Empty Checking with Derek Brink

Episode 43 - Write Your Own Funny Title (This is Hard)

This week's episodr took too long to upload, but it's better late than never! This week you'll (potentially!) listen to me talk about new releases from The Hold Steady, The Jayhawks, Snow Patrol, and Guided By Voices. I also talk about a 70s album by Nick Drake. Then I discuss this week's happenings in the WWE. After that, I talk about the recent scandal, suspension, and reinstatement of Hulk Hogan from the WWE Hall of Fame, which includes a long segment where I talk about racism and gets kinda real. Lots of ground was covered this week! Here's the time break-down: 0:00 - Intro 4:42 - Music Break #1 - "Born in this Town" from the "Out from the Light" album. 5:12 - New and Old Music Releases featuring The Hold Steady, The Jayhawks, Snow Patrol, Guided By Voices, Nick Drake 31:40 - Music Break #2 - "Live Your Life" from the "Sorry, I Didn't Mean to Shout" release. 32:11 - WWE Week in Review, with particular focus on the Extreme Rules PPV 53:59 - Music Break #3 - "Simple Things" from the "Things I Meant to Say" album. 54:30 - Hulk Hogan and Racism (Not kidding.) 1:22:19 - Music Break #4 - "AMB 4" from the "Grounds" album. 1:22:50 - Outro Thanks for your support!

Episode 42 - ULTRA SUPER MEGA BOARD!

This week is mostly about my pedal board. I spent a lot of time and money on it, so you're going to have to deal with me playing around with it. Or skip this episode. You do you. I also talked a little bit about my current listening which has been made up mostly by Mr. Big and Guided By Voices (the pairing we've all been waiting for!) and I talked about some other stuff in passing too. But it's mostly the board. Here's how the time broke down: 0:00 - Intro - Including a plug for my friends at Philosoffee at 3:33 and a little bit of wrestling talk at 7:45. 11:11 - Music Break #1 - "Nobody Else" from my It Could Be Worse album 11:41 - ULTRA SUPER MEGA BOARD!!! 46:40 - Music Break #2 - "Who I Am" also from It Could Be Worse 47:10 - Outro - Including a little bit more about the board that I forgot to mention but also my current listening starts at about 50:55. Thanks for your support! Check out the blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com.

Episode 41 - Stupid Freedom

After a two-week hiatus, the show is back and talking about music from Sloan, Father John Misty, Anna Burch, and Ray Davies. We also talk about wrestling and some other stuff. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 5:32 - Rest in Peace, Big Van Vader 9:06 - Music Break 1 - Church Girls from "Trigger Warnings and Sunshine" 9:36 - Music Talk including Sloan, Anna Burch, Father John Misty, and Ray Davies 34:38 - Music Break 2 - Falling from "New Year's Eve" 35:12 - Wrestling Stuff 49:24 - Music Break 3 - Being There from "Things I Meant to Say" 49:54 - Outro

Episode 40 (feat Dave Brink and Commedore) - The Pleasant Sloppy Drunks

It's a very different episode this week. I got tired of listening to myself, so I blindsided my brother Dave and my friend Commedore with phone calls and recorded them. We mostly talked about the Dropkick Murphys/Flogging Molly show in St. Louis on the 12th, but took a few turns as well (especially in the call with Dave). I don't talk about a lot else. It's mostly just raving about those bands, that show, and music in general. It was fun. Here's sort of a time index: 0:00 - Intro stuff including talking about how I spent my weekend and stuff like that... 6:22 - Music break 1 - "Not Quite Middle Life Crisis" off the "Trigger Warnings and Sunshine" album. 6:52 - I start talking about the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly show, but then get bored of hearing my own voice...so... 12:35 - I call my friend Commedore and talk about the concert, particularly the opening act Jake Burns, who I missed. 27:12 - I call my brother Dave and we talk about the concert some more and music in general for a long time. 1:06:58 - Music Break 2 - "Of Death and Dying" from my "Ink-Stained Fingers" album. 1:07:30 - Outro stuff. Thanks for your support!

Episode 39 - The Episode Where I Can't Pronounce Anything

Kind of a short one this week. Talked about music from Willie Nelson, Roger Daltrey, and Ghost. Also talked about being excited to have the WWE Network (finally!) and about comedy I've watched on Netflix. Here's the time index: 0:00 - Intro Stuff 6:55 - Music Break 1 - Beautiful Disaster from the "Trigger Warnings & Sunshine" Album 7:27 - New Music Releases - Willie Nelson - Last Man Standing (8:32)- Ghost - Prequelle (10:42) - Roger Daltrey - As Long As I Have You (20:54) 24:45 - Music Break 2 - Give it Up from the "Ink-Stained Fingers" Album 25:15 - Streaming Media and Stand Up Comedy 34:37 - Napalm from the "Something to Look Forward To" album 35:07 - Outro Thanks for your support!

