Sometimes a person emerges from American suburbia wild and a bit crazed and ready to do great and interesting things. Phil Irwin- iconoclastic musician, writer, and competitive chess player-is one of these people. He's written a "bad childhood" memoir that is sardonic, funny, sad, and unique. It is a coming-of-age story that paints a unique and compelling picture of post-hippie suburban America. The book is told in two parts. The first half is about Phil's life growing up as a brilliant but alienated youth trying to find his place in society; the second details his triumphant transformation into misanthropic rebel and affirmed alcoholic. In the first chapters Phil details his childhood as a self-described "egghead" and describes the various indignities he suffers in school and at the hands of his well-meaning but heavy-handed parents, religious fanatics for whom "Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child" is a favorite motto. In his early years Phil is a chess prodigy, and he describes that world-the various characters, the chess player's culture, his own arrogance as he begins to win, his idolization of Bobby Fischer, and his eventual triumph in adult tournaments. Being brilliant is more a curse than a blessing, however. He's so alienated at school that by the seventh grade he's already considering suicide. Discussing modern tragedies such as the Columbine shooting, Phil says: "If I had access to a gun, some kids would have possibly died...including me." When Phil's parents send him to Christian Camp in an attempt to bring him around to their way of thinking, he decides he's had enough. Contrary to their wishes, he returns home an avowed atheist. The second part of the book begins with a school-sponsored trip to Europe, one which solidifies Phil's antisocial leanings. He is immersed in a world completely alien to his experience, a world where one can drink every day and where intellectual prowess is not considered a shortcoming. When he returns home he has decided to live life on his own terms, parents and society be damned. The final chapters detail Phil's humorous adventures in petty crime, wanton vandalism, cruel pranks, and massive imbibing in parks and graveyards with a number of fellow malcontents. The book ends with Phil about to graduate high school. He has mixed feelings: coming of age has left a bitter taste, but at least he's escaped the clutches of a wasted youth spent in COOKIELAND. It's an ending that is wistful, bittersweet, and optimistic.

Rejected by Nashville is the Whiskey Rebel's opinionated guide to real country music albums. He has been writing music reviews, album liner notes, as well as columns in music and art magazines for over two decades. This is his fourth book. He is veteran amateur musician himself, and holds a History degree from Texas State University. Rejected by Nashville; is finally coming to light after being in the works for eight years. In 261 pages, 265 vinyl and CD albums are reviewed. Also included is an extensive bibliography. Irwin brings the albums he describes to life. The reader feels as though he has been invited over for a record listening party, with The Whiskey Rebel spinning the disc. He shares his vast knowledge of country music history, without sounding like an encyclopedia. He educates the reader in a fun and casual manner, about the music he feels Nashville has swept under the rug, in favor of country-synth-pop. Phil started out buying country LPs at thrift stores about 30 years ago. He owns every album reviewed in these pages and rarely paid more than $1 for them. This is very much a fan book written for folks on a budget. He points out to the reader that they too can still find tons of real country albums at flea markets and record shows and yard sales for that same $1 or under. Real country music is the old fashioned stuff; that often features steel and twangy guitars, real drums, and sung frequently by ugly or average looking performers. They were the standard for several decades--before Nashville began hiring stables of handsome hunks who look good in cowboy hats, and belly button waggling gals who look like models. Real country music is alive, and well appreciated around the world (especially in England and Germany) and is still performed in all pockets of the USA. The performers rely heavily on the standards set by the pioneers and icons of the genre, ranging from the godfather of country Jimmie Rogers, to artist still performing: George Jones and Merle Haggard. Included in this guide are many reviews by Jimmie Rodgers on down the line to the Carter Family, Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams Sr., Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, Dave Dudley, Red Sovine, Porter Wagoner, Johnny Paycheck, Tammy Wynette, Moe Bandy, Buck Owens, Bill Monroe, Tanya Tucker and Merle Haggard. He also covers current artists keeping the tradition alive such as: Wayne Hancock, Dale Watson, and Hank III. He's also included lots of reviews of lesser-known artist's albums from over the years, some of which are extremely obscure, but deserving of attention in his view. The Whiskey Rebel admits to being a sucker for drinking and cheating songs. There are 16 categories: Bluegrass, Cash, Duets, The Gals, Hanks, Honky Tonk, Nashville-The Good Years, Obscure, Other Country's Country, All The Outlaws, Pioneers, Rockabillies and Hep Cats, Truckers, Tune Warblers, West Coast, and Keepers of the Flame. In the 1980's, Nashville systematically cleaned house. Terminating the contracts of veteran musicians and artist, who had been with them for as long as 40 years. The strategy was to eliminate the rural/hick aspect and go after the lucrative pop music market. The first wave of crossover artists was frequently '60's and '70's pop and rock stars, given a makeover. Their music was heavily produced to homogenize the sound (a.k.a. Country Lite) and accessible to a wider audience. Real country music has gained a resurgence by a broad based audience: Universities are teaching courses, young people who are bored with the offerings of radio, and of course, the folks that grew up listening to the old favorites, are seeking out music that they feel has heart and soul, and sung by real people with real stories. Thankfully there are labels reissuing hard to find songs that previously were only available on rare and expensive '78s, onto CDs, which he also covers.