In this episode, my brother Dave joins us for the debut of "The Fab 15" (or "The Fab Fifteen" I'm not sure if I like the number or the word better). Basically, we pick a subject, both make a list of our personal favorite things relate to that subjects, and then compare lists, hoping to make a master list. And for the debut edition, we started with the hardest one--our top 15 Beatles songs!

This will be a recurring feature, but it's not going to be every week, at least at first. Maybe every couple weeks or once a month, or whatever--who knows?! Regardless, it's a fun episode with a lot going on in it. We hope you enjoy it--and play along! Tell us your "Fab 15" Beatles tracks by e-mailing them to [email protected]. And remember to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com for photos and more!

Time breakdown:

0:00 - Intro

2:30 - The origin of The Fab 15.

6:00 - Why we chose The Beatles, our metrics, our methods, and so on.

17:48 - We start the lists!

17:48 - Song #15

24:20 - Song #14 (featuring some love for Ringo)

30:25 - Song #13

38:25 - Song #12

46:42 - Song #11

51:17 - Song #10

51:43 - Song #9 - "Nobody correct us!"

57:30 - Song #8

1:08:05 - Song #7 - Neither of us saw the movie.

1:11:20 - Song #6 - Jerry Lewis impressions.

1:19:35 - Song #5 - An agreement that annoys Derek.

1:28:23 - Song #4 - "What album is that on?!?"

1:36:56 - Song #3

1:44:33 - Song #2 -- A perfect match!

1:50:29 - Song #1

1:52:43 - Making the master list!

2:11:00 - Outro

There is a new episode tomorrow. But in light of the Supreme Court leak tonight, I needed to say a couple of things. Come back tomorrow for fun. Tonight, I needed to be heard. Opinions are my own and do not represent anyone else...even though they should.

This is a quick update to explain that I won't be doing a full show this week after some bad news in my family. "Thoughts and prayers" are such a cliche, but I know my family would appreciate yours. planning to be back next week. Thanks for your understanding.

In this one, I'm low on ideas, so I read an email asking me about the Oscar slap and then talk about my top ten "best" (or favorite) lead singers of all time. Which is an idea I stole from Patton Oswalt. Whatever. It's fun!

Check out the blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com for photos (and this week I name a BUNCH of albums I think you should check out in the photos) and more! And e-mail me your questions and comments at [email protected], if you want me to actually see them and reply.

Time breakdown:

0:00 - Intro (including talk of cats!

11:11 - Music Break - Out from the Light

11:41 - Checkmail re: The Oscar Slap

29:13 - Music Break - Dichotomy

29:43 - My picks for "best" lead vocalist of all time

49:38 - Music Break - One Man

50:08 - Outro

A new, full episode came out yesterday but was recorded prior to the death of Gilbert Gottfried. I wanted to share some thoughts on his passing, so I recorded this upload on my phone. Please join me in remembering one of the funniest guys ever to yell into a microphone.

***This week's episode was recorded prior to the death of Gilbert Gottfried. I will talk about him in a future upload.***

In this episode I mainly talk about a weird assortment of movies from my Criterion Collection BluRays, including Andrei Rublev, Being There, The Seventh Seal, Brazil, Blue is the Warmest Color, and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I also touch on the passing of wrestling great Scott Hall, in response to some listener mail and talk about my cats and stuff. It's a little all over the place. Enjoy!

Remember to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com and email me at [email protected]! 

Time Breakdown:

0:00 - Intro, including some cat-talk

14:25 - Musical Break - "Give It Up"

14:55 - Checkmail: Rest in Peace Scott Hall

24:17 - Musical Break - "Nobody Has It All"

24:47 - Criterion Collection Critiques - Including Andrei Rublev, Being There, The Seventh Seal, Brazil, Blue is the Warmest Color, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

1:05:01 - Musical Break - "Sometimes You Say Goodbye"

1:05:31 - Outro

In this (long-awaited?) return to the show, I talk about a bunch of stuff! The cats have arrived and taken over my house, but there's also plenty of movies and music to talk about too. I talk about Turning Red, My Dinner With Andre, and The Breakfast Club (it's a good group), and music from Frank Turner, Guided By Voices, and Dolly Parton. In addition I bid farewell to Taylor Hawkins. And other stuff. Thanks for your patience! I should be uploading pretty regularly from now on!

