JR JR

Zott and Epstein met each other while playing in other Detroit music projects. They formed Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. in late 2009, and began recording in Zott's basement in Royal Oak, Michigan with few intentions of reaching the public. Their original name, derived from NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., was suggested to the pair as a joke.{{cite news |url=http://press.wbr.com/daleearnhardtjrjr#bioPress |title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Bio |publisher=Warner Bros. Records Press |access-date=2013-06-14 |archive-date=2013-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927081038/http://press.wbr.com/daleearnhardtjrjr#bioPress |url-status=dead }} In 2013 Zott stated, "The name for us was just a way to identify our crazy new project that had no limitations. People have no idea how we are going to sound, and so it gives them a reason to actually take some time to listen to the music."{{cite web|last=Caraviello|first=David|url=http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/10/16/dale-earnhardt-jr-jr-six-pack-of-pop-sprint-cup.html|title=Six Pack of Pop: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.|publisher=NASCAR|date=October 16, 2013|accessdate=October 16, 2013|archive-date=October 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017041212/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/10/16/dale-earnhardt-jr-jr-six-pack-of-pop-sprint-cup.html|url-status=dead}} About 2011, the band emailed Dale Earnhardt Jr. to assure him they were not making fun of him; he responded that Jimmie Johnson had already told him about them, he was flattered, and they would "not hear from any lawyers".{{cite news |url=http://www.media.wmg-is.com/media/portal/media/cms/docs/201106/espn-magazine-pick_1308353779281.pdf |title= Junior Jams |work=ESPN The Magazine }}

In July 2010, the band released Horsepower EP via Quite Scientific Records.{{cite news |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/dale-earnhardt-jr-jr/7617942 |title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Biography |publisher=Artist Direct}} The Horsepower EP consisted of songs "Nothing But Our Love," "Vocal Chords," "Simple Girl," and a cover of Brian Wilson's song "God Only Knows."{{cite news |url=http://www.discogs.com/Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Jr-Horse-Power-EP-My-Love-Is-Easy-Remixes-Pt1/release/2446283 |title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Horsepower EP |publisher=Discogs}} The band came out with a second EP titled "My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt.1" via Quite Scientific Records on November 2, 2010.{{cite web|title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 1|url=http://www.quitescientific.com/releases/My-Love-Is-Easy-Remixes-Pt-1/|accessdate=15 November 2013}} Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. was noted as 'one of the best new bands' of 2010 and became very well-liked from various sources including Stereogum, SPIN, Under the Radar, Real Detroit, and The Metro Times.{{cite web| url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15468-its-a-corporate-world/| title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: It's a Corporate World Album Review | access-date=2017-09-09| website=pitchfork.com| language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/dale-earnhardt-jr-jr-it-s-a-corporate-world-1798168448|title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: It's A Corporate World|first=David|last=Bevan|website=Music|date=7 June 2011 |access-date=31 May 2019}} The band came out with We Almost Lost Detroit EP via Warner Bros. Records and Quite Scientific Records on April 21, 2011. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. released two singles, "Morning Thought" and "Simple Girl" on April 8, 2011 and September 9, 2011 respectively.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. came out with their first full-length album, It's A Corporate World. The album was released June 7, 2011 via Warner Bros. Records and Quite Scientific Records.

The band came out with their single "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)" on April 2, 2013. The single's release was followed by their EP release, Patterns.{{cite news| url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/06/album-review-dale-earnhardt-jr-jrs-its-a-corporate-world.html| title=Album review: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s 'It's a Corporate World'| access-date=2017-09-08| language=en-US}}{{cite news |url=http://press.wbr.com/daleearnhardtjrjr |title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Press Release |publisher=Warner Bros. Records Press |access-date=2013-06-14 |archive-date=2013-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927081038/http://press.wbr.com/daleearnhardtjrjr |url-status=dead }} The band performed live on May 16, 2013 on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic to premier songs from their album.{{cite web|title=Morning Becomes Eclectic|url=http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb130516dale_earnhardt_jr_jr|publisher=KCRW|accessdate=15 November 2013}} The featured songs included: "Hiding," "Run," "Mesopotamia," "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)," "Dark Water," "Knock Louder," "War Zone," "Don't Tell Me," and "I Think Of You."{{cite news |url=http://newmedia.kcrw.com/tracklists/search.php?search_type=0&date_from=05%2F16%2F2013&host=&date_to=&artist=&channel=Simulcast&label= |title=KCRW – Search The Live Track List |publisher=KCRW}} They performed on Conan, June 11, 2013, featuring the song "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)."{{cite news |url=http://www.daleearnhardtjrjr.com/blog/speed-things-out-october-8th-19511 |title=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Album Release Post |publisher=Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. |access-date=2013-08-02 |archive-date=2013-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007122252/http://www.daleearnhardtjrjr.com/blog/speed-things-out-october-8th-19511 |url-status=dead }}

