley As Mentor

​There were many dark and torturous moments in last night's American Idol. If forced to pick just one, I would have to go with the selection of Miley Cyrus as this week's "mentor" to the singers. The mentor thing, I am gathering, is a regular feature in which a recording artist stops by to lis ... More >>

Idol Beat: Miley As Mentor

​There were many dark and torturous moments in last night's American Idol. If forced to pick just one, I would have to go with the selection of Miley Cyrus as this week's "mentor" to the singers. The mentor thing, I am gathering, is a regular feature in which a recording artist stops by to lis ... 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 >>

Huey Lewis & the News

​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 >>

Nine More Washed-Up Musicians On Reality Shows

Photo illustrations by John Seaborn Gray​Everybody's favorite lovelorn rock has-been Vince Neil has signed on to Skating With the Stars, an upcoming reality show sure to feature an exact recreation of the photo illustration above. Times, it seems, are tough all over, and Neil can't be the only ... More >>

Top 10 Super Bowl Halftime Shows

idontlikeyouinthatway.com​This Sunday, Rocks Off will be live-blogging and tweeting this year's Super Bowl halftime show, which will feature noted scholars The Black Eyed Peas. We are diligently studying the entire BEP canon and that of all of their solo members, like the dedicated pop histori ... More >>

10 Uncool Artists Primed For Hipster Rediscovery

Tumblr"Aw, dammit, I grabbed Dad's iPod by mistake. Paul Simon... is that one guy, or two Beatles?" ​Remember emo kids? Only a few short years ago, the nation's venues of the nation were filled with kids in all black, wearing ultra-skinny jeans, eyeliner, white belts, and identical chopped-mea ... More >>

Meet at the Junction

Finally, a sports bar that your girlfriend won't hate.

Shot In The Dark: How The Whole Mess Started

Mark C. AustinKings of Leon at Verizon Wireless Theater, October 2008​Just a couple of days now before Rocks Off - the person and the blog - proudly presents Shot In the Dark: Houston Press Concert Photography, our first-ever exhibit of live pics we've collected in about three and a half years ... More >>

Rockin' In Plain Sight: Our Favorite Hidden Album Tracks

​In the days when compact discs and tapes ruled the world, hidden tracks on albums were like secret gifts from your favorite bands. Off the liner notes, not in the original track listings, and totally unassuming, sometimes tucked away after minutes and minutes of silence on a disc. With the ... More >>

Stone Deaf Forever: Rockers With Hearing Loss

​The wages we pay to rock and roll aren't always of the sinful and hungover variety. Some of us pay, dearly, with our hearing, one of the best gifts that God has given humanity. Besides Kate Upton that is. Today is Pete Townshend's 66th birthday, and The Who guitarist is just one of countles ... More >>

Five Songs For Congo's Independence Day

​Rocks Off remains fascinated with obscure holidays like World Rabies Day. Usually we focus on either lesser-known American holidays, or international holidays endorsed by the United Nations. Today though, we decided to branch out to other countries and wish a happy Independence Day to the cit ... 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 >>

Pop Rocks: How Does The Lion King Stand Up Among Recent Disney Releases?

Hail to the king...of the box office.​Box office analysts were a bit puzzled by the haul taken in by The Lion King 3D last weekend. The 1994 film was given the three-dimensional treatment and released to the tune of almost $30 million, beating both Contagion and fellow openers Drive ($11 milli ... More >>

Ask A Rapper: Discussing the Six Worse Rap Collaborations Ever

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -- lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good -- so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. &# ... More >>

Happy Gorilla Suit Day! 5 Music Videos for Celebrating.

​Today is National Gorilla Suit Day. We're not explaining it for you because something so magical needs neither intellectual discourse, nor to be held up against the scrutiny of skeptics who are clearly dead inside. Just accept it. Today is National Gorilla Suit Day, and all are commended to o ... More >>

Ten Musicians Who Played Other People on TV

Sebastian Bach on Gilmore Girls​Fictional television shows are full of gimmickry. Some of it is good and some of falls flat. Others are subtle in-jokes. However, it can be interesting when a popular artist appears on a television show because it gives the audience a glimpse into another side o ... More >>

20 Albums To Leave Your Children Plus Five To Grow On...

​It started as a simple question: What albums would you leave your unborn children, if you knew you were on borrowed time and may not be around to show them the way. At first I asked for albums for sons, but then it grew broader, not out of needing to pacify the PC-thug in me, but to make sure ... More >>

La La Love You: Top Ten Cheesiest Love Songs For Valentine's Day

www.cheese-burger.net​It's that time of year again. Everything is red and full of hearts. Chocolates and roses are marked up. Couples are showing off and singles are desperately searching online dating services for a quick set-up to give them their own special day. That's right, it's about to ... More >>

Stunt-Casting A More Modern Disney Soundtrack

Photo by Katie Rommel-Esham​The other night I watched Beauty and the Beast for the first time in roughly forever. I was shocked by two things: How much of the plot I had forgotten, and how many of the songs I remembered. It's like that for most Disney classics: I can't tell you what happened but I ... More >>