Remember to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com, and e-mail any questions and comments to me at [email protected]!

Here's how it breaks down:

0:00 - Intro - Including much talk of cats!

25:33 - Music Break - Remember Me

26:03 - RIP Taylor Hawkins

35:14 - Music Break - Being There

35:44 - Movies, including Turning Red, My Dinner With Andre, and The Breakfast Club

55:56 - Music Break - Hindsight

New Music Releases including Frank Turner, Guided By Voices, and Dolly Parton

1:08:42 - Music Break - Slip Away

1:09:12 - Outro, including a personal farewell to a friend

In this (very special?) episode I officially announce that I'm going to be adopting two cats (aka THE BEST BOYS!) and I spend an hour telling you about that journey. Then I also pay tribute to our recently departed musical genius, Mark Lanegan. Dig in. This is a good one! (I also spend a lot of time singing the praises of my friend Kim, who's been fostering my future babies.)

Please check out https://www.tenthlifecats.org/, particularly if you're in the St. Louis area and looking to adopt. They presently have a little sweetheart named Special Agent Gumdrop. TELL ME YOU DON'T WANT TO ADOPT SPECIAL AGENT GUMDROP!!! 

Remember that you can e-mail me your questions and comments, if you [email protected] also there's a companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com.

Time index:

0:00 - Intro, and yelling about cats for pretty much an hour.

55:28 - Music Break - Danielle

55:58 - Rest in Peace, Mark Lanegan

1:10:56 - Music Break - Lonely

1:11:26 - Outro, including yelling at you about Ukraine. There's a lot of yelling in this one.

This episode is all over the place, and those are usually my favorites. I talk about Bob Saget, The French Dispatch, Brain Candy, Eddie Vedder, The Violent Femmes, Sara Bareilles, and a bunch of other stuff...and at one point a mouse dies in this episode! In the interest of full disclosure, it was recorded prior to this past weekend and a LOT has happened since then! But here it is...better late than never!

Remember to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com and/or e-mail me at [email protected]!

Here's the time break-down:

0:00 - Intro

14:52 - Sometimes You Say Goodbye

15:23 - Derek talks about Bob Saget and head injuries for a long time.

36:48 - Beautiful Disaster

37:18 - Movies

The French Dispatch - 37:51

53:01 - A MOUSE DIES!!!

Brain Candy - 1:00:00

1:06:17 - Born in this Town

1:06:47 - Music

Eddie Vedder - Earthling - 1:07:22

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes - 1:12:11

Sara Bareilles - Amidst the Chaos: Live at from the Hollywood Bowl - 1:17:10

1:22:11 - Being There

1:22:41 - Outro

This episode took way too long to get uploaded due to a variety of errors and issues on my end...sorry! It's a little longer to try to make up for it and I might do an upload over the weekend as well. But in the meantime, in this one we're reading some listener-mail ("Checkmail," if you will!) then talking about old TV shows and new music from Elvis Costello, Punch Brothers, Billy Talent, and David Bowie! Plus other stuff! It's a good one. 

Remember to check out the companion blog at http://emptychecking.blogspot.com and if you'd like to email me with any questions, etc please feel free to do so at [email protected]. I always reply!

Here's the time breakdown:

0:00 - Intro including some thoughts on the weather, my health, and the Olympics.

9:12 - Musical Break - Hindsight

9:42 - Checkmail!

Harrison Gurl asks about John Lennon - 12:10

Thom asks about Jason Isbell's "Georgia Blue" - 21:41

An anonymous writer asks about banned books - 34:20

49:09 - Music Break - Give It Up

49:39 - Talking about old TV shows like The Simpsons, Night Court, Mama's Family, and the Golden Girls

1:07:18 - Music Break - Church Girls

1:07:48 - New Music

Elvis Costello - The Boy Named If - 1:08:41

Billy Talent - Crisis of Faith - 1:11:18

Punch Brothers - Hell on Church Street - 1:13:51

David Bowie - Toy (aka "Toy: Box") - 1:19:10

1:23:19 - Music Break - Please

1:23:49 - Outro including talking about stuff I want to talk about, cats, and more.