Patterns EP was released on April 16, 2013, consisting of four songs: "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)," "Dark Water," "Hiding," and "Habits." The band released their second studio album titled, The Speed of Things, on October 8, 2013, with some guidance from Paul Simon.{{Cite web|title = Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr Speed Up With Sophomore Effort|url = http://www.transversomedia.com/articles/2015/5/22/g4c9gq0p45j3dr0t2bm9c7p8jelfts|website = TRANSVERSO| date=3 April 2014 |accessdate = 2015-11-05}} Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. went on tour with Atlas Genius and Family of the Year in the fall of 2013. The band released their mixtape "Produce Vol. 1" on February 5, 2014. Produce Vol. 1 is a new step for the band as they continue their journey towards the spotlight.

On July 15, 2015, the band announced that they were renaming themselves to JR JR to end confusion with the NASCAR driver: "We've had people drive long distances to shows only to be disappointed when they realize it's a neurotic Jew and wild haired gentile from Detroit they've paid to see."{{cite web|url=http://www.jrjrmusic.com/post/124165676369/the-future-starts-tomorrow-well-maybe-friday|title=THE FUTURE STARTS TOMORROW (WELL, MAYBE FRIDAY ACTUALLY…)|work=JR JR|date=July 15, 2015|access-date=July 15, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716105809/http://www.jrjrmusic.com/post/124165676369/the-future-starts-tomorrow-well-maybe-friday|archive-date=July 16, 2015}} They premiered their new single "Gone" from their self-titled album on July 16, 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.jrjrmusic.com/post/124258413659/new-song-gone|title=New Song - "Gone"|work=JR JR|date=July 16, 2015|access-date=July 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915135909/http://www.jrjrmusic.com/post/124258413659/new-song-gone|archive-date=September 15, 2015|url-status=dead}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Horse Power (EP), Quite Scientific Records, July 13, 2010

| total_length = 13:34

| all_writing = Joshua Epstein & Daniel Zott except as noted

| title1 = Nothing But Our Love

| length1 = 4:06

| title2 = Vocal Chords

| length2 = 3:52

| title3 = Simple Girl

| length3 = 2:23

| title4 = God Only Knows

| note4 = Beach Boys cover, original 1966

| writer4 = Brian Wilson, Tony Asher

| length4 = 3:13

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt.1 (EP), Quite Scientific Records, November 2, 2010

| total_length = 17:03

| title1 = Nothing But Our Love

| note1 = Kasper Bjørke Remix

| length1 = 4:58

| title2 = Vocal Chords

| note2 = Deastro Remix

| length2 = 4:46

| title3 = Nothing But Our Love

| note3 = Prussia Remix

| length3 = 3:45

| title4 = Vocal Chords

| note4 = Diego and The Dissidents Remix

| length4 = 3:34

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = We Almost Lost Detroit (EP), Warner Bros. / Quite Scientific Records, April 21, 2011

| total_length = 26:36

| title1 = We Almost Lost Detroit (Gil Scott Heron Cover)

| length1 = 3:22

| title2 = Like a Prayer (Madonna Cover)

| length2 = 5:37

| title3 = I Think of You (Sixto Rodriguez Cover)

| length3 = 3:14

| title4 = We Almost Lost Detroit (Stepdad Remix)

| length4 = 3:48

| title5 = Morning Thought (Phantasmagoria Remix)

| length5 = 3:50

| title6 = Simple Girl (Chuck Daniels Remix)

| length6 = 6:45

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Patterns (EP), Warner Bros., April 20, 2013

| total_length = 13:40

| title1 = If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)

| length1 = 4:34

| title2 = Dark Water

| length2 = 3:05

| title3 = Hiding

| length3 = 3:08

| note3 = Horns – John Rutherford

| title4 = Habits

| length4 = 2:53

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = It's a Corporate World, Warner Bros. Records / Quite Scientific Records, June 7, 2011

| total_length = 37:25

| all_writing = Joshua Epstein & Daniel Zott except as noted

| title1 = Morning Thought

| length1 = 3:36

| title2 = Nothing But Our Love

| length2 = 4:06

| title3 = Skeletons

| length3 = 2:19

| title4 = An Ugly Person on a Movie Screen

| length4 = 3:12

| title5 = When I Open My Eyes

| length5 = 4:14

| title6 = Husbands (Interlude)

| length6 = 0:55

| title7 = It's a Corporate World

| length7 = 2:54

| title8 = Simple Girl

| length8 = 2:23

| title9 = If It Wasn't You...

