The Who (Band)

Eight Houston Musicians Who Deserve More Love

Bassist, organist, composer, member of the infamous Homopolice, one of the Rocks Off 100, self-avowed electronic music geek, flanger aficianado, and suave Poison Girl drink slinger, Beau Beasley has been broadly immersed in the Houston music scene all his adult life. Not long ago over a cold one at ... More >>

The 10 Greatest Rock Bassists in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Geddy Lee Edition

I could sit here and write paragraphs about my appreciation of Geddy Lee. He was the first true influence I had as a bass player when I was in high school. For years after, I admired not just his talent as a musician, but his ability to improve and grow. He is also underrated for how great a "rock" ... More >>

Viva La Dome! Check Out These Old Concert Tickets

The close of RodeoHouston's season gives us all a respite from having to look at the adjacent Astrodome while we eat our third turkey leg and wait for our turn on the ferris wheel. Truth be told, some of us can just stare at the Dome for hours without a problem, myself included. Rewind: Digging ... More >>

The Rocks Off 100: Ramblin' Chase Hamblin, the Man Who Will Be Paid

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. Who? Who? The very idea that I even have to tell you who Chase Hamblin is makes me fee ... More >>

The Name Of That Paul McCartney/Nirvana Song Is "Cut Me Some Slack"

If you were watching the long, long, long Hurricane Sandy benefit on Wednesday night with The Who, Chris Martin, Kanye West, Billy Joel, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Alicia Keys, then you more than likely stayed up late to see Paul McCartney play with the surviving members of Nirvana. ... More >>

The 5 Worst Cover Albums of All Time

I think when they're just starting out, every musician dreams of making a cover album at some point down the road. We all have our favorite songs that we wish we had written and we all fantasize about singing and playing them ourselves. It's why karaoke bars exist. Of course, everyone thinks they w ... More >>

Muddy Waters and the Stones Get Their Mojo Workin'

Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones Live at the Checkerboard Lounge Chicago 1981 Eagle Rock, 106 min., $14.98 DVD/$19.98 DVD/CD What a great time it is be a classic-rock fan with eyes as well as ears. Between a trove of rare and unreleased concert and TV appearance videos readily available on YouTu ... More >>

Music World Stands Up for Embattled Russian Punks Pussy Riot

Above: A burka-clad Madonna talks about Pussy Riot to her Moscow audience Rewind: Vladimir Putin: No Pussy Riot on His Watch Free speech is a valued thing in this country. It's why journalists, writers, musicians and artists exist and are able to do what they do. However, in Russia, it seems to be ... More >>

Parental Advisory! Another Look at the PMRC's "Dirty 15"

In 1985, the Parental Music Resource Center was formed as basically a watchdog group over popular music. Essentially, their goal was censorship. However, there was one big problem: The group was made up of the likes of Tipper Gore (wife of then-Senator and future Vice President Al Gore), Susan Bake ... More >>

At War with the Mystics

Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne talks Summer Fest, new music and Dark Side of the Moon.

Nicky Hopkins: Classic Rock's Go-To Piano Man

...and on piano... Nicky Hopkins: The Extraordinary Life of Rock's Greatest Session Man By Julian Dawson Though his name is known mostly to classic-rock liner note readers, even the casual fan has heard his piano work: The wistful opening of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful," the pumping keys on ... More >>

Here's The Pitch: Top 10 Commercials Starring Musicians

Madonna's infamous "Like a Prayer" Pepsi ad, 1989​Every now and then, name-brand companies need a little extra pizzazz when it comes to advertising, and often they turn to the music world to do this. Either way, it's a win-win situation for both the artist and the company because the artist us ... More >>

Support Staff: 10 Of Pop History's Greatest Backing Bands

Being behind the scenes is what most musicians who don't write songs or sing expect of their lives once they start seriously playing. A career backing someone up can be extremely rewarding, particularly if you are part of a transcendent group of musicians that goes from simply backing up an artist i ... More >>

Sweet Feet: Dave Lombardo And Double Bass-Drum Domination

Slayer's Dave Lombardo is destroying a couple of bass drums just out of frame.​Forty-seven years ago today, drummer Dave Lombardo was born in Havana, Cuba. Never heard of Dave? That's okay. If you've listened to any heavy metal in the past 25 years, you've definitely heard his influence. Roun ... 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 >>

Poster Boy

Rock art legend Uncle Charlie will not be denied.

Cover Story: Uncle Charlie Is Houston's Poster Boy

​Uncle Charlie isn't just a Houston legend. Ask anyone in the poster-art scene the world over, and they'll know his work. Charlie Hardwick, the subject of this week's cover story, designs posters advertising some of the biggest names in music - from Wilco to Green Day to The Decemberists. But ... More >>

The 10 Greatest Rock Bassists of All Time

Me (right), God help me, and Billy Sheehan circa 1990.​Last week, Neph Basedow wrote her list of the 11 greatest female rock bass players and she took a little heat for it, including some from me. But, she also got a lot right. At the very least, she highlighted the most under-appreciated musi ... More >>

Baron Wolman: A Bounty Of Iconic Rock Photography

Photos by Baron WolmanIke & Tina Turner​Every Picture Tells a Story - Baron Wolman: The Rolling Stone Years Omnibus Press, 176 pp., $37.50 If you could point to one thing that makes today's music journalists most jealous, it would probably be the music journalists of the '60s and '70s. Back t ... More >>

