Empty Checking With Derek Brink

In this episode, I play a little catch-up by talking about the Barbie movie, and recent music from Tears for Fears, Devin Townsend, Ed Sheeran, and Peter Gabriel (at length). I had fun making this one. Maybe you'll have fun hearing it!  Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 11:10 - Lectio Divina 11:40 - Barbie: The Movie 27:59 - Intervention 28:30 - Music: The Music! 28:30 - Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point 35:30 - Devin Townsend - Nightwork 42:04 - Ed Sheeran - Autumn Variations 46:50 - Peter Gabriel - i/o 59:30 - Absent Friends 60:00 - Outro

In this episode I talk about Doctor Who, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Madison Greene, and some other stuff. It's a shorter episode, but I crammed in a lot of fun. Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com New Bandcamp talked about in the show: http://fromthebrink.bandcamp.com (All of the songs in this episode are from this page!) Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 10:55 - Fightin' Drunk (Blue Tattoo) 11:25 - RIP Melissa Blair 19:11 - Velvet Elvis (Derek Brink) 19:41 - Doctor Who 29:22 - Downtime (Uncle Dick) 29:52 - Super Mario Bros Wonder 38:52 - Sister Myrtle (Blue Tattoo) 39:22 - Outro

Something dumb happened with my software and it's going to be quicker to re-record the episode than to fix it. So... Sorry. I'll get a new, full episode up later this week (probably). Thanks for your patience!

Hi Checkmates! No new episode this week, but you do get about an 8-minute promo for a new ABSOLUTELY FREE Bandcamp page of my musical pre-history! All my bands from 1990 to now have recordings available for FREE (or pay what you want) at http://fromthebrink.bandcamp.com! Check it out! (My solo albums at derekbrink.bandcamp.com will still remain active there, btw. This is different.)

In this episode of the Fab 15, your Uncle Derek and Papa Dave are counting down our Fab 15 albums of 2023! This one was a FAST turnaround, so it's a little longer than usual, but with the holidays this week and next week, maybe some of you need that. It was a really fun talk, and we hope you'll enjoy it, and maybe walk away with a few ideas of how to spend your Christmas money! Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 14:15 - #15 - Follow your bliss. 27:03 - #14 - In which I needed a sandwich. 32:45 - #13 - Say "boom box" again... 40:55 - #12 - Music evolves and changes with you. (Just FYI.) 53:49 - #11 - All ten middle-fingers... 1:01:04 - #10 - I don't know if I trust those sites, they're not sponsoring my show. 1:06:47 - #9 - Pronunciation problems begin. 1:20:57 - #8 - You ****in' grape. 1:41:42 - #7 - A little bit of a re-run. 1:47:56 - #6 - Intrigue

In this episode I talk about Doctor Who, Friends, Glen Hansard, Lisa O'Neill, and Neil Young, amidst other things, including a desperately meowing McGuire... It's a fun one! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro (Including tying up some loose ends on Shane MacGowan.) 16:22 - Born in this Town 16:52 - Recent watching 17:25 - Friends 24:52 - Doctor Who 43:23 - Church Girls 43:53 - Music Releases 44:18 - Glen Hansard - All That Was East is West of Me Now 53:19 - Lisa O'Neill - All of this is Chance 59:53 - Neil Young - Before and After 1:04:29 - Outlaw 1:05:00 - Outro

In this episode, I talk about Norman Lear, Shane MacGowan, Dolly Parton, The Struts, The National, Guided By Voices, Tenacious D, KISS, and a whole bunch of stuff! Thanks for waiting on it! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 14:59 - Eliot's Benediction 15:30 - RIP Norman Lear 22:33 - RIP Shane MacGowan 40:35 - Absent Friends 41:05 - Music Releases 56:34 - Afraid 57:04 - Outro

Short version: You'll get a new episode on Saturday. Long version: Listen to the thing... Thanks!

Just in time for the holiday, there's a new Empty Checking episode--and it's a FAB FIFTEEN! Some of you might not be able to be with family. Some of you might be with family that makes you want to put in ear buds. And some of you might get around to it sometime this weekend or like Tuesday or whatever... Whatever the case, your Uncle Derek and Papa Dave have you covered with the Fab Fifteen Bass Players! Whether you've already got a love for the low end, or you're looking to learn more, we've built a fun and bananas list that's sure to keep your toe tapping! (Be sure to check out the Spotify playlist while you're at it!) Enjoy! And happy Thanksgiving from all (both) of us at Empty Checking! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 5:51 - The Rules of the Fab 15 8:14 - What are you thankful for? 10:52 - #15 - We're going to use the word "solid" a lot in this epis

In this episode I mostly catch up on a bunch of music, including Taylor Swift, Pharoah Sanders, The Mountain Goats, and The Rolling Stones. I also talk about making a Doctor Who scarf, trying to buy a laptop, and accidentally piercing my own nipple. So. There's a lot. Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 10:36 - My slightly grumpy thoughts on Mike Portnoy returning to Dream Theater 13:48 - Music Break - Remember Me 14:18 - New(ish) Release Reviews 14:31 - Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor's Version) 19:37 - Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah 23:15 - The Mountain Goats - Jenny from Thebes 26:18 - Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds 29:05 - Music Break - Beautiful Disaster 29:35 - Outro (Including talk of scarves and laptops.)

