Toby Keith

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Jon Byrd Tunes Up Country

Musicians Don't Have W. to Kick Around Anymore... So Now What?

Now that Lil' Bush has shuffled off the Presidential coil - or will in a couple of hours, anyway - and heads off into some Dallas burg to write his memoirs and reflect on his two wild and strange terms as Commander in Chief, it seems that the writers of so many protest songs can call off their guns ... More >>

What Are Houston Twitterers Doing For the Rodeo?

We don't know if you're heard, but there's something going on over at Reliant Stadium called the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. We sent the call out over Twitter for Houston folks to tell us their plans, and they did. Y'all are cooperative that way. Houston Press comments are in parentheses. txky ... More >>

Tonight: Toby Keith at Reliant Stadium

Just think, if not for September 11, Toby Keith would probably still be as bland as dry toast and just as exciting. The horrific events of that day, and our nation's rapid retaliation, suddenly sprung the Oklahoma-born Keith into action - he soon began a whole new career as a political fire ... More >>

Aftermath: Toby Keith at RodeoHouston

Photos by Mark C. AustinIt's easy to see why Toby Keith is so popular... until he opens his mouth to sing. The 47-year-old singer, actor and tireless Ford pitchman has the kind of easygoing, big-galoot charisma that would make him an ideal drinking buddy. No doubt that's why so many of his so ... More >>

Rocks Off Is Too Critical For CMT

Mark C. Austin Yes, CMT, we did enjoy Alan Jackson's RodeoHouston performance.If you've been following Rocks Off's rodeo coverage, which hopefully you have, you've probably noticed that we've found a few of the entertainers' performances to be less than stellar. Which is not to say we haven' ... More >>

Saving Country Music Rides to Rocks Off's Aid

TK's atomic mullet is no match for Rocks Off and Saving Country Music's poison pens.This has been a fun week down in the Rocks Off foxhole, as Toby Keith's loyal minions have besieged us with comments taking issue with our review of the Big Dog Daddy's lackluster RodeoHouston performance Wedn ... More >>

Could Alternative Country Work at the Rodeo?

TK's atomic mullet is no match for Rocks Off and Saving Country Music's poison pens.This has been a fun week down in the Rocks Off foxhole, as Toby Keith's loyal minions have besieged us with comments taking issue with our review of the Big Dog Daddy's lackluster RodeoHouston performance Wedn ... More >>

A Super-Patriotic July 4 Playlist

Have You Forgotten?

Downtown's Got Soulphilia

A superbad shindig at Dean's

Odd Couples

Strange musical pairings

Just Say No Más

In which we examine Cancuntry music

Year of the Concept

Green Day opens the Idiot-ic floodgates

Down-Home Delights

Ten of the best from Nashville and elsewhere

Austin Collins

Tuesday, June 21, at McGonigel's Mucky Duck, 2425 Norfolk, 713-529-9899.

Elephant Dance

Cuttin' a rug with the Dubya bunch at Wild West

Defending the Dirty Thirty

And coping with Yankee slander

Pats and Cats Bring It Back

The biggest of them all returns to Houston

Heard It Through the Grapevine

Notes toward new and better criticism and marketing of wine and song

The Mavericks

Saturday, December 6

F.Co

The King of Texas (F.Co Music Management)

Dark Riders

The good, the bad and the ugly rock-star performance contracts

War on War Songs

Iraq and roll don't go together well when rockers protest

Hissin' Dixie.

Country stars battle it out on the eve of war

Artist of the Week: BetterLuck

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com.For some reason, back in 20 ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

Pork bellies galore. They plump when you cook and/or tickle them.​Welcome back to Eating Our Words' weekly roundup, where we've already picked all those wonderful little brown rye chips out of the Gardetto's. This week started off with a story from another dimension: Conservatives are applaudi ... More >>

Oh, Great: Nashville Songwriters Name Redneck Doofus Toby Keith Artist of the Decade

We beg to differ, jerkwad...​Sadly, it's official: Toby Keith, that big redneck doofus who is always threatening to put his boots up somebody's ass or feuding with the Dixie Chicks, has been declared by Nashville Songwriters Association International the top songwriter/artist OF THE DECADE. Man, ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: Right-Wing Gun Nuts Ain't the Only Ones Who Can Reload

​ We knew it would happen, we just didn't know it would take so long. The so-called Texas music (and right-wing) lunatic fringe has finally located us and zeroed in on Lonesome, Onry and Mean. They've got their self-righteous gun-nut editorial Uzis a-blazin' like a shootout at the OK Corral over o ... More >>

RodeoHouston 2010 Entertainer Lineup Includes Mary J. Blige, Black Eyed Peas, Justin Bieber and Some Country Folks You Can Probably Guess

​Monday morning, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced the remainder of its Reliant Stadium entertainment calendar for this year's rodeo, which begins March 2. Debuting on Reliant's revolving stage this year are Jason Aldean (March 6) and Texans the Eli Young Band (March 19). Returning fr ... More >>

Happy Hour Scene: Shuck Daddy's

Photos by Paul Knight​Obsolete August, a cover band that plays live music at Shuck Daddy's on Wednesday nights, was in the middle of a rendition of Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville" when we walked in. To make matters worse, it was a slow-rolling version, almost like a love ballad. The song se ... More >>

Lonesome Onry and Mean: John Conquest Turns Both Barrels on Country-Music Poll

People have often referred to Lonesome, Onry and Mean as a curmudgeon (look it up), as a guy with a permanent hangover, bad temper and well... you get the idea. But compared to Austin-based 3rd Coast Music publisher (and main writer) John Conquest, LOM is a pussy cat, a cookie and a warm glass of m ... More >>

Bold and Fresh Tour: O'Reilly and Beck LIVE

These right-wing heroes take to the big screen

Chatter: Long Ball

Ex-ballplayer and busker George Thorogood: Now playing in a kid's movie near you.

