County Grind Named AltWeekly Awards Finalist!

Happy news recently came in regarding the blog you are now reading: County Grind has been named a finalist in the Best Music Blog category at the 2011 AltWeekly Awards.This is especially exciting because it’s our first year of eligibility for really any sort of honor since splitting off from…

Hipster Puppies Playlist, by Christopher Weingarten

Now on shelves, Hipster Puppies is a window into the lives of alt-canines — lovingly compiled by friend of County Grind and dogs everywhere, Christopher R. Weingarten.A South Florida native, Weingarten now resides in Brooklyn. He decided to take a lengthy side trip from music writing/ranting to pontificate about the…

OMD to Perform Live at Miami’s Grand Central, September 16

UK synthpop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, better-known as the abbreviated OMD, will be making their first-ever Florida appearance at Miami’s Grand Central on September 16. OMD released its debut single, “Electricity,” on iconic label Factory Records and finally made its mark with the hit single “Enola Gay.” Following this…

How to Make Doomtree’s “Wugazi” Mash-Up Album Awesome

A Fugazi and Wu-Tang mash-up album is in the works on Doomtree Records. On paper, the idea makes the 18-year-olds inside of us excited as hell. The name, Wugazi, is clever enough, and the concept leads to some pretty high expectations. I mean, these are two of the most important,…

Diplo’s 13 Most Bangin’ Beats, Part 2

Back by popular demand, we present a second installment of Diplo’s best production work over the past decade. With calls for revoking our “cool” privileges help from some commenters and a bit more research, another worthy baker’s dozen to follow up Diplo’s 13 Most Bangin’ Beats is here.Note: Not all…

Pixies Announce “Lost Cities” Tour With Surfer Blood

Not long ago, the tightest connection between the Pixies and Surfer Blood was the West Palm Beach band’s spot-on cover of “Gigantic.”Now, apparently that little overture and some joint dates in Canada earlier this year were well-received. The Pixies just announced a lengthy “Lost Cities” U.S. tour and have decided…

Five Summer Bummer Songs for July

Ah, summer. Though it officially started on June 21, it might as well have started in April, given our location. We’re clearly in the throes of mosquitoes, an increase in daytime drinking, and temperamental rain. According to the fable of summer, this is the season to expose skin, drop ice…

MP3: Two From the Shakers’ Crabby Road

Self-proclaimed “Margate punk rock superstars” the Shakers have been shaking coccyges with its sludgy three-chord madness longer than most Mohawked kids have been out of diapers. Friday night at Lake Worth indie haven Propaganda, the blustering four-piece unleashed its latest concoction of full-throttle, stripped-down bombast titled Crabby Road. Maybe we’ve…

Spinner’s Picks for 50 Greatest Guitar Riffs in Rock ‘n’ Roll

Spinner.com recently released its list of the “50 greatest guitar riffs in rock ‘n’ roll.” It summed up a riff nicely by calling them “basic building blocks of rock ‘n’ roll.”Riffs are much more than building blocks. They have emotional significance. They’re the chords that people remember decades later. They’re…

Weekend Playlist: Symbols Party

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Symbols frontman and Flaunt DJ John Richters (better-known by his performance monicker J.J. Contramus).Over the course of our interview, we discussed his ideal set to dance to, outside of the confines of the DJ booth. We gave it a listen…

“Hot Dog Rock” Is the Ultimate Fourth of July Barbecue Song

There’s nothing more American than processed food, processed music, and processed schtick. Rebecca Black understands it, Soulja Boy understands it, Ms. Peachez understands it, and the millions of people who listen to their processed songs understand it too. Before today, many folks didn’t realize that McSAPRR (an anagram for Matt…

Charlie Sheen Will Be at the Gathering of the Juggalos

Insane Clown Posse’s record label, Psychopathic Records, has been petitioning Charlie Sheen to appear at the Gathering of the Juggalos since May. That’s the time that the fallen star of Two and a Half Men decided to bunk up with some porn stars, drink tiger blood, and lose his shit…

Kelly Ripa is a Huge Marilyn Manson Fan

The Soup will certainly have a field day with this one. It’s not surprising that Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf — who has directed music videos for rappers Kid Cudi and Cage — would be into Marilyn Manson’s dark, twisted, Kenny Powers-loving persona, but that Live With Regis and Kelly’s Kelly…

On Til Dawn DJ Crew Honoring Departed Member Saturday

Broward County dance aficionados will be familiar with the gyrating work of Broward-based DJ crew On Til Dawn. These three beatsmiths, Anthony Mazzeo, Mike Romero, and Eric Dupri, have been on the grind the past few years; beginning with raves out in the swampy Everglades just a few years back…

Ten Great Local Shows for Fourth of July Weekend

Although the vast majority of us are going to spend the Fourth of July weekend reaching high levels of slovenly behavior, mind-numbing consumption, and ill-advised conversations about the state of our nation, some folks actually have to work. And, though gas station attendants, doctors, police, and Target employees all deserve…

Q&A: Dirty South on Making It and Why He Loves U.S. Crowds

Serbian-born Australian DJ/Producer Dirty South has been extraordinarily engaged in his work lately — between teaming up with the renowned label Strictly Rhythm and traveling all over the world on his ironically-named Never Ending World Tour — he has barely had a chance to catch his breath. Luckily, County Grind…

A Hip-Hop (and Clash) Playlist Dedicated to NYPD Brutality

Hip-hop culture has long had a turbulent relationship with law enforcement. Some has been pure posturing, some is a result of actual law-breaking (spray-painting Subway cars looks cool, but it’s not legal), and some is just straight up bad behavior by the men in blue.  Further cementing the final notion,…

Brevard’s Elephantgun Needs Your Vote Today

Although it’s located four counties north, we’d still have to give props to Brevard County hard-rocking three-piece Elephantgun for being the sole Florida entry in “Ampeg Straight Up Tone Competition.” As of noon today this trio was sitting pretty in first place, up by 100 votes over indie Worcestershire UK…