As ugly as they wanna be...
The first time I heard Ugly Kid Joe I laughed. Out loud. And keep in mind this was long before the acronym LOL had been invented on the internet. And indeed I've often wondered if the LOL has undermined the laugh out loud in real life. Internet LOL's ain't got nothing on ones first impression of Ugly Kid Joe.
Here was a metal band that didn't take themselves seriously. Which was a good thing. And quite ironic. As a most of the metal bands that took themselves too seriously were either wearing far too much make-up or costumes that no normal human being would dare wearing out in public. These lads could walk off a stage and onto the street and they'd blend into a crowd.
Here was a band that was normal. They wanted to have fun, didn't mind if they pissed people off along the way. They were ordinary, every day guys.
Forget about angst, these guys preferred a little bit of anger topped with sarcastic wit.
They're not what you'd call a one hit wonder, as the follow up to (I Hate) Everything About You was the well charted Neighbor and they followed that up with the top selling single, the cover of Cats In The Cradle.
Catchy melodies, memorable (if not irreverant) lyrics and twisted cliches. Ugly Kid Joe we salute you.
Everything About You Music Video
Ugly Kid Joe - I Hate Everything About You
I Hate Everything About You
Runtime: 3:17
303842 views
10 Comments:
Band Members
- Whitfield Crane