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Record Store Day 12" EP: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr. - "We Almost Lost Detroit" (Gil Scott-Heron)


Throughout it's opening scenes, native Detroiters Daniel Zott & Joshua Epstein can be seen driving around familiar Motor City streets in a big green van while wearing Detroit Tigers jackets; Andrew Smart [director] then pans across various hard-working townspeople singing along with "We almost lost Detroit this time." Filmed over 3.5 days @ some 26 locations, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr. have skillfully morphed Gil Scott-Heron's vivid re-telling of near nuclear destruction (1977) into a story of "progress. About setting things right. Coming together as people and moving forward." Since including "We Almost Lost Detroit" on the tail-end of their debut album, It's a Corporate World, the track has almost become an anthem of sorts for both Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr. and working class America.


Glimpses of quite a few popular Detroit "hot spots" can be seen within "We Almost Lost Detroit:" Burn Rubber, Supino Pizzeria, and recently re-opened Green Dot Stables. The latter location houses the video's closing performance piece... well, really just it's parking lot. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr. are gearing up to release We Almost Lost Detroit EP in line with Record Store Day. Limited to 2,000 units and available only on 4/21/12, the 6 track EP will feature 3 covers and 3 remixes: Gil Scott-Heron, Madonna, Sixto Rodgiguez, Stepdad, Phantasmagoria, and Chuck Daniels. The band are rumored to be playing a special hometown show @ Detroit's very own Majestic Theater on the same day! Expect both Detroit EP/Record Store Day show to be unveiled on a first-come first-serve basis.