Empty Checking with Derek Brink

Episode 180 - A Tribute to Steve Albini

In this episode, I called an audible and decided to pay tribute to the man I believe was the George Martin of indie rock, Steve Albini. I end up talking about 12 releases by such acts as Big Black, Nirvana, Cheap Trick, Pixies, Plush, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and more...and I don't even touch on 1% of the 2000+ albums on which he worked.

Join me for this special episode, as I try to give just a small GLIMPSE into the career of one of the true greats.

Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com
email: db@derekbrink.com

Time Index:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 7:31 - Safari
• 8:01 - Tribute to Steve Albini
• 53:07 - One in a Million
• 53:37 - Outro

Episode 179 - Lots of Thumbs Going Right Up There

This is a slightly p-popping episode, and I apologize for that...but it's a fun one, if you can get over that! I talk about Only Murders in the Building, The Three Amigos, and The Great Race, then music from Taylor Swift, Joni Mitchell, Khruangbin, and Pearl Jam. Plus some personal stuff, of course. This episode also contains a few samples of songs from my upcoming record "Boop," which comes out on May 3! Hope you dig it!

Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com
Music: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com
email: db@derekbrink.com

Time Index:

• 0.00 - Intro
• 9:48 - A life update
• 14:58 - Vagabond (Not yet available! Yay!)
• 15:28 - TV Stuff
  • 15:28 - Only Murders in the Building
  • 23:41 - Three Amigos
  • 27:37 - The Great Race
• 33:01 - Losing Sleep (Also not available! Hurrah!)
• 33:32 - Music Reviews
  • 34:08 - Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department
  • 39:59 - Joni Mitchell - At Newport (2023)
  • 44:51 - Khruangbin - A La Sala (which I somehow didn't actually say in the show. Oops.)
  • 48:04 - Pearl Jam - Dark Matter
• 51:27 - Slainte (You guessed it! You can't download it yet! WHOO!)
• 51:58 - Outro

Episode 178 - Rest in Peace, Joe Flaherty

In this "FAST CASH" episode of Empty Checking, we only talk about one topic, and don't do it for as long. And the topic at hand is bidding farewell to comic legend Joe Flaherty. (I also talk about my recent dental problems, but it's mostly about Joe.) Enjoy!

Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com
email: db@derekbrink.com

This one's a little different, so here are the song links, but I'm not breaking down the times. Songs in this episode:

Being There
Absent Friends

EC Update 4-9-24.m4a

Believe me. I wish this were a full episode even more than you do.

EC Update 3-31-24.m4a

I'm...just so tired. The show WILL be back. But here's why it isn't yet. Thanks for your patience.

EC Update 3-19-24.m4a

It's been a rough couple of weeks. I need a minute. Here's me babbling about that. Should be a new episode over the weekend. Etc. Sorry for the delay. And apparently, I love you...

Episode 117 - The WEIRD 15 - (Fab 15 Weird Al Songs)

In this episode, your Uncle Derek and your Papa Dave are celebrating an American treasure by counting down (or up?) our Fab 15 Weird Al songs! It's a fun and oddly spirited debate! Be part of giving us the Weird Al Bump and check it out!

Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com
email: db@derekbrink.com
Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079 

Time Index:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 9:58 - #15 - So I just used this...
• 14:00 - #14 - A couple matches.
• 20:27 - #13 - "That's the joke!"
• 25:04 - #12 - Dave has a cat in his face.
• 30:57 - #11 - On the subject of accordions...
• 38:04 - #10 - Go hang a salami, I'm a lasagna hog.
• 40:30 - #9 - Micro Machines Guy
• 46:46 - #8 - THE ALBUM VERSION (And a dumb linguistic lesson!)
• 52:26 - #7 - We got there. As foretold.
• 56:30 - #6 - Dave knows a lot about a very specific form of parody...
• 1:05:44 - #5 - LITERAL JAW DROP.
• 1:09:22 - #4 - Dave explains...
• 1:11:44 - #3 - Putting him on the map.
• 1:14:21 - #2 - Dave's out...
• 1:18:09 - #1 - BECAUSE HE'S AN AMERICAN TREASURE
• 1:22:11 - Honorable Mentions
• 1:31:09 - Musical Break - Intervention
• 1:31:39 - The final list, choosing #1, and loose ends...

EC Update 2-27-24.m4a

You know what these uploads mean...no new episode in the immediate... But I do PROMISE one for Saturday, pending anything terrible happening to me! So listen to me explain... And until Saturday? Courage.

Episode 176 - I say _Gestalt Entity_ at one point in this episode...

Sorry it took a while to get this week's episode uploaded. It's been weird. But whatever! We've got a good episode ready to go in which I pay tribute to Melinda Ledbetter and Wayne Kramer, then talk about my feelings on the final season of Star Trek: Picard and the Extreme/Living Colour show I saw a week ago! Dig it!

Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com
email: db@derekbrink.com

Time Index:

I say "Gestalt Entity" at one point in this episode...

• 0:00 - Intro
• 9:27 - Not Okay
• 9:57 - RIPs
  • 10:29 - Melinda Ledbetter
  • 15:34 - Bro. Wayne Kramer
• 26:20 - Sometimes You Say Goodbye (Acoustic Version)
• 26:50 - Star Trek Picard: Season 3
• 45:00 - Being There
• 45:30 - Extreme and Living Colour
• 1:03:53 - One Man
• 1:04:23 - Outro

EC Update 2-12-24.m4a

So here's why you're still waiting on an episode... Sorry... SOON though!