| length9 = 3:50

| title10 = Vocal Chords

| length10 = 3:52

| title11 = We Almost Lost Detroit

| note11 = Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson cover, original 1977

| writer11 = Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson

| length11 = 3:20

| title12 = The Fisherman

| length12 = 2:50

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = The Speed of Things, Warner Bros. Records, October 8, 2013

| total_length = 49:35

| all_writing = Joshua Epstein & Daniel Zott except as noted

| title1 = Beautiful Dream

| length1 = 4:12

| title2 = Run

| length2 = 2:57

| title3 = Knock Louder

| length3 = 3:43

| title4 = If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)

| length4 = 4:07

| title5 = I Can't Help It

| length5 = 3:01

| title6 = Hiding

| length6 = 3:06

| title7 = Beautiful Dream (Reprise)

| length7 = 1:53

| title8 = Mesopotamia

| length8 = 4:32

| title9 = Dark Water

| length9 = 3:09

| title10 = Don't Tell Me

| length10 = 4:02

| title11 = Gloria

| length11 = 3:20

| title12 = A Haunting

| length12 = 5:39

| title13 = War Zone

| length13 = 6:01

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = JR JR, Warner Bros. Records, September 25, 2015

| total_length = 42:28

| all_writing = Joshua Epstein & Daniel Zott except as noted

| title1 = As Time Goes

| length1 = 3:25

| title2 = Gone

| length2 = 3:47

| title3 = Caroline

| length3 = 3:32

| title4 = In the Middle

| length4 = 3:35

| title5 = For My Brother

| length5 = 3:34

| title6 = Philip the Engineer

| length6 = 3:35

| title7 = Hypothetical

| length7 = 3:27

| title8 = James Dean

| length8 = 2:55

| title9 = In My Mind (Summertime)

| length9 = 4:38

| title10 = Break My Fall

| length10 = 3:15

| title11 = Electrical Energy

| length11 = 3:10

| title12 = Listening to Outkast, June 23, 2014

| length12 = 3:35

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Invocations / Conversations, Love Is EZ Records / May 31, 2019

| total_length = 58:48

| all_writing = Joshua Epstein & Daniel Zott except as noted

| title1 = Day in, Day Out

| length1 = 4:09

| title2 = All Around You

| length2 = 3:53

| title3 = Pull You Close

| length3 = 3:58

| title4 = Holding On

| length4 = 4:08

| title5 = Twice As Hard

| length5 = 3:18

| title6 = Wild Child

| length6 = 3:24

| title7 = Won’t Last Long

| length7 = 3:39

| title8 = Too Good to Be True

| length8 = 3:22

| title9 = NYC

| length9 = 3:41

| title10 = Low

| length10 = 3:18

| title11 = Dumb Myself Down

| length11 = 4:18

| title12 = Big Bear Mountain

| length12 = 3:20

| title13 = Bad Dreams

| length13 = 3:08

| title14 = Young Forever

| length14 = 4:04

| title15 = RIP RnR

| length15 = 3:21

| title16 = Fade Out

| length16 = 3:47

}}

• "Morning Thought" (digital single, April 8, 2011)
• "Simple Girl" (digital single, September 9, 2011)
• "If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)" (digital single, April 2, 2013)
• "Gone" (digital single, July 17, 2015)
• "Same Dark Places" (digital single, April 5, 2017) {{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Jr-Jrs-New-Song-Same-Dark-Places-Out-Now-Available-for-Download-20170405|title=Jr Jr's New Song 'Same Dark Places' Out Now & Available for Download|website=Broadwayworld.com}}
• "Clean Up" (digital single, August 28, 2017) {{cite web|url=https://www.axs.com/jr-jr-release-new-single-announce-fall-tour-122401|title=JR JR release new single, announce fall tour|website=Axs.com}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.jrjrmusic.com/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011093336/http://www.jrjrmusic.com/ |date=2015-10-11 }}
• [http://synconation.com/interviews/in-the-ladies-restroom-with-dale-earnhardt-jr-jr/ June, 2011 Synconation Ladies Room Interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.]

{{Authority control}}

Category:Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Category:Indie pop groups from Michigan

Category:Musical groups from Detroit

Category:Warner Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 2010

Category:2010 establishments in Michigan