Empty Checking With Derek Brink

In this episode, I'm joined by my friend Jim Ousley, who has a new comic book in progress called "The Agony of Stars," with a Kickstarter active RIGHT NOW (6/2/26). We talk about the comic, but also about everything else, with primary topics being being a creative person, process, and how real life bleeds into art. It's always a pleasure to talk to Jim, and I love that this episode just became a conversation that could've happened without the microphones. I think you'll like it a lot too! Please consider being a part of funding "The Agony of Stars" here: The Agony of Stars by Jim Ousley — Kickstarter Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com 

In this episode, I'm getting back in the swing of doing the show by talking about the newest book by Tana French then reviewing two concerts I went to (on back to back nights)--David Byrne and Jason Isbell! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed making it! (Or more!) Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 9:56 - Happy Now 10:27 - Tana French: The Keeper 20:59 - That Weekend (Blue Tattoo) 21:31 - David Byrne and Jason Isbell 21:31 - David Byrne 51:16 - Jason Isbell 1:04:00 - Denouement 1:04:32 - Outro, including a follow=up on my tribute to Michael Feldman, back in November

After many delays, your Uncle Derek and Papa Dave are finally BACK and this time we're counting down our Fab 15 Supergroups. This discussion solidified that we should really set ground-rules before making our lists...but it was still a lot of fun, and we hope you enjoy it! Dave's Spotify playlist will probably go up a little late because I didn't tell him when I was posting the episode and it's the middle of a workday. But hey! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 13:09 - The List Begins 13:09 - #15 19:12 - #14  24:19 - #13 31:49 - #12  40:16 - #11 44:00 - #10 50:36 - #9  58:29 - #8  1:06:39 - #7  1:12:26 - #6  1:15:03 - #5  1:21:19 - #4  1:26:44 - #3  1:33:57 - #2  1:42:25 - #1  1:43:03 - Honorable Mentions 1:59:49 - Intervention 2:00:19 - The Final 15 and choosing a #1.

Long story short, pending any serious storm damage, you should have the Fab 15 on Tuesday. Thanks for your patience!

UPDATE - My laptop is dead. I'm trying to revive it. If that doesn't work, I'll have to buy a new one. The show is currently trapped on it. I'll keep you posted. Sorry everybody.

I'm trying to at least do these again, when I'm struggling to upload an episode. At least that's something, right? Long story short, I'm editing a FAB 15 and you'll have it soon...but here's a brief update on what I've been doing in the interim. New episode by the weekend! I promise! (Barring anything unforeseen, of course!) Thanks for your patience, Checkmates.

In this episode, I talk about playing the banjo and the Beetlejuice movies. It's as classic as peanut butter and jelly. Biscuits and gravy. Peaches and Herb. Beetlejuice and banjos! It's a fun one. It turns out that I have a LOT of thoughts about Tim Burton. Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 6:40 - Banjo Break #1 - 5 String Banjo 7:11 - Talkin' Banjos! 24:30 - Banjo Break #2 - Plectrum Banjo 25:00 - Yellin' about Beetlejuice... 31:22 - Beetlejuice 42:33 - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 1:08:35 - Banjo Break #3 - Tenor Banjo 1:09:06 - Outro

This week's episode is a little bit short, but no less sweet than usual. It's a fun one where I complain about the weather, then talk about new releases from Mumford & Sons, Mitski, and Squeeze. I had fun with it. You might too! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 12:21 - Vagabond 12:52 - Music Reviews 31:23 - Slainte 31:53 - Outro

In this episode I talk about the theatrically released Muppet movies, in chronological order. Because everyone loves the Muppets! Enjoy! No time index, since it's just the one subject--and I should clarify that I am spoiling every movie, if you haven't seen them. Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Songs used in the show: I Hope You're Happy Useless

In this episode, I talk about recent releases from Geese and Wednesday, then I talk about buying an Autoharp. That's the show! Enjoy! Sorry there's not a time index...but here are the links...although really there's not anything that corresponds to the Bandcamp page, since I'm just noodling...but whatever! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com 

In this episode, I pay my respects to Catherine O'Hara, then talk about my newest (vintage) guitar and the long-since-canceled TV show Andy Richter Controls the Universe. I had fun with this one! Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 6:41 - I Go* 7:11 - Rest in Peace Catherine O'Hara 25:18 - Racing the Rain* 25:49 - Silvertone Guitar 38:20 - After the Storm* 38:51 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe 51:34 - Losing Sleep* 52:04 - Introduction to Racing the Rain 55:43 - Racing the Rain (Electric Version) 59:59 - Outro *All songs except "Racing the Rain" were just me noodling on the guitar this week, so there's not much to download, unless you just wanna go to Bandcamp and find the full songs.

In this episode, I'm low on stuff to talk about because I haven't bought anything lately, so I talk about movies from the recent (25-35 years) Rocky & Bullwinkle universe. It's a show! Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  The subjects this week are pretty intertwined, so I didn't do a time index. But if you're interested in the songs used in this episode they are as follows: Vagabond Racing the Rain Bite the Habanero (Theme Song)

Given the week's happenings, we're postponing the first official show of 2026 for a week, or thereabout. I spent about 11 minutes ranting here. The only thing that seems appropriate to say right now is rest in peace Renee Good and ABOLISH ICE. We will return with a normal episode as soon as possible. Probably next week. Thanks for listening. Keep talking.

