ProductShopNYC :: The Politics of Pop Culture

CHUCK KLOSTERMAN | Eating Pizza

In this weekend's New York Times Sunday Magazine, Chuck Klosterman wrote a humor piece about eating pizza at a lower east side establishment. As ever, his world is full of neurotic drama. It's like he's a fellow tribesman or something......

PSNYC'S THE READING FESTIVAL | Cancelled
PSNYC PARTY | It's Tomorrow Night! Klosterman, Spitz, Greenwald, Ultragrrrl, Ganz
CHUCK KLOSTERMAN | Goes All Zeppelin

PSNYC'S THE READING FESTIVAL | Cancelled

We've been working to move tonight's THE READING FESTIVAL to an alternate venue after learning that Rothko was shut down due to structure violations. Unfortunately, we have been unable to secure a venue and have been forced to cancel the event.

Product Shop NYC would like to thank Marc Spitz, Chuck Klosterman, Caryn Ganz, Sarah Lewitinn, and Andy Greenwald. We also want to thank our surprise music guest (whom we still are not legally allowed to reveal) for offering to play an amazing acoustic set.

We'd especially like to thank the nearly 200 people who rsvp'd for the event.

We hope to reschedule this event at a future time, but until then, thanks for reading.....

Love,
Team PSNYC

PSNYC PARTY | It's Tomorrow Night! Klosterman, Spitz, Greenwald, Ultragrrrl, Ganz

By request, Product Shop NYC has created an RSVP list for THE READING FESTIVAL this Thursday evening. Email [email protected] to add yourself to the guestlist and ensure your entry to this event..........

Here's the Details:
Product Shop NYC presents THE READING FESTIVAL with Chuck Klosterman, Marc Spitz, Sarah "Ultragrrrl" Lewitinn", Andy Greenwald, Caryn Ganz, and more special guests to be announced
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Rothko :: 116 Suffolk Street (corner of Rivington)
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Thursday, April 27th :: 7-9PM Event, starts promptly at 7pm
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$5 Cover

CHUCK KLOSTERMAN | Goes All Zeppelin

On August 29th, Chuck Klosterman will publish his fourth book titled Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas. It would be neat if the cover has no title, just a couple crazy symbols.

And who knew that Chuck had a fansite!

Also, Chuck will be partaking in Product Shop NYC's THE READING FESTIVAL along with Andy Greenwald, Caryn Ganz, Ultragrrrl, and Marc Spitz. This is happening at Rothko on April 27th. The event is $5 and starts at 7pm......

PSNYC PARTY | Reading Festival, April 27th @ Rothko

Product Shop NYC is proud to announce our next party and it's happening next week! We have gathered a bunch of former Spin writers together for a very special reading that will take place at Rothko on April 27th from 7-9PM.

Here's the Details:
Product Shop NYC presents THE READING FESTIVAL with Chuck Klosterman, Marc Spitz, Sarah "Ultragrrrl" Lewitinn", Andy Greenwald, Caryn Ganz, and more special guests to be announced
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Rothko :: 116 Suffolk Street (corner of Rivington)
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Thursday, April 27th :: 7-9PM Event
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$5 Cover

WILLIAM SAFIRE | On "Rock Stars"

In his New York Times Magazine "On Language" column, William Safire examines the origins of "rock stars". I just love when he examines words or phrases that are less than seventeen syllables. Here's what the conservative wordsmith has to say about rock stars:

The original meaning can be found in a 1964 Chicago Defender ad: "In person. . .Major Lance, Marvin Gaye and 38 big 'rock' stars!" But as these recent examples show, the phrase has gained a meaning once removed from loud music, dancing gyrations and wildly enthusiastic fans. At Merriam-Webster, the file on the use of rock star applied to someone not famous for such activity begins with a 1991 citation about Stephen King, described as "a rock star of an author — his horror movies routinely go multiplatinum, and his byline operates like a brand name." The lexicographer James Lowe informs me that M.-W. is considering including the phrase to denote someone who is not famous for rock music performance in its next Collegiate edition: "We have found the term used also to refer to politicians, football players, tennis players, rodeo champions, environmental activists and most recently to Senator Hillary Clinton" — in fact, anyone "who has charisma that arouses popularity. A tentative definition might be 'a person who has achieved the status of a celebrity in a particular field."'

