Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Changes Name To JR JR
By Andy Kahn Jul 16, 2015 • 1:10 pm PDT
Detroit-based duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. has announced a band name change, formally dropping their namesake racecar driver from their moniker. Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott have chosen to be known simply as JR JR.
In a post on their website announcing the change, the pair began with a note from Dale Earnhardt Jr. from several years ago in which the racecar driver confirmed he had no legal or personal issue with their use of his name. However, in a lengthy explanation Epstein and Zott detail their reasoning behind the inception of the name as well as their decision to move away from it.
When we initially chose the name Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr, the feeling was that it gave us an amazing flexibility. We were just meeting as people, and hadn’t begun to scratch the surface of knowing what our voice, as a band or each individually, would be. Band names are a weird thing to begin with, but we figured if we named our band Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr there would be no expectations for what we were meant to sound like. Something that bizarre would just have to be listened to and judged without preconception…
The flip side is that as things have grown, so has the amount of confusion caused by the name Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr. Some of it is no big deal and easily cleared up. But sometimes we get sad and bizarre requests sent to our social media sites or emailed to people we work with. 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. A number of times now we’ve received hope filled inquiries from people who have dying relatives that only want to meet Dale Earnhardt Jr (the driver) before they pass. Those sorts of interactions feel a little voyeuristic and eerie, and even attempting to simply clarify the situation means you’ve added a moment of embarrassment to someone’s day when they’re already going through a lot.
We recognize that we created this situation and that the name has been a part of getting to where we are now. It stirred up some attention for us in the modern internet world of over-stimulation, and we aren’t complaining about any of it–good and bad. The name has become it’s own personality, though. Almost, another member of the band.
They go on to say they don’t mind if fans wish to still use their old stage name, and that the transition will be a slow one, with shows still being billed as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. for some time. The band also shared a new song, their first as JR JR, entitled “Gone” which will appear on their new album JR JR slated for release September 25 on Warner Bros. Records. Listen to “Gone” below:
In a post on their website announcing the change, the pair began with a note from Dale Earnhardt Jr. from several years ago in which the racecar driver confirmed he had no legal or personal issue with their use of his name. However, in a lengthy explanation Epstein and Zott detail their reasoning behind the inception of the name as well as their decision to move away from it.
When we initially chose the name Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr, the feeling was that it gave us an amazing flexibility. We were just meeting as people, and hadn’t begun to scratch the surface of knowing what our voice, as a band or each individually, would be. Band names are a weird thing to begin with, but we figured if we named our band Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr there would be no expectations for what we were meant to sound like. Something that bizarre would just have to be listened to and judged without preconception…
The flip side is that as things have grown, so has the amount of confusion caused by the name Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr. Some of it is no big deal and easily cleared up. But sometimes we get sad and bizarre requests sent to our social media sites or emailed to people we work with. 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. A number of times now we’ve received hope filled inquiries from people who have dying relatives that only want to meet Dale Earnhardt Jr (the driver) before they pass. Those sorts of interactions feel a little voyeuristic and eerie, and even attempting to simply clarify the situation means you’ve added a moment of embarrassment to someone’s day when they’re already going through a lot.
We recognize that we created this situation and that the name has been a part of getting to where we are now. It stirred up some attention for us in the modern internet world of over-stimulation, and we aren’t complaining about any of it–good and bad. The name has become it’s own personality, though. Almost, another member of the band.
.@jrjrmusic hate it had to end fellas. Always enjoy the random conversation to explain me and you. Best of luck in all you do.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 16, 2015 .@DaleJr thank you for being as cool as a human could possibly be. It’s been an honor, and we are truly fans of you. Best of luck this year!
— JR JR (@jrjrmusic) July 16, 2015 They go on to say they don’t mind if fans wish to still use their old stage name, and that the transition will be a slow one, with shows still being billed as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. for some time. The band also shared a new song, their first as JR JR, entitled “Gone” which will appear on their new album JR JR slated for release September 25 on Warner Bros. Records. Listen to “Gone” below:
