Subject:

William Michael Smith

  • Blogs

    April 20, 2012

    iFest's Jesse Dayton: "I'm Ready To Throw Down"

    The last time Rocks Off caught up with Jesse Dayton, he was up to his eyeballs in alligators with his film project Zombex, working on an album of Kinky Friedman cover songs, and playing Kinky for a bunch of New York art types in Marfa. One of the hustling-est hustlers in show business, Dayton has pl ... More >>

  • Music

    November 24, 2011

    Thanks, Houston

    What we appreciate most this year.

  • Blogs

    November 24, 2011

    What We Are Thankful For This Year

    Like most years, 2011 has been...complicated. We've heard some great music, seen some killer shows and lost some amazing people. We also nearly lost one of our own. That's how it goes in this world and it's why the things we are thankful for take on added meaning as the year begins to wind down. Th ... More >>

  • Music

    November 17, 2011

    Showcase Showdown

    Fifty bands, 11 stages and three music writers talking HPMA highlights.

  • Music

    November 10, 2011

    2011 Music Awards Showcase

    Your guide to the bands and venues.

  • Blogs

    October 19, 2011

    Houston "Doghouse" Blues Pianist Earl Gilliam Dead At 81

    ​Rocks Off contributor William Michael Smith just called in to regretfully inform us that Houston blues musician Earl Gilliam has passed away. Gilliam's manager, Sheri Goodman, told Smith that Gilliam died at his home near Tomball of advanced lung disease. The piano player was famous for host ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 24, 2011

    BestFest: Chamillionaire, Starmaker; The Tontons, New Stars

    Marc BrubakerKing Koopa: Talent scout in his spare time.​God Almighty, that cool front did not last anywhere near long enough. The crowd seems to be in pretty good spirits, but it's just past the hottest part of the day right now and fatigue is starting to show. It's better now - ed. People a ... More >>

  • News

    July 21, 2011

    Just Playing

    Readers write us regarding illegal game rooms.

  • Music

    June 16, 2011

    Juneteenth Celebration

    Readers write us regarding illegal game rooms.

  • Blogs

    June 3, 2011

    Summer Fest Critic's Guide: Who We're Seeing At Tinsley

    Jermaine Rogers​In three very short years, Free Press Summer Fest has gone from an experiment most people thought would fail to destination music festival most people wouldn't dare miss even if it is going to be 105 degrees outside. Rocks Off has seen quite a bit of online chatter from people ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 5, 2011

    KTRU Lives On At KPFT In Seven-Year Lease

    Marc Brubaker​KTRU (91.7 FM), the student-run station at Rice University sold to the University of Houston just before the start of school last fall, will begin broadcasting on Pacifica station KPFT's (90.1 FM) high-definition channel, it was announced today. This means the station won't be r ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 31, 2010

    The Worst Music Trends Of 2010

    ​Editor's Pick: Shit. I spent my whole year either avoiding or ignoring trends. No reason to change now. Marc Brubaker: Many a person instructed me to place Ke(Dollar Sign)ha in this spot, but she's become so ubiquitous that I can't help but laugh when I hear her now. No, fine sirs, this awa ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 31, 2010

    Rocks Off's 2011 New Year's Resolutions

    ​Editor's Pick: To "support the scene" more in 2011. Just kidding. Marc Brubaker: Houston, I have a confession to make. As far as music writers go, this one is pretty bad, too: I have a terrible habit of sleeping on bands just because they are popular. Often, when a new band picks up a lot o ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 24, 2010

    Merry Christmas From Rocks Off

    Rocks Off polled our staff for their favorite Christmas songs to create a playlist for you to enjoy while you open presents, drink egg nog, or however else you celebrate. Enjoy. Ahh, the gift that keeps on giving...​Editor's Pick: U2, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)": Neph Basedow: Ped ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 23, 2010

    The Top WTF Moments Of The Year

    Editor's Pick: WTF doesn't have to mean "bad," you know. About a week ago - a week exactly, as a matter of fact - En Vogue's "Free Your Mind" came on the PA at Fitzgerald's. I have been in a musical fog for a few months, where nothing was really connecting, but this song snapped me right out of it ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 22, 2010

    Best Boat Name Ever? Or Bestest Boat Name Ever??!

