Empty Checking with Derek Brink

EC Update 11-10-23.m4a

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

Ramblings on Loss and Art

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

Episode 167 - The Loop and Bad Soup (I Am A Coward)

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

Episode 166 - Being Somewhat Optimistic About Frasier

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

Episode 165 - Magnificent Musical Month for Me!

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)

Episode 164 - Even Edgar Winter Was Entertaining

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!

EC Update 10-1-23.m4a

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.

EC Update 9-28-23.m4a

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!

EC Update 9-21-23.m4a

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!

Episode 163 - The FAB 15 Most Overplayed Songs

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:

• 0:00 - RIP Jimmy Buffett and Steve Harwell
• 1:27 - Intro
  • 4:37 - Longest web-ID segment ever...
  • 5:00 - Dave's Terry Funk story
  • 14:21 - Prep for the list
• 22:31 - (The list begins!) #15 - Dave goes "newer," Derek does not.
• 29:17 - #14 - We're going to sing a LOT.
• 34:48 - #13 - Mountain Mama, apparently... (A lot of my songs are on The Office.)
• 41:50 - #12 - Played the right amount?
• 47:15 - #11 - If you're gonna steal, steal from the best.
• 51:16 - #10 - Going to the Country well.
• 56:48 - #9 - Immediate add to the final 15.
• 1:01:29 - #8 - Defend yourself.
• 1:06:54 - #7 - Fine. (ly)
• 1:14:40 - #6 - Making white people angry.
• 1:18:31 - #5 - Shang Tsung and the Seven Hoods
• 1:23:09 - #4 - Has Dave's one aged out or not? Email the show. (Also Dave didn't let me edit this...)
• 1:30:28 - #3 - Close enough! CUE THE CLOWN HORN!
• 1:35:55 - #2 - Making our dad mad.
• 1:41:54 - #1 - Surprise!
• 1:49:58 - Honorable Mentions
• 2:07:22 - Musical Break
• 2:07:52 - The final 15 and picking #1. (Or an unprecedented TOP FIVE!)
• 2:16:21 - Winding down/Outro