Rocks Off's Rodeo Concert Guide: Toby Keith, Ever The Angry American

Date: March 12 Name: Toby Keith AKA: "Mr. Boot in Your Ass" Genre: [This is our] country Best Known Song(s): "Beer for My Horses," "How Do You Like Me Now?", "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Ugly Angry American)" Key Demographic: Dick Cheney, ex-boyfriends of Natalie Maines, that surviva ... More >>

Aftermath: Ford Shilling Aside, Toby Keith Ain't As Bad As He Once Was

Photos courtesy of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™​It would be an understatement to say Aftermath wasn't exactly looking forward to this show. Our previous experience with the esteemed Mr. Keith was limited to occasionally hearing his songs in bars and one night spent drinking at his restauran ... More >>

FAIL: Nashville Weather, Liam Gallagher, Meat Loaf, Warrant's Jani Lane

If you're reading this, you're either on the Internet, or else you've mastered multi-dimensional thought-projection processes that would make Michio Kaku cry like a little girl. We'll assume the former, and just in case you don't already know, the Internet has decided that the word "failure" is too ... More >>

"Monkey With Arthritis": Top 10 Cattiest Musician Insults

​Think of Tony Bennett and you'll probably picture the kindly older gentleman crooning "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" and any number of other pop standards, or perhaps the guy who upstaged Alec Baldwin as "Anthony Benedetto" (his birth name) on a 2006 episode of Saturday Night Live, turnin ... More >>

The Ten Worst Songs About Cowboys

​Sunday at noon, the Dallas Cowboys and our own Houston Texans face off at Reliant Stadium. The Texans are 2-0 and the Cowboys have not won one game at all this year. The Texans have won two games, and the Cowboys do not have any wins. At all. Understandably, spirits are high this week on bo ... More >>

Hands Up Post: Honky-Tonk Houston's Done Got Out Of Hand

​A recent thread on the Hands Up Houston message board found poster "honky honk" complaining (and mangling the English language): Dear Houston. Why are you excepting [sic] this right wing, overtly white genre of music known as honky tonk or country? Why do we have to travel that far back ... More >>

How Much Does Houston Like Rush? A Lot.

Photos by Groovehouse/ Click link for a slideshowRush's Geddy Lee: "Hmmm... looks like a sellout to me."​Rush's "Time Machine" tour was well-named in more ways than one. Not only did the Canadian trio perform 1981's Moving Pictures in its entirety, but the tour transported the concert industry ... More >>

Mission Accomplished: Your Buzzword Is My Band Name, Part 2

​We're getting closer to a midterm election that, more and more, is coming to resemble two dachshunds we had as a kid who would lose their little doggy minds over a chew toy and attack each other in a weiner-dog whirlwind of until separated by a garden hose. The attack ads are a-flying, and e ... More >>

Top Eight Freedom Songs For MLK Day

​Rocks Off sincerely prays that those of you with today off are at least peripherally aware of why you have today off. For our annual MLK Day reflection this year, we thought we'd leave the songs about Dr. King to Bono, and instead share a few of our favorite songs that set his dream to music ... More >>

Pop Rocks: Alternatives for Your Iglesia-less Britney Spears Tour

Not opening for Britney, he doesn't.​By now you've all heard the devastating news; not about the continuing problems at Japan's Fukushima nuclear facility, though that's still pretty important...I guess -- no, I'm of course referring to Enrique Iglesias's decision to bail on the just-announced ... More >>

Video: Jane's Addiction Announces Bin Laden's Death At Buzzfest

Last night during their Buzzfest 26-closing set at at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, classic alt-rockers Jane's Addiction had the distinct honor of announcing to the nearly sold-out crowd at the shed that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by American special forces.

Who Will Write The First "Osama Is Dead" Hit Song?

​Now that more details are starting to emerge about Sunday's Navy SEAL helicopter raid that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden and several members of the al-Qaeda jefe's entourage - especially how the months-long planning and 40-minute firefight was planned in total secrecy, and executed ... More >>

30 Seconds With Reverse The Curse's Ed Starcher

Rocks Off sat down with Ed Starcher of Reverse the Curse, to see what we could find out about the vocalist/guitarist for one of indie-rock's biggest up-and-comers in 30 seconds. ​Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Ed Starcher: Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue ( ... More >>

Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" And Other Household Items That Need Theme Songs

​OK, we've never been devout Toby Keith fans. At all. Our image of him changed though as we heard more of his politics, post-"Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue" and he came out as a fan of gay marriage and gays in the military. Who says all country guys have to be right-wing torchbearers any ... More >>

Goodtime Moonshine: 8 Brands Of Musician-Backed Booze

warmingglow.uproxx.comShirtless hillbillies, backyard stills, and Cletus from the Simpson = things we normally associate with moonshine.​Tuesday, representatives for Colt Ford announced the Georgia-born singer best known for 2010's Chicken and Biscuits would be the first country music star wit ... More >>

Eat It: Restaurants Owned by Musicians

​Hotlanta is so hot that they can even turn their airport into a club. Stay with us. A few days ago, Ludacris announced that he will close his Asian/Singaporean restaurant, Straits, and embark on a new "restaurateur" opportunity: opening a "Chicken and Beer" restaurant inside of Atlanta's Hart ... More >>

Decoding Newt Gingrich Based on His Known Musical Tastes

"I know it sounds crazy, Ronnie, but Kesha's cover of Dylan's 'Don't Think Twice It's Alright' is one of the greatest things ever recorded"​The digital revolution is slowly killing our favorite form of amateur psychoanalysis. We've all gone through someone's CD collection at some point when th ... More >>