Houston - Rocks Off - "R.I.P. Michael Jackson" Archives

Coroner Rules Michael Jackson's Death a Homicide

By Chris Gray in Miles-tones, R.I.P. Michael Jackson, This Just In

Monday, Aug. 24 2009 @ 4:30PM

TMZ.com

It already looked bad for Houston physician Dr. Conrad Murray, whom just about everyone with a pulse expects to face criminal charges stemming from his client Michael Jackson's June 25 death and is already the subject of a manslaughter probe by the LAPD. Now things look even worse, because the Associated Press is reporting that the Los Angeles County Coroner's office has ruled Jackson's death a homicide. The report has not been officially released, but the official told the AP the coroner found the anesthetic propofal and two powerful sedatives in Jackson's system.

According to a search warrant affidavit that police used to raid Murray's Houston office and storage facility last month, the doctor has already admitted to police that he gave Jackson several drugs, including propofal, the day the pop star died. Rocks Off says he'll be arrested within 24 hours, but just to be on the safe side, we'll take the under.

A Bizarre, and Sometimes Electrifying, Tribute to Michael Jackson, Luther and Marvin at Miller Outdoor Theater

By John Nova Lomax in Live Shots, R.I.P. Michael Jackson

Monday, Aug. 24 2009 @ 4:00PM

Saturday Rocks Off and a friend attended Keeping the Music Alive, a free concert at Miller Outdoor Theatre. The show was a tribute in honor of the late Michael Jackson, the later Bernie Mac, the even later Gerald Levert, the later still Luther Vandross, and the even yet later still Barry White - not to mention Marvin Gaye, the latest (and greatest) of them all.

A revolving cast of singers assumed the roles of the deceased soulsters while a tight backing band - guitar, bass, two back-up singers, keyboards, a drummer, percussionist and Kyle Turner's volcanic sax - provided the music all night. The performances were exceedingly well-paced, if the music wasn't always.

We missed the first hour (and thus all of the tribute to the Mac-Man) and came in on Scott Gertner attempting with little success to approximate Barry White's elephantine basso rumble on "Practice What You Preach." A raucous family on the next blanket over wasn't impressed. "That fool messed up the words," said a young man clutching a Bud Light. "He needs to sing it right."

Continue reading " A Bizarre, and Sometimes Electrifying,"...

"Prison Sex" and Other Songs Jacko's Ex-Doctor Doesn't Want to Hear Right Now

By John Seaborn Gray in Lists, R.I.P. Michael Jackson, WTF Island

Wednesday, Aug. 19 2009 @ 4:15PM

Well, this is a strange and incongruous turn of events. Normally when a celebrity gets pumped full of pills by a dubious "personal physician" and croaks, there are no repercussions and everyone's free to split up the dead guy's loot like Christmas came early. Not this time, however: Fox News reported today that Dr. Conrad Murray, believed to be currently holed up in his Houston home, will be charged with manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson.

In response, Dr. Murray, who could be charged as early as next week, came forward with detailed records of all the drugs he gave Jackson and promised to cooperate in every way and to accept responsibility for his actions. Just kidding. He put on his victim hat and cried like a bitch. Invoked God a whole bunch, too. Classy!

Since it seems like Murray and a few of his buddies (including Jackson's dermatologist... it's about time) are going to be serving a little hard time, we went out and found some songs they probably don't want to hear right now. Feel free to post these as responses to any future YouTube videos he releases that don't have the comments disabled. We're all about the broadening of horizons here.

Continue reading " "Prison Sex" and Other Songs"...

Turning the Screw: Arrest In Trae Day Shootings, More Michael Jackson Exploitation, Who's Getting Slappy and Who's Getting Stabby

By Shea Serrano in R.I.P. Michael Jackson, Screwston, Texas, Turning the Screw

Monday, Aug. 17 2009 @ 11:30AM

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies.

Single of the Week: Paul Wall feat. Baby Bash, "Lemon Drop."

Wire To Wire

This weekend, 19-year-old Albert Walker "A-Walk" Mondane, one of the suspects being sought in the Trae Day shootings, turned himself in to authorities. Patooey. (That's us spitting on the floor.)

Remember that guy that was supposed to have been a linchpin in the Tupac murder? According to him, he's totally the victim of a conspiracy.

C-Murder sentenced to life. Yipes.

Continue reading " Turning the Screw: Arrest In"...

Turning the Screw: Surreall, Asher & Cudi, Eminem vs. Mariah, Slum Village, Young Jeezy, Ghostface, Nas, DJ Hero, Guerilla Maab, etc.