    Brittanie Shey​Hat tip to frequent Rocks Off contributor William Michael Smith for bringing this party boat to our attention. It's sitting outside Gibbs Boats and Motors on West Gray and Montrose, where it underwent a little tune-up a few weeks ago and is awaiting pick-up from the owner. We t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 16, 2010

    The Rolling Stones At Hofheinz Pavilion In 1972, Firsthand

    Ed. Note: Rocks Off's own Lonesome Onry and Mean himself, William Michael Smith, attended the Rolling Stones concert at Hofheinz Pavilion in June 1972 that was filmed for the movie Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones. Since the movie screens at 7:30 p.m. tonight at several Houston-area theaters ... More >>

  • News

    August 19, 2010

    Honky-Tonk Houston

    Readers weigh in on the pros and cons

  • Blogs

    December 25, 2009

    2009 Concert Rewind: The 2009 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase and Ceremony

    Showcase Sunday, Part 1 Shea SerranoRunaway Sun​ Dominique: "We guess critics would call her style 'neo-soul,' but it didn't seem very 'neo' to me, more like 'jazzy soul.' She fronted a piano-led trio with two backing vocalists and from the first sultry Fender Rhodes groove to the final explosive ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 23, 2009

    2009 Concert Rewind, June: Roky Erickson, David Byrne, Heartless Bastards, Santigold, Clapton & Winwood, the Jenny Lewis Shushing and '90s Alt-Rock Back from the Dead

    Daniel Kramer​ New York Dolls, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, House of Blues, June 4: "What we got last night at the House of Blues was an hour-long set of sporadic and confounding re-workings of their bedrock material, and a whole helluva lot of middle-of-the-road bar rock from two dimming ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 21, 2009

    2009 Concert Rewind, April: Springsteen, Jandek, Morrissey, The Faint, iFest, Cake... and Nickelback

    Harley C. Pitts​ Kevin and Dustin Welch, McGonigel's Mucky Duck, April 2: "Dustin (son of Kevin) Welch stunned the sparse crowd at the Duck last night from the first note of "One False Move," the brilliant opener to his new album, Whisky Priest. While the graying crowd had mostly come to hear the ... More >>

  • Music

    July 23, 2009

    52 Pick-Up

    Your guide to the 2009 Houston Press Music Awards showcase

  • Blogs

    February 12, 2009

    Oh, Christ: Original Limp Bizkit Lineup to Reunite

    Because things aren't already bad enough out there right now, the original lineup of crotch-rocking mooks Limp Bizkit annouced today they are reuniting. Here, according to a joint statement by the band's Fred Durst and Wes Borland, is their reasoning: "We decided we were more disgusted and b ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 8, 2009

    Lonesome Onry and Mean: The Gourds, Part 3

    [Note: This is the final installment of Lonesome Onry and Mean's interview with the Gourds' Kevin Russell. Don't miss Part 1 and Part 2.] John Carrico Lonesome Onry and Mean: To a lot of critics, "Steeple Full of Swallows" on Heavy Ornamentals was singled out as a new quieter, serious sound for th ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 8, 2009

    Aftermath: The Magpies and Sideshow Tramps at the Continental Club

    Photos by Chris Gray It didn't look good at the beginning. A few minutes after 9 p.m. Wednesday, the posted start time for visiting Cleveland roots-rockers the Magpies, the "count" at the Continental Club front door was all of 16 paying customers, and the band was nowhere in sight. Two chicken t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 7, 2009

    Lonesome Onry and Mean: The Gourds, Part 2

    Andy Goodwin [Note: Part 1 of this interview is here.] Lonesome Onry and Mean: You guys have been on several labels, have probably heard all the too-good-to-be-true come-ons, been to the meetings with label radio gurus and all. How do you look at the label system and the way things are done in th ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 6, 2009

    MySpaced Out: Gram Rabbit Stirs in the High Desert

    Gram Rabbit, "California Christmas" In case you're still in your holiday hangover mode like I am, here's one wonderful holiday YouTube video that our gallant Mr. Rocks Off left out of his holiday onslaught. Cute doesn't begin to describe this one. While we are on the subject, high desert California ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 2, 2009

    Aftermath Extra: The Best Concerts of the Year, Part 8

    Cheech & Chong/Willie Nelson, Verizon Wireless Theater/House of Blues, October 31: "This morning Aftermath thought his notes had vanished entirely before realizing he had simply mistook the back cover of his notebook for the front. Halloween 2008 was high times indeed." Randy Weeks, Discover ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 30, 2008

