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 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