By Shea Serrano in Playbill, R.I.P. Michael Jackson, Screwston, Texas, Turning the Screw

Monday, Aug. 3 2009 @ 2:50PM

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies.

Single of the Week: "#1 Dame in the Game," Surreall

Wire To Wire

Kid Cudi continues his rapid ascension to stardom, scores gig acting on an HBO sitcom. Saw him in concert this weekend. That's a bad boy fa sure. And Bun B cosigned Asher's performance, which makes Asher good in our book.

And the award for the best example of life imitating art goes to Drake, who tore up his ACL at a recent concert. In case you're totally just not with it, he played a wheelchair-bound character on that Degrassi TV show.

Continue reading " Turning the Screw: Surreall, Asher"...

Acres Homes on National TV Right Now

By Chris Gray in Only In Houston, R.I.P. Michael Jackson, This Just In

Wednesday, Jul. 22 2009 @ 12:27PM

TMZ.com

Guilty?

Hold your nose and tune into Fox News right now, and you may see some familiar territory. TMZ and just about every other news outlet on the planet are rapt as federal agents rifle through the Acres Homes offices of Dr. Conrad Murray, the local physician who is all caught up in the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson's death last month. The cloud of suspicion surrounding Murray is about as thick as the July humidity, causing his attorney, Edward Chertoff, to release the following statement:

"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death; we share that goal. Based on Dr. Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges."

Be that as it may, Rocks Off has the feeling that if someone's gonna swing for this, Murray is about the ideal scapegoat.

Bayou Beat: Live Nation Goes All In, ZZ Top Tickets Up for Grabs, Meridian Rocks the Sabbath and More

By Chris Gray in Bayou Beat, R.I.P. Michael Jackson, This Just In

Wednesday, Jul. 8 2009 @ 10:15AM

Courtesy of Stephen "Rube" Sager

Live Nation has outdone itself on its latest "No Service Fee" Wednesday. All day, $29.99 buys a lawn ticket - one lawn ticket, mind you - parking, all those pesky fees, a hot dog and a soda for any participating show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Once they figure out how to make beer a part of this (stupid TABC), it's really going to go through the roof.

Speaking of, Rocks Off still has a four-pack of lawn tickets up for grabs in our ZZ Top/Steven Tyler lookalike contest. We've only got a couple of entries so far, and as you can see from the photo above, the field is pretty much wide open. Email those pictures to chris.gray@houstonpress.com or hprocksoff@gmail.com.

Continue reading " Bayou Beat: Live Nation Goes"...

A Few Final Thoughts, Tweets on Michael's Memorial

By Chris Gray in Miles-tones, R.I.P. Michael Jackson, This Just In

Tuesday, Jul. 7 2009 @ 4:00PM

Courtesy L.A. Weekly

Well, Michael Jackson's funeral is over, and according to L.A. Weekly, the crowds in downtown L.A. are filing toward various overpasses to catch a glimpse of Jackson's hearse as the funeral procession winds its way toward the cemetery. Rocks Off doesn't want to use the word "anticlimactic," but the funeral seemed unexpectedly low-key. There were a few over-the-top moments - the Rev. Al Sharpton, Houston congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the children's choir - but mostly it seemed like, well, a funeral.

Jackson was well-eulogized by almost everyone who spoke, but especially Brooke Shields and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, both of whom were obviously doing their best to choke back tears. Early word has Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson at the head of the musical-performance line, but Rocks Off thought Jermaine Jackson's "Smile" (supposedly Michael's favorite song, written by Charlie Chaplin of all people) and, most surprisingly, John Mayer's "Human Nature" came off just about as well.

Continue reading " A Few Final Thoughts, Tweets"...

Requiem for Michael: The Last Rock Star

By Craig Hlavaty in R.I.P. Michael Jackson

Tuesday, Jul. 7 2009 @ 3:30PM

Amid the past two weeks of Michael Jackson worship, the details of his drug use were slowly leaked out. The man had done enough painkillers and random legal narcotics that would make all-star druggies like Keith Richards and Lemmy Kilmister shudder and cower away.

It's funny that this small and sprightly man, who enchanted everyone with his dancing and vocalizations, would be a walking pharmacy. In hindsight his erratic, yet meticulous behavior can now be chalked up to hard partying and narcissism.

Rocks Off loved Michael Jackson, and we are not belittling his legend or his place in the history of mankind as an entertainer and a humanitarian. But we loved him a little more the day we found out exactly what he was putting into his body, because it showed how human he actually was. He could be addicted to poisons just like any of us. To think the whole time we had all thought that he was just a lunatic with a monkey and an amusement park, drunk on fame and luster.

Continue reading " Requiem for Michael: The Last"...