They have been watching the semantic leap over at the Oxford English Dictionary, too. I put my theory that this phrase is replacing the voguish icon or superstar to Katherine Martin at the O.E.D. "I think it offers different connotations," she countered. "Icon implies longevity; superstar suggests substance; rock star is about image. For that reason, it seems often to be used with mildly satirical intent."

Read the full column here......

DISCLAIMER: I have worked with both William Safire and Oxford University Press. Funny that my grammar sucks so much..............

ADRIAN TOMINE | "Optic Nerve" #10 & #11

Adrian Tomine's "Optic Nerve" comics are simultaneously the most thoughtful comics and the most frustrating.

The frustration comes from the fact that it takes Adrian almost two years to put together a single skimpy issue. At the same time, they really are worth the wait. Adrian's stories are like graphic novels from the mind of Hal Hartley. The stories are so human and sad and beautiful.

It's been a good two years since "Optic Nerve Issue Nine" was release and "Optic Nerve Number Ten" came out of nowhere in December. And now comes news that "Number Eleven" should arrive this spring!

All three of these issues are part series that follows protagonist Ben Tanaka, an obsessive Japanese-American in his late twenties as he goes looking for the perfect girl..............

CONTEST | Marc Spitz' Too Much, Too Late

Product Shop NYC is giving away four autographed copies of Marc Spitz' new novel, Too Much, Too Late.

Since the book is about the fictional band The Jane Ashers, which I think is damn good band name, I want to hear what you think a good band name is. The best four fake band names win.

Make it funny, serious, silly, odd, psychedilic, whatever. Just try not give us band name that already exists. This contest will be judged by Product Shop NYC's prestigous panel of band name experts.

Marc will be on XM's Opie & Anthony tomorrow at 9am. I believe it replays all day..........

SPIN | Post-Magazine Book Frenzy

So have you picked up your commemorative copy of SPIN: 20 YEARS OF ALTERNATIVE MUSIC: Original Writing on Rock, Hip-Hop, Techno, and Beyond Edited by Will Hermes & Sia Michels??? What better time to celebrate Spin's twenty years of music writing!

Well, if you - like the rest of the country - were ignoring Spin, you may want to check out the plethora of books that have come out in recent months from former-Spinster writers and editors. Not to mention that virtually the entire staff seems to be kicking book proposals around the publishing world.

Here's a taste of what is out, or coming out, from Spinsters:

FOOL THE WORLD: The Oral History of a Band Called Pixies by Caryn Ganz & Josh Frank

TOO MUCH, TOO LATE: A Novel by Marc Spitz

MISS MISERY: A Novel by Andy Greenwald

THE SKILLS TO PAY THE BILLS: The Story of the Beastie Boys by Alan Light

THE POCKET DJ: Ultragrrrl's Guide To Building the Best Music Library by Sarah Lewitinn

KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE: 85% of a True Story by Chuck Klosterman

LADS: A Memoir by Dave Itzkoff

MARC SPITZ | Guided By Fiction

This week has been full of drama for the staff of Spin magazine. The magazine was officially sold, new publisher, Hartle Media, is moving operations to San Francisco, and virtually all the notable people from the magazine's masthead are out, including Sia Michael, Jacob Hill, Chuck Klosterman, Dave Itzkoff, Jeanann Pannasch, and Kathleen Kemp.

Thank God that Marc Spitz' book release party for his new novel, Too Much, Too Late,  just happen to fall on the day that the world found out he and the rest of his co-workers were fired/quit/refused to sign rehiring contracts/had babies/etc.

Yesterday turned out to be an excellent day for an open bar party where everyone was in a rather good mood and giving Marc tons of love on his most praised book to date. I mean, the Spiners could drink a lot anyway, but what better excuse to drink to much!

So Marc's book tells the very Guided By Voice's tale of a couple of thirty-somethings who gave up on their rock n' roll dream and now live the nice suburban life in Ohio. That is until a blog posts one of their songs and then the buzz starts building quicker than you can say Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. They eventually end up being flown to New York for a showcase at the Bowery Ballroom before going on tour with a very Strokes-esque band.

I got to say it's a very different novel for Marc, much more adult-oriented than How Soon Is Never?, but also much more enjoyable. I think that this is a story to which so many people can relate. I know so many people who daydream this book everyday that it works. It's total rock n roll fantasy life that so many people live in their head. Anyway, I dug it and I'm sure you'll like. I'm sure your dad will like it. And so on and so on. So go and buy Too Much, Too Late now......