A quick update and a review of the newest Beatles release! talk to you again soon!

I've decided this isn't an official "episode" in the chronology...but I needed to say some stuff, and I had a platform, so here we are. This one's very different. I talk a lot about an old college friend who passed away this week and also about why a celebrity death can hit us hard, why art matters, and so on. (And yes, I briefly pay tribute to Matthew Perry, Richard Moll, and Suzanne Somers, too.) It gets a little raw in places. But I listened back to it and thought maybe it'd be worth hearing for some people. If you skip this one, I get it. But it might help somebody to at least know we're all asking the same questions. There's not going to be much there this week, but you can check out the blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com or email me at db@derekbrink.com. I promise that the next one will (probably) be more fun. Thanks for letting me get serious sometimes. -Uncle Derek

Okay, FYI, there's a strangely high amount of incidental contact with the microphone/stand in this one that even I find distracting, so sorry about that...but otherwise, this is a fun episode! I talk about music from Metric, Wilco, and Boygenius, and also about Paul Auster's new novel "Baumgartner." I had fun. I bet you will too, if you like things! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro (Including talk of soup, shirts, dining alone, and so on.) 12:30 - Music Break - You and You Alone 13:00 - New Music Releases 14:49 - Metric - Formentera II 22:37 - Wilco - Cousin 27:15 - Boygenius (in general) 40:28 - Music Break - The High Road 40:58 - Paul Auster - Baumgartner 54:36 - Music Break - Chekhov's Rights 55:06 - Outro

In this rollicking good time of an episode I talk about the new series of Frasier and play guitar a little bit as I review the Strymon Cloudbirst pedal that I got quite some time ago but just never talked about. It's a fun hour of me geeking out about stuff I like and also complaining about an ear infection at the end of it. (Spoiler, I guess?) Check it out! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro/Guinness Zero review 16:08 - Music Break - Remember Me 16:38 - Frasier New and Old 38:10 - Music Break - Please 38:40 - The Strymon Cloudburst 55:56 - Noodling around mostly playing "Stranger" 56:24 - Outro/Ear Infection/Moving to Thursdays

In this episode (which is a couple days late--super-sorry!) I talk about music from Slowdive, Baroness, Jason Isbell, and The Who. I also touch on books by Jeff Smith. Neil Gaiman, and Joe Hill...but let's be honest, this episode was mostly an excuse to talk about The Who. Enjoy! blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 8:40 - An update on what I'm reading. (Including Neil Gaiman, William Goldman, Joe Hill, Jeff Smith...and a weird rant about Halloween...) 23:42 - Music Break - Tralfamadoverture 24:12 - Recent Music Purchases 25:29 - Slowdive - Everything is Alive 29:21 - Baroness - Stone 32:40 - Jason Isbell - Southeastern 10th Anniversary 38:16 - THE WHO - Who's Next | Lifehouse Super Deluxe Edition Box Set 54:38 - Music Break - If It's Raining 55:08 - Outro (Including a brief rant about digital media)

In this episode, I talk about seeing Ringo Starr, Squeeze, and the Psychedelic Furs, alongside some other stuff. Sorry I was away so long! But I'm back! No time index because it's basically one topic... But check out the blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com and/or email me at db@derekbrink.com.  Thanks for your support!

In an update that should probably surprise no one, I'm still having software issues. Hoping to have it fixed shortly. Just wanted to keep you up to date.

A software snafu means I'm doing a quick upload from my phone, again! Sorry! But I decided to do another book review, while you're waiting! In this one, I talk about the book and movie The Princess Bride. The book is 50 years old this year! Check it out, and I promise, we'll have a real episode again soon!

A quick update about why there wasn't a full episode this week. And as a placeholder, I also give a quick review of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep." So. Enjoy! New episode soon!

In this episode, your Uncle Derek is joined by your Papa Dave for a FAB 15 episode! This time we're counting down our FAB 15 Most Overplayed Songs! If you're wondering what's so fab about an overplayed song, just listen to the show! We'll tell you! Companion Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Email: db@derekbrink.com Mondaves: http://davidbrink.home.blog Papa Dave's Fab 15 Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079 This episode has a cloud over it. We recorded it on 8/31/23. Two days later, it was announced that Jimmy Buffett had passed away. Two days after that, Smash Mouth's Steve Harwell passed away as well. Both men are referenced in this episode, to different degrees. We didn't say anything that was overly disrespectful, but obviously if we had known what was coming, our tone on both would've been very different. We send our best wishes and deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and fans of both Mr. Buffett and Mr. Harwell. Time Index: 0: