News Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

Detroit duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. will arrive in the UK this autumn for their first ever live dates (12th October - Proud Gallery, London; 14th October - Koko, London), along with an as-yet-unannounced new EP.

Half of the band, Joshua Epstein takes a break from trying to find somebody to watch his dog whilst they’re away to fill us in on what else they’re up to.

So, you’re about to play your first shows in the UK - have either of you visited before?
I did a UK tour with another project that was lovely. I also stopped in London for two days after an Amsterdam trip once but the whole time I was there I thought that I had vertigo because I blacked out a bit every time I turned my head. Thinking back on it, the ‘philosopher stones’ I tried in Amsterdam likely were responsible.

What’s it like being a new band from Detroit? Is it an inspirational place to be?
Detroit is a hub of creative energy right now. It’s full of independent and creative people who are starting businesses, and there is a serious lack of corporate chains. It’s really nice.

Your biography says that you two have ‘differing headspaces [that] form an interesting combination.’ It sounds like a recipe for arguments?
We don’t argue actually. As two men who function highly in certain areas and poorly in others, combining us is like making one man who is pretty capable.

You’ll be releasing an EP here a little later in the year. Is there anything you can tell us about it?
Some of the songs that are out in the US will be on it as well as some remixes. It’s just a way to get people familiar with us as we are a relatively new band.

Your debut album ‘It’s A Corporate World’ is already out in the States, but isn’t due out over here until next year. Are you planning any bonus tracks or the like?
That’s a good idea. Maybe we will put some new songs on it. We’ll need to thank you in the liner notes.

How do you tend to record your material?
We record in Daniel’s basement. We typically use no more than two microphones and two pre amps. We try to acquire as many instruments as we can.

How do you think the band’s sound has evolved since you first formed?
We began this project as strangers, really, so I think that we are trusting each other more and the songs sound like more of a collaboration as we go.

Finally, if you had to recommend one of your tracks for potential new fans to listen to, which would you suggest?
Probably ‘Nothing But Our Love’ because the sentiment is fairly close to what our credo might be.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - Nothing But Our Love by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.