{"product_id":"garth-brooks-in-the-life-of-chris-gaines-9798765106877","title":"Garth Brooks In... the Life of Chris Gaines","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGarth Brooks was the best-selling country artist of the 1990s.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eActually, he was the best-selling artist of the '90s \u003ci\u003eperiod\u003c\/i\u003e. So why did he close out that triumphant decade by transforming into a fictional rocker named Chris Gaines? He devised an outrageous backstory for the character-complete with sex addiction, facial reconstructive surgery, wildfires, and chainsaws-and even recorded a \"pre-soundtrack\" to a forthcoming film about Gaines. But \u003ci\u003eGarth Brooks... In the Life of Chris Gaines\u003c\/i\u003e, which doubled as a retrospective of his alter ego's long career, was branded a fiasco before it even hit stores. It sold poorly, the film was shelved, and Garth announced his retirement the next year. Chris Gaines disappeared forever. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOr did he? Out of print since its release and absent on streaming services, the album has somehow grown from a career-derailing flop into a cult obsession. Only one world-renowned critic is brave enough to tell the full story of Chris Gaines. It's a sordid, puzzling tale of intrigue and conspiracy that poses chilling questions: Which one of them is real? Chris or Garth? Why did one of them title an album \u003ci\u003eFornucopia\u003c\/i\u003e? And just who does this Stephen Deusner guy think he is? Well...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eStephen Deusner\u003c\/b\u003e is a longtime music critic and journalist who writes for \u003ci\u003eUncut\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSpin\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNo Depression\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Bluegrass Situation\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eStereogum\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Crayton County Clarion-Scimitar\u003c\/i\u003e, among many other publications. He is the author of the book \u003ci\u003eWhere the Devil Don't Stay: Traveling the South with the Drive-By Truckers\u003c\/i\u003e, and he lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife and dog.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50877992337682,"sku":"9798765106877","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_2eb0f0c2-61ba-4183-b738-3c8c25ba8d3c.jpg?v=1738368551","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/garth-brooks-in-the-life-of-chris-gaines-9798765106877","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}