Yo Gabba Gabba!

Hipster Garbage: The Indie Band Drinking Challenge, Round 1

Here's the deal. A lot of hipster garbage music lands on my desk. I want to try to like it, I really do. I listen to the streaming albums these artists send, and try not to giggle when they're dressed like bearded trees or sporting gender-bending granny clothing in a bid to look the part, but it's p ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: Muse, Major Lazer, Pitbull, etc.

Muse Toyota Center, March 12 The prospect of a new Muse album (The 2nd Law) was overshadowed by the band's dalliance with dubstep, which was a shame, but not surprising in the current musical climate. When one of the world's biggest stadium-rock bands' tinkering with electronics becomes a dealbreak ... More >>

Explaining Classic Rock Bands to Kids

This past Sunday, The New York Times ran a piece by Paul Greenberg where the author explained how important the Beatles were to music and pop culture to his five-year old son. The child didn't know that the band had albums, but only knew the Fab Four from iTunes playlists. "When the Beatles record ... More >>

The 10 Most Rocking Songs In Children's Entertainment

Here's the thing about children's entertainment, it's designed to appeal not only to the lowest common denominator, but the toughest audience known to man. Don't believe me? Try playing your favorite song to a toddler, even something that is an acknowledged classic like the Pretenders' "I'll Stand ... More >>

Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" And The Death Of The Word "Swag"

Sunday night, when Justin Bieber's new song "Boyfriend" dropped, the social-media landscape at large began comparing it to the work of Justin Timberlake, the music industry's somewhat dormant leading man. I was sad, because I like the Timberlake. Justin Bieber, I bought Justin Timberlake records, ... More >>

Leslie & the LYs

Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music: Everything Old Is New...ish Again

If Sesame Street's red, eternally three-year-old Muppet seems less ubiquitous these days than he did during the "Tickle Me Elmo" hysteria of the late '90s, well, he's got a lot more competition. Sure, plenty of kids still want to be shown how to get, how to get to Sesame Street, but nowadays there a ... More >>

5 Places I'd Rather Play Than Saturday Night Live

​Recently I returned to being an active musician, and that is peachy with a side of keen. Like most musicians, I'm a day dreamer who spends his bathtub time answering in-depth questions from imaginary hot, red-headed music journalists about the undeniable genius of my art. Also returning are t ... More >>

Friday Night: Yo Gabba Gabba Live! At Verizon Wireless Theater

Photos by James Bricker​Yo Gabba Gabba Live! Verizon Wireless Theater December 2, 2011 As a parent, Rocks Off can tell you firsthand about the sacrifices involved in child rearing. Most of us know going in that there are trade-offs for raising your own personal organ donors, from simple thing ... More >>

Yo Gabba Gabba's Creator Talks Bands and Stage Diving Kids

What do you do when you have kids but you can't stand any of the TV programming geared toward them? Get together with a long-time buddy and make a low-budget version of what you'd like to see on television. That's how Christian Jacobs, lead singer of the punk band The Aquabats, and friend Scott Sch ... More >>

Christian Jacobs on Yo Gabba Gabba, Stage-Diving Kids and Biz Markie

What do you do when you have kids but you can't stand any of the TV programming geared toward them? Get together with a longtime buddy and make a low-budget version of what you'd like to see on television. That's how Christian Jacobs, lead singer of the punk band The Aquabats, and friend Scott Schu ... More >>

Pop Rocks: The Worst Part Of Parenting? The TV Shows.

Don't believe the hype.​Being a parent is tough, especially when the kids are toddler age or thereabouts. You're basically on 24-7 suicide watch while the little hobgoblins cram everything they find into their mouths and clamber to the top of the bookshelves, while at the same time you try to ... More >>

Skeleton Dick: Decoding Houston's No. 1 Punk Band's Stupid Name

It's a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we're trying hard to find meaning in the oddest monikers. ​Skeleton Dick currently reigns as Houston's top punk ac, with a trophy and everything to prove it. We've been fans and friends of the band ... More >>

Rocks Off's Must-See Music Picks For SXSW '11

​As you may have heard, there's a teeny-tiny little music festival going on in Austin later this week. Some of the early birds on team Rocks Off are either already there or well on their way, as a matter of fact. With more than 2,000 artists playing the official part of SXSW alone, trying to ... More >>

The 10 Best Music Videos Of 2010

​The following should be heard in Ray Liotta's voice for maximum effect: As far back as we can remember, we always wanted to be a VJ. We grew up with MTV, and until we had to break it off after we found the channel hoing around with a pack of syphilitic realitysauruses, we never missed a cha ... More >>

Friday: Yo Gabba Gabba At Hobby Center

Photos by Brittanie SheyLeslie Hall (right) and a new fan after Friday's show.​Yo Gabba Gabba, feat. Leslie Hall & Biz Markie Sarofim Hall, Hobby Center December 10, 2010 Yo Gabba Gabba, the children's TV show currently touring as a live stage production, has plenty of positive messages for y ... More >>

Yo Gabba Gabba!'s Greatest Hits

​A year ago, in honor of Sesame Street's 40th birthday, Rocks Off brought you a list of the beloved television program's 10 Best Musical Appearances. But 41 years ago, Nickelodeon didn't exist. Now the network is known for its retro-cool vibe, thanks to bringing back shows from the golden age ... More >>

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: Puppet Wing

Photos via WikipediaTMBG​Ladies and gentlemen, Rocks Off is pleased as rum punch to announce that The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has (not) added an official puppet wing to that fine institution. What's even better, they have (not) given us the opportunity to nominate some of the finest felt fe ... More >>

LeBron James: Hate Or Appreciate?

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. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

Lovable Children's-Music Performer Totally Eats It

​Rocks Off watches a lot of lovable children's characters singing endless cheerful songs about the basic virtues that make up the best of humanity. And not because we smoke a bowl each day, it's to appease our 10-month-old empress. And most of the time, programs like Yo Gabba Gabba are actuall ... More >>

We Know It's 8 a.m. Get Some Sleep.

​ The Houston Press keeps your humble reporter chained to his computer late at night in an attempt to glean from the Internet new and exciting music from the tube of you in order to add a little audiovisual happiness in your life each morning. [Ed. Note: Hey, we offered him the gig and he took it. ... More >>

Upcoming: Roberto Carlos, Dead Meadow, Huey Lewis & The News, Ratt, Etc.

​Roberto Carlos: CHANGED Wed., Sept. 22, 8 p.m., $59.50-$99.50. Verizon Wireless Theater. Adler's Appetite: Sun., June 13. BFE Rock Club. Ambrosia: Fri., Aug. 6. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. American Fangs, Meriweather, Legacy Fails, A Dream Asleep: Fri., June 18. Fitzgerald's. Anal Cunt, Chocolate ... More >>

Solange Serenades Tykes On Yo Gabba Gabba!

Magnolia City Mixtape's favorite Knowles sister, the much-maligned Solange, performed a charming Mother's Day song, "Mama Loves Baby" on the kickass kids' show Yo Gabba Gabba! last week. Solange has a five-year-old son, and awesome taste in eye shadow. Joe Mathlete's Marmaduke Explained series was ... More >>

2007 Music Year in Review