When I started Product Shop NYC back in 2001, there were only a handful of music blogs out there. I must give a tip of the hat to the great The Modern Age, who wrote the original template for me and just about every other music blogger.

Now, almost eight years since this website's inception, you can visit The Music Slut, Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum, Idolator, Bumpershine, Music Snobbery, Gorilla Vs Bear, You Ain't No Picasso or any number of the bazillion great websites that cover up-to-the-second music news, mp3's and live reviews to find out everything you could possibly want to know and hear.

PSNYC's first post, back in November 2001, was about The Rapture and then, recently-elected President Bush. Since then, we have always tried to make this website a forum for music and politics. We've thrown some amazing parties around New York City with acts like Tapes 'N Tapes, DeVotchKa, Celebration, The Thermals, Sam Champion, Peaches, Group Sounds, Beat Radio, Birdmonster, Ferraby Lionheart, Ra Ra Riot, The Subjects, The Horrors and a whole lot more.

We've also been invited to cover events as diverse as Coachella and the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and we've been honored with awards from the Village Voice, PC Magazine, Columbia Spectator and two PLUG Awards for Sirius Satellite Radio's Blog Radio program, which we developed in 2006 and currently host with Brooklyn Vegan, Gorilla Vs Bear, An Aquarium Drunkard, My Old Kentucky Blog and It's A Trap.

On October 1, 2008, I will stop writing Product Shop NYC. This website has been my passion for so long, but my heart no longer lies in daily music news blogging.

Now, the very exciting news. On October 1st, I am launching a brand new, all music website called STORIES IN HIGH FIDELITY. The website will be a place for bands, record stores, labels and writers to share their stories, tour diaries, memories and so much more. An easy way to think of the website is a Huffington Post of music. We've already gotten agreements from a ton of major and indie acts to contribute to the website, and we really hope that some of you readers will want to write for us as well. If you are interested in writing or interning for the site, please email us here.

To launch STORIES IN HIGH FIDELITY, we will be throwing a pre-CMJ launch party extravaganza at the HighLine Ballroom in New York City on October 20th. The evening will feature stories from Chuck Klosterman, Dan Kennedy, Rob Sheffield and Marc Spitz, as well as a live performance from Jaymay.

Lots more guests will be confirmed in the coming days. Tickets for this event go on sale on Monday, September 22nd, at noon.

So thank you to everyone who has read this blog over the years. A big thanks to Wes for being such a great asset, as well as props to Gwen, Del and Halified for all their contributions. Product Shop NYC has been such a great chapter in my life and I hope you will join me over at STORIES IN HIGH FIDELITY.

All the best,
Jason PSNYC

Tickets are now on sale for the Stories In High Fidelity party.

STORIES IN HIGH FIDELITY PRESENTS
A PRE-CMJ LAUNCH PARTY
An evening of stories & music with
>>Jaymay (Autumn Fallin')
>>Chuck Klosterman (Downtown Owl, Fargo Rock City)
>>Dan Kennedy (The Moth, Rock On: An Office Power Ballad)
>>Rob Sheffield (Love Is A Mix Tape, Rolling Stone, Blender)
>>Marc Spitz (A forthcoming biography of David Bowie, We Got The Neutron Bomb)
>>and amazing special guests tba
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OCTOBER 20, 2008
HIGHLINE BALLROOM
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Two big rock n' roll concerts have been announced to raise money for Barack Obama's Presidential campaign. Make sure you are registered. Here's info on the two shows:

October 7 | Barack Rock Benefit! Music, Comedy, Action! with Andrew Bird, Eugene Mirman, The Fiery Furnaces, Kumail Nanjiani, Alina Simone, Heather Lawless, Guster, Lizz Winstead, Martin Bisi, John Roberts, Adira Amram, Special Secret Musical Guests | Music Hall of Williamsburg | Brooklyn, NY | On Sale September 27th at noon

October 13 | Change Rocks with Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, as well as Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Marc Quinones, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti | Bryce Jordan Center | University Park, PA | Buy Tickets

If you are interested in working on STORIES IN HIGH FIDELITY, please email us here. Help is needed.