Episode 38 - People Suck at Driving

After an unexpected week off, I'm back with an episode that goes all over the place! This week, after giving some updates on my personal life, I talk about the recent Roseanne scandal, the WWE, Batman's 1966 series, music from Primus and the Beatles (respectively), and even touch on some books by Liz Moore and Nicole Krauss. It's a busy one! Time indexes: 0:00 - Introduction and stuff about my personal life. 8:45 - Music Break 1 - "Sometimes You Say Goodbye" from the "Sorry, I Didn't Mean to Shout" release. 9:15 - TV Talk The Roseanne Scandal (9:15) WWE (18:33) Batman '66 (23:40) 28:54 - Music Break 2 - "Outdoor Summer Concerts" (single) 29:24 - Music Stuff Primus - The Desaturating Seven (29:24) The Lost Art of the Concept Album (33:52) The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (36:08) 39:44 - Music Break 3 - "Church Girls" from the "Trigger Warnings & Sunshine" album. 40:15 - Outro stuff, including books by Liz Moore and Nicole Krauss. Thanks for your support!

Episode 37 - Tell Em Derek Sent Ya and They'll Say "Who?"

This week's episode is a little different. Apart from mentioning some hats I bought in the intro, I mostly just talk about roughly a dozen records. Each of them in some way shape or form influenced my new album "It Could Be Worse," which is being released on May 18, 2018. This was a fun one for me. It's just the one subject, so I'm not going to do a time index this week, but I will say the songs that are played are both from my new album and are "Nobody Else" and "Always," in that order. Thanks for listening! Please check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com for more stuff!

Episode 36 - I Want Good Things for Andie MacDowell

DON'T MISS THIS ONE! This week's episode gets bananas. I talk about the video game God of War for a little while, but the show REALLY gets going when I review the Hallmark movie "The Beach House" starring Andie MacDowell. That, plus music reviews of albums by Frank Turner, John Moreland, and a nod to Jason Isbell and some talk about my own music career as well. It's a good one. Dig it! 0:00 - Intro Stuff including a plug for my new album "It Could Be Worse." 8:12 - Music break #1 - "That Was Then" from "It Could Be Worse" 8:45 - Video Game Review: God of War (from the perspective of someone who didn't play it) 27:53 - Music Break #2 - "Remember Me" from the "Sorry I Didn't Mean to Shout" release 28:25 - Hallmark Movie review: The Beach House 38:12 - Music Break #3 - "The Best" from the "Ink Stained Fingers" album 38:43 - Music reviews of stuff by Frank Turner, John Moreland, and a nod toward Jason Isbell. 48:23 - Music Break #4 - "Please" off of the "Out from the Light" album 48:53 - Outro comments, including me plugging a gig. Thanks! Be sure to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com for more information.

Episode 35 - There is a Weird Glitch About 10 Minutes In I Couldn't Fix

This week's episode is a little shorter, but packed with just as much as usual. I talk about music from Tom Waits, The Smithereens, The Who, and John Prine's newest release. I talk about TV shows including Deadliest Catch and Last Man on Earth. And I bid farewell to Harry Anderson, Verne Troyer, and Bruno Sammartino, to boot. Be sure to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com for photos and more! Here's the time index: 0:00 - Intro, including RIPs to Harry Anderson, Verne Troyer, and Bruno Sammartino. 8:42 - Music Break #1 - Slip Away from my "Ink-Stained Fingers" album. 9:15 - Music Stuff including my thoughts on Record Store Day and reviews of music by The Smithereens, The Who, Tom Waits, and John Prine's newest release. 23:29 - Music Break #2 - Outdoor Summer Concerts, released as a single in 2015. 24:00 - TV Talk including very briefly touching on wrestling, then longer talks on The Last Man on Earth and Deadliest Catch. 35:49 - Music Break #3 - Transience from my "Something to Look Forward to..." album. 36:21 - Outro including a podcast recommendation.

Episode 34 - The Pearl Jam Episode (Also I Say the Word Kerfuffle)

This week's show is all about Pearl Jam. I tell more or less the story of my preteen years up to the present as it relates to Pearl Jam, who have been there all along the way. That's it! Just Pearl Jam. Yayyyy! Check out the blog for photos and such: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Thanks for stopping by!