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Very few people could release a book of five year old magazine articles about musicians and athletes and still have it be a relevant contribution to the world of pop culture. Not only has Chuck Klosterman accomplished this, but it is one of the most relevant contribution in a while. In Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas, he over examines and over analyzes the words and actions of celebrity figures in a way that most of us only do in the privacy of our own brain. He makes you realize how important it really is that Jack White hates rap music, that we figure out who the 10th Beatle really was (10th, not 5th), and that we understand what it means for Journey to be playing a rock ‘n’ roll Carnival Cruise.

While reading, it occurred to me that Chuck Klosterman is to pop culture what Michael Moore is to politics. Much like the War on Terror and the health care system, the cultural and social significance of Billy Joel’s love life and Britney Spears’ wardrobe is undeniable. Britney dodges Klosterman’s questions about her impact on young women in America and her provocative dress in a way that would make many a politician proud. A 200+ word foot-note disputing Britney’s comment on the evolution of Friends makes it all too clear that though it may seem irrelevant, it isn’t. Chuck Klosterman knows this.

In an interview with Bono, Klosterman tries to decipher whether the U2 frontman’s generosity and his overall Messianic persona is, in fact, real or bullshit. He repeats this thesis many times through-out the article, and in the end, seems to come to the conclusion that Bono is just as important to the world as he believes himself to be. Truth be told, someone like Bono is just as important to society, if not more so, than the President of the United States or the Pope. Klosterman – as he describes a ride in Bono’s car with three mind-blown U2 fans, all getting a preview of Atomic Bomb months before release – is as intrigued as the rest of us. As he describes the looks on their faces as they listen to the record, you can tell that he knows exactly how they feel. He doesn’t write about it because he thinks other people will be interested. He writes about it because he himself is interested. This is what makes it relevant.

Klosterman is desperately looking for deeper meaning in all aspects of pop culture the way most people search for God. Though, he would probably prefer to write about heavy metal bands all day, the fact that his assignments are so diverse keep him asking questions that most (some) of us want to know and that even less have the means to get the answers to. In his unedited article for The New York Times about The Streets’ Mike Skinner, Klosterman tries so hard to uncover a greater purpose to Skinner’s relentless use of the word “geezer,” that he actually does. Skinner starts out seemingly uninterested in the interview, and by the end is making nonsensical metaphors about removing a beer tap on demand and questioning his existence as a whole. At the end of the article, Klosterman’s lyrical reference/quip, “Geezer’s don’t need a reason. Geezer’s need excitement,” reminds you that maybe he’s right. Maybe even the simplest of things aren’t that simple at all.

The book also attempts to explain Advancement Theory, a pop culture theory invented by a couple of anti-hipster psychology students, which is described as a cultural condition in which a true genius creates a piece of art that 99 percent of the population perceives to be bad, simply because they are not Advanced. This does not include artists who do the opposite of what is expected of them. This is defined as being “Overt.” Klosterman attempts to break down this theory, and sites examples such as Sting (he admits he does not understand Sting at all), KISS (for their soundtrack to a non-existent film – he is unashamed to mention them as often as possible), and Lou Reed (his most advanced work being the song “The Original Wrapper”).

He also uses the death of Dee Dee Ramone and Robbin Crosby to show the inconsistencies of pop culture, in that Dee Dee’s death was far more impactful than Crosby’s; regardless of the fact that Ratt was considerably more successful than The Ramones ever were. As he tries to understand why this is, he makes you want to understand why this is. Somewhere in the past 20 years, Ratt has become a punch line, while The Ramones have become punk rock’s version of The Beatles. He touches on Advancement Theory here, but doesn’t mention it by name. While I’ll admit that I think Ratt is terrible, I do entertain the notion that this could be my lack of understanding of Advancement. I think Klosterman is implying that Ratt really wasn’t bad. I think he is implying that they were a genius I don’t understand. I don’t find The Ramones to be all that incredible, but I can better understand their lasting impact. It’s not genius, it’s just punk rock.

Let’s face it. It’s weird that a Morrissey convention in Southern California is filled with 16 year old Mexicans boys. It’s weird that REO Speedwagon are playing a concert on a cruise ship. It’s weird that there is an unofficial “Goth Day” at Disneyland. If Chuck Klosterman is not there to document all of these events, who will be? Without meaning to, Klosterman has proved how Pop Culture impacts every aspect of society. Bono was asked to be head of The World Bank for Bono’s sake! Stop and think about that for a second.

It’s no Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, and it’s not the subject matter itself that is particularly significant. It’s the overall message of Chuck Klosterman IV that is eminently vital to our existence. Pop matters.