Get Lit: Had Me a Real Good Time - Faces: Before, During & After

Had Me a Real Good Time - Faces: Before, During & After By Andy Neill 456 pp., $29.95, Omnibus Press A band that was actually more popular in the U.S. than their English homeland -- based on their incendiary live shows if not album sales -- Faces (or, to most, The Faces) are far more than just "Rod ... More >>

Friday Night: Def Leppard & Heart At The Woodlands

Photos by Groovehouse​Def Leppard, Heart Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion September 23, 2011 Like so many of their 80s hard rock brethren, Def Leppard has always straddled the line between serious musical territory and the self-parody that threatens all bands associated with that era. On one ... More >>

Lordy Lordy, T. Rex's Electric Warrior Is 40

​A few months back, we had this to say about T. Rex on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of their single "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" reaching the top of the UK charts. This Saturday, parent album, Electric Warrior, turns 40 years old. It bears repeating, not because we are too lazy to com ... More >>

Masters of Cyberspace

The Press hands out its first Houston Web Awards.

Top Five Clint Eastwood Soundtracks

pasoroblesfilmfestival.comDr. John, Clint Eastwood and producer/director Bruce Ricker in a publicity photo for "Piano Blues," Eastwood's installment of PBS' 2003 series The Blues.​Today the one and only Clint Eastwood turns 81 years old, and he can still kick your ass. According to the Interne ... 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 >>

March Madness

At SXSW 2011, almost everything that could go wrong did — except the music.

10 Beatles Urban Legends: True Or False?

​When you're a band like the Beatles - who first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on Feb. 9, 1964, 47 years ago today - tall tales and urban legends spring up all around... mostly because when a band is a worldwide cultural phenomenon, anything can seem possible or even plausible. Some of th ... More >>

Guns N' Roses, Rolling Stones, Prince Coming In 2011?

Sind Axl und Slash wieder Freunde geworden?​Rocks Off is in the concert business for all intents and purposes. We scour Pollstar and other Web sites and almost hourly looking for new shows and tours to tell you about around the clock. In the span of writing this introduction we just listed Luc ... More >>

Michael Lee's Magical Mythical Metal Is No Flashback

​Too much is too much, but way too much is perfect. Michael Lee is way too much. Lee's made his name as an editor and Emmy-nominated producer on everything from E! True Hollywood Story to Super Bowl post-game wrap-ups, but the San Antonio native was suckled at the teat of Van Halen and Judas ... More >>

Last Night: Heart At House Of Blues

Mark Britain​Heart House of Blues November 4, 2010 In trying to come up with a witty juxtaposition to open our review of Thursday night's Heart show, Aftermath was initially going to throw out a comparison to Jefferson Airplane/Starship, another band that peaked decades ago, enjoyed a brief r ... More >>

Ten TV Shows That Need To Go Away Now

​We're barely a month into the fall TV season and have already lost three new network shows. My Generation, the show that was to catch us up on a group of high school graduates ten years after the fact (and presumably set to the music of The Who) pulled a Keith Moon after two episodes. Lone St ... More >>

Robert Plant & Band of Joy, Bettye LaVette

Here Come The Nice: British Boxsets Invade DVD Players

​ The new British Invasion collection are the latest DVDs from Reelin' in the Years, featuring long-lost performances with bandmember interviews. Wisely eschewing the over-anthologized bigger-named performers, this initial series offers individual releases on The Small Faces, Herman's Hermits ... More >>

Summer Tours We'd Like To See: Bring Back Texxas Jam!

Reminder: Tickets for Lady Gaga's Toyota Center show next year go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.​ Summer concert season doesn't last as long as hurricane season, and leaves somewhat less damage in its aftermath, but at least it gives us something to look forward to during those long, hot months. This ... More >>

Hit the Road, Jack: 10 More Notable Musical Deaths From the Past Decade

​ Looking back, this past decade wasn't too kind to rock and roll as a whole. We lost plenty of people who weren't exactly disgustingly huge as Michael Jackson or as monolithic as Johnny Cash. This decade took its share of people who were massively influential and iconic, but not on the grand worl ... More >>

The Forgotten Festival

The 1969 Texas International Pop Festival

Les Paul Is Shredding Axes With Jesus and GG Allin Now (Wait, That Can't Be Right...)

Thanks to Mr. Jesse Dayton for showing us this clip Les Paul, the musician who literally created the definitive sound of rock 'n roll with his slew of equipment inventions, has passed away at the rockin' age of 94. Seriously if you make it that far after spending your life in smoky halls and reco ... More >>

Alley Theater To Produce Yet Another Frank Wildhorn Musical; Stunned World Asks "Why?"

The Alley Theater has announced its 2009-10 season; it includes productions of recent Broadway comedies Boeing, Boeing and Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, which should be fun.But the announcement also contains much more ominous news, consisting of just five words: Yet. Another. Frank. Wildhorn. Mus ... More >>

Across the Universe

Run for your life if you can, little girl: Julie Taymor's '60s-set musical is a bust

Oasis

Tuesday, March 28, Verizon Wireless Theater, 520 Texas, 713-230-1666

Rotation

Now They're Cooking

Never Too Old to Rock and Roll

From the Malibus to the Natives to on his own, Herschel Berry has haunted -- and been haunted by -- Houston music for three decades. So is he ready to give it up? You've gotta be kidding

A Whole Lot Country

And quite a bit rock and roll add up to No Depression music

Static

Messing Up in Public

Ray Davies gets the kinks (if not the Kinks) out of his career

Rotations

Irish Ambassadors

The Chieftains may flirt with rock, but they always come home to Ireland

Live Shots

Ecstatic Static

Guided By Voices' low-fi revelations