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.comemail: 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 Bachelorette Party 31:20 - You and You Alone 31:51 - Recent Watching 31:51 - Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale 43:33 - Frasier 45:28 - King of the Hill (Revival Series) 52:01 - Indelible 52:32 - Outro

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.comBandcamp: 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

In this slightly shorter (but if you ask me TWICE as fun!) episode, I mostly just talk about the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the reunion of RUSH! I had a blast doing this one. I bet you at least sort of enjoy having it on in the background while you work or go to the gym or walk the dog or whatever! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.comBandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.comemail: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 14:13 - Deeper Than Oceans 14:44 - Rocky Horror 50th Anniversary 29:23 - Burn 29:54 - RUSH! 48:46 - Intervention 49:17 - Outro

In this episode, your Papa Dave joins us to count down the FAB 15 Van Halen Songs! (The episode also intermittently features my fridge fan humming. Sorry!) We're both big VH fans, and this one just happens to be coming out on the heels of the 5 year anniversary of the loss of Eddie Van Halen, so it seems a very apt episode. And it's a lot of fun! It's a little longer than usual, just because I was enjoying listening to us talk and kept forgetting to edit! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com email: db@derekbrink.com Spotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  0:00 - Introduction, Rules, and So On 16:40 - #15 - (Derek Note: In the days since the show was recorded, I looked the song up on Wikipedia and there does not seem to be any indication that Eddie had anything to do with the lyrics on my choice for #15.) 26:54 - #14 32:08 - #13 36:22 - #12 44:11 - #11 49:24 - #10 1:02:51 - #9  1:06:20 - #8 1:12:31 - #7 1:17:27 - #6 1:24:42 - #5 1:31:11 - #4 1:39:21 - #3 1:48:42 - #2 1:49:55 - #1 1:55:51 - Honorable Mentions 2:07:45 - Music Break: Intervention 2:08:06 - Picking #1 2:13:02 - The Final 15 and several minutes of us still having fun talking about Van Halen

In this episode, I talk about all things Spinal Tap for the whole show! The original movie, the recent sequel, and a TON of stuff in-between that you might not even know exists! It was a lot of fun making this one. On a side note, I can't BEGIN to tell you how frustrating it was to realize this is episode 212 instead of 211, so that I could've said, "This episode goes two-eleven." Missed opportunity.  Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro Stuff 7:27 - Greetings from Far Away 7:57 - Talkin' Tap! 1:09:38 - The Way the World Will End 1:10:09 - Outro Stuff

In this episode, I talk about music from Sabrina Carpenter, Margo Price, David Byrne, and Yungblud, then I talk about Only Murders in the Building and the Trekkies documentaries (and just kinda Star Trek in general). I had fun. Now I demand that you do, too! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 11:19 - Forever Home 11:50 - Recent Listening 12:44 - Sabrina Carpenter - Man's Best Friend 20:12 - Margo Price - Hard Headed Woman 25:55 - David Byrne - Who Is The Sky? 30:18 - Yungblud - Icons 37:26 - The High Road 37:56 - Recent Watching 38:08 - OMITB 46:20 - Trekkies/Star Trek 59:37 - Chekov's Rights 1:00:08 - Outro

After almost a three week accidental hiatus, I'm back with a slightly weird and slightly short episode! In this one I backtrack to correct my thinking on the recent releases by Coheed & Cambria and HAIM, then I talk about Mastodon, the Struts, and a bunch of Oktoberfest beers. I had fun. Maybe you can too! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com email: db@derekbrink.com  Time Index (sorry this is a little concise this week): 0:00 - Intro 7:41 - Vagabond 8:11 - Recent Listening - Including Coheed & Cambria, HAIM, Mastodon, and The Struts 31:11 - Jean Jacket 31:42 - Oktoberfest Beers! 46:00 - Slainte 46:30 - Outro

In this episode, I talk about music from Murry Hammond, Hayes Carll, and The Wonder Years and then the movies The Phoenician Scheme, Throw Momma from the Train, and the TV show Columbo. I had a great time recording this one that I hope translates into your ears! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.com Bandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.com email: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro (Including a defense of Taylor Swift) 17:41 - TralfamadOverture 18:11 - Recent Listening 18:28 - Murry Hammond - Trail Songs of the Deep 23:12 - Hayes Carll - We're Only Human 28:55 - The Wonder Years (In general) 35:52 - You've Got to Laugh 36:22 - Recent Viewing 36:47 - The Phoenician Scheme 43:46 - Throw Momma from the Train 48:25 - Columbo 56:02 - If It's Raining 56:32 - Outro

I have an episode READY TO GO, but Microsoft has kneecapped me. Listen to this short update to find out how!

A new episode is coming soon! But here's why it isn't up yet...you know the drill!

You lucky ducks! It's a FAB 15 episode, featuring your Uncle Derek and Papa Dave! This week we're counting down our Fab 15 Feel Good Songs. Which was apparently a slightly more confusing topic than intended. But it's a fun listen and includes a nice review of the recent Devo show in St. Louis, up top! Join us, won't you? Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.comBandcamp: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.comemail: db@derekbrink.comSpotify Playlists: https://open.spotify.com/user/317eypfciiajkyay2kxloz3kreoa?si=f046115ad0514079  Time Index: 0:00 - Intro 2:11 - Dave and Derek talk about Devo 13:02 - Explanation of the topic and rules for the list 18:57 - The list begins: 19:04 - #15 26:27 - #14 32:02 - #13 36:37 - #12 42:00 - #11 47:40 - #10 52:39 - #9 57:41 - #8 1:02:37 - #7 1:12:21 - #6 1:14:50 - #5 1:23:30 - #4 1:27:58 - #3 1:35:14 - #2 1:40:16 - #1 1:42:20 - Honorable Mentions 1:54:08 - The FINAL 15 and picking a number 1

SPECIAL UPLOAD: My thoughts on the death of Hulk Hogan. (Fab 15 episode still to come later tonight.)

A brief upload from the phone to say goodbye to Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Ozzy Osbourne. I wish I'd said everything I said better, but I think my heart is in the right place. Both sad losses. Hang in there until Thursday, and I'll upload a Fab 15 for you!

A quick update on why there's not a new episode yet, plus a very brief book review! There will be a FAB 15 uploaded soon, I promise!

In this episode, we catch up on some music from James McMurtry, Pulp, Neil Young, HAIM, and S.G. Goodman. It's a slightly shorter episode, but packed with fun! Enjoy! Blog: http://emptychecking.blogspot.comMusic: http://derekbrink.bandcamp.comemail: db@derekbrink.com Time Index: 0:00 - Intro  11:41 - You and You Alone 12:11 - Recent Listening: 12:47 - James McMurtry - The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy 17:30 - Pulp - More 21:51 - Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts - Talkin to the Trees 25:00 - HAIM - I Quit 34:32 - S.G. Goodman - Planting By the Signs 38:54 - The High Road 39:26 - Outro