    Lonesome Onry and Mean: 2008's Heavy Rotation

    For the second (third?) year in a row, LOM didn't vote in either the Nashville Scene's best of country music poll or the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop best of American music poll. I'm just not a good list-maker. Detest that stuff. Just trying to compile a list of possibles makes my brain hate me. ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 30, 2008

    Aftermath Extra: The Best Concerts of the Year, Part 1

    [Note: Aftermath attended all these shows and reviewed most of them. Even he couldn't see them all.] Six Organs of Admittance, Walter's on Washington, January 18: "[Ben Chasny's] quieter moments reminded me of the softer side of bands like Pavement and Guided by Voices, and the mournful specte ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 30, 2008

    Aftermath Extra: The Best Concerts of the Year, Part 2

    Gram Rabbit, Super Happy Fun Land, January 31: "Gram Rabbit is the face of 21st century glam; denser than Scissor Sisters and more fun than Ladytron. If everyone who heard Roxy Music got these sorts of ideas, the world would be a vastly better place." (Chris Henderson) Over the Rhine, McGonigel' ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 25, 2008

    Merry Christmas from the Rocks Off Family

    ...and so say all of us! - Chris Gray, Craig Hlavaty, Dusti Rhodes, Keith Plocek, William Michael Smith, Bob Ruggiero, John Nova Lomax, Ernest Barteldes, Brandon K. Hernsberger, Jef With One F, Michael Arceneaux, Linda Leseman, kris ex, Kathy F. Mahdoubi, Rosa Guerrero, Nick DiFonzo, Jason Fergus ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 18, 2008

    Aftermath: Raul Malo at House of Blues

    Photos by William Michael Smith I've never been a particularly big Raul Malo fan. Sure, he and his Mavericks had a few stellar singles that were pure gold from the first note, most notably (for me anyway) the Dwight Yoakam-ish twanger "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down." But my significant othe ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 12, 2008

    Lonesome Onry and Mean: Sounds of Texas Music Series Announces 2009 Season

    Guy Clark, "L.A. Freeway," live in Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2006 In response to last week's feature on the Conroe/The Woodlands/Montgomery County Americana scene, we've just received word from the Sounds of Texas Music Series people regarding their 2009 season. Quote-unquote, "Season ticket ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 10, 2008

    MySpaced Out: When Publicists Attack

    It was War of the Worlds author H.G. Wells who famously said, "Advertising is legalized lying." I recently had the unpleasant occasion to have a brief tete-a-tete with a young lady in the music public relations business. They call themselves "publicists." Not liars. It all began innocently enough, ... More >>

  • Dining

    September 18, 2008

    Steak Night: Under the Volcano

    It was War of the Worlds author H.G. Wells who famously said, "Advertising is legalized lying." I recently had the unpleasant occasion to have a brief tete-a-tete with a young lady in the music public relations business. They call themselves "publicists." Not liars. It all began innocently enough, ... More >>

  • Music

    December 13, 2007

    Big Smith

    It was War of the Worlds author H.G. Wells who famously said, "Advertising is legalized lying." I recently had the unpleasant occasion to have a brief tete-a-tete with a young lady in the music public relations business. They call themselves "publicists." Not liars. It all began innocently enough, ... More >>

  • Music

    March 29, 2007

    The Music Critics Dictionary

    Translating critic-speak

  • Blogs

    October 19, 2006

    Sunny Day

    Translating critic-speak

  • News

    September 14, 2006

    Letters to the Editor

    Translating critic-speak

  • News

    February 2, 2006

    Letters to the Editor

    Translating critic-speak

  • Music

    December 30, 2004

    Playbill

    Translating critic-speak

  • Music

    November 25, 2004

    Playbill

    Translating critic-speak

  • Music

    November 11, 2004

    Playbill

    Translating critic-speak

  • Music

    October 28, 2004

    Playbill

    Translating critic-speak

  • Music

    September 23, 2004

    Playbill

    Translating critic-speak

  • News

    August 5, 2004

    ¡Viva H-town!

    Latinos come to the fore in this year's music awards

  • Music

    July 15, 2004

    Playbill

    Latinos come to the fore in this year's music awards

  • Music

    June 24, 2004

    MOFRO

    Latinos come to the fore in this year's music awards

  • Music

    July 24, 2003

    Rock You like a Hurricane

    The Press Music Awards Showcase brings a category-five storm of tunes

  • More >>
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