RiYL
RiYL
Brian Heater
Episode 055: Ultragrrrl
55 minutes Posted May 28, 2014 at 2:03 pm.
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Show notes
There’s something slightly surreal in reading a book, knowing the final
chapters will dovetail with your own life, if only slightly. By the end
of Marc Spitz’s new memoir Poseur, the rock writer found his way into
the masthead at SPIN Magazine, and for a few months during his reign as
senior writer, I found myself there as well, albeit as lowly intern
who’d moved across the country with dreams of one leveraging his love of
the written word into New York City rent money. Sarah
“Ultragrrrl” Lewitinn plays a major role in those final chapters, first
as a coworker and then as a partner in crime. When I arrived at the
magazine, hers was a rare friendly face in amongst grizzled rock
journalism veterans navigating an anemic industry, inviting us plucky
little interns to rock shows and club nights, once sneaking me into a
Jarvis Cocker DJ set at her weekly brit-pop night. By the time I
got to New York, Ultragrrrl was everywhere, breaking bands like The
Killers, managing groups like My Chemical Romance and appearing on the
cover of The Village Voice in full ironic martyr mode, a Photoshopped
shot of Lewitinn chained to stake as flames lapped  at her designer
dress.  Finishing Spitz’s book, I shot her an email, proposing an
opportunity to catch up on mic after a decade or so, and Ultragrrrl
jumped at the chance, inviting me over to the East Village apartment
building where she’s resided for the majority of her time in the city.