It's a Christmas...well...not "miracle." But it's happening near the day! In the final Fab 15 (and EC episode) of 2025, your Uncle Derek and Papa Dave are counting down our favorite albums of 2025. It was a really fun talk and we hope you'll enjoy it and maybe find a few new things to listen to! Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 14:39 - The List Begins! 14:39 - #15 20:23 - #14 27:55 - #13 33:43 - #12 38:47 - #11 45:46 - #10 50:35 - #9 57:45 - #8 1:05:42 - #7 1:11:37 - #6 1:18:03 - #5 1:29:06 - #4 1:38:54 - #3  1:49:11 - #2 1:54:46 - #1  2:00:50 - Honorable Mentions 2:18:07 - This is Your Christmas 2:18:37 - The FINAL 15 and Outro

This is an unfortunately "special" episode, in which I try to process the murder of Rob and Michele Reiner, while also celebrating some of my favorite movies, directed by Rob, and honoring their memory and legacy. I'm not happy with the episode. It's too rambly and aimless. But it's something. I don't even have a good episode photo because all of my DVDs/BluRays are in stacks for the annual re-sorting that I do at the end of every year. So I can't easily physically get to my Rob Reiner movies to take a picture...but maybe this cover photo is appropriate. "None more black" and all that. Let's try to have a happier episode soon, okay everybody?

This episode is very raw and emotional. It absolutely comes with a trigger warning, if you are negatively effected by grief, death, mourning, or just-plain hearing someone struggle with loss. Sometime on Sunday morning, November 30th, 2025, my friend Michael Feldman passed away, after a lengthy battle with cancer. I had been in bands with Mike for about 25 years. He's someone who will remain in my heart forever. Later that evening, I sat down in front of a microphone, played one of Mike's albums, and recorded this episode, while I listened (and beyond). What you're hearing here isn't my prettiest moment--I cry several times--and it is NOT the place I would begin listening to this show...but I needed to do it, for myself, and for my friend. This barely scratches the surface of my memories of Mike. But it's something. I hope there's something in it that speaks to you. Thanks for listening. Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com email: db@derekbrink.com  

It's a Thanksgiving treat! There's a new episode of Empty Checking! In advance, I ended up doing something else and did NOT get the nap I was hoping for throughout the episode...but at least I got to talk about music from Cheap Trick, Envy of None, Drive-By Truckers, and Hayley Williams, then about the last Downton Abbey movie, Frasier, and the King of the Hill revival! I had fun doing this one, even though it was willfully rushed and could've been time spent napping. Hope it makes your Thanksgiving Day/weekend pass a little more happily. Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 8:01 - Forever Home 8:32 - Recent Listening 8:32 - Cheap Trick - All Washed Up 13:46 - Envy of None - Stij(e)en Wavz (That's as close as I can get to their dumb spelling without using characters that won't show up on some computers) 18:38 - Drive-By Truckers - The Definitive Decoration Day 25:15 - Hayley Williams - Ego Death at a Bachelorett

In this episode, Your Uncle Derek and Papa Dave are counting down their Fab 15 Rush songs! Rush is one of our collective favorite bands, and narrowing it down to just 15 was a TOUGH battle. We had a lot of fun rehashing old stories and talking about music that means a lot to us. We hope you enjoy this one, as the subject is very close(r) to our hearts! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 11:55 - #15 15:42 - #14 23:46 - #13 33:51 - #12 43:24 - #11 50:04 - #10 53:48 - #9 1:02:08 - #8 1:12:50 - #7 1:12:58 - #6 1:15:40 - #5 1:23:17 - #4 1:33:05 - #3 1:38:53 - #2 1:50:23 - #1 2:02:31 - Honorable Mentions and Other Subjects 2:19:32 - Music Break: Greetings from Far Away 2:19:50 - The Final 15 and Closing Thoughts

It's a new episode of the thing! I talk about Dropkick Murphys, Alison Brown and Steve Martin, The Who, Downton Abbey, and a semi-obscure movie called Still Crazy. I had a lot of fun with this one, despite a lot of back pain. Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com  Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 11:39 - I Hope You're Happy 12:10 - Recent Listening 12:24 - Dropkick Murphys - For the People 16:09 - Alison Brown & Steve Martin - Safe Sensible and Sane 22:18 - The Who - Who Are You Super Deluxe Edition 29:30 - Useless 30:00 - Recent Watching 30:32 - Downton Abbey Movies 40:59 - Still Crazy 47:20 - That Weekend (Blue Tattoo) 47:51 - Outro

In this episode--which is neither spooky, nor scary, despite the upload date--I talk about a bunch of new music and get mad at Taylor Swift fans (but maybe not in the way you think). It's a fun one. Check it out! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com  email: db@derekbrink.com  0:00 - Intro, including a tribute to Prunella Scales 13:26 - Live Your Life 13:57 - New Music Reviews 14:46 - Max Richter - Sleep Circle 21:12 - Sloan - Based on the Best Seller 24:28 - Amanda Shires - Nobody's Girl 34:54 - Los Straitjackets - Somos Los Straitjackets 38:35 - Halestorm - Everest 43:08 - Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl 48:45 - Every Day 49:15 - Outro, including a brief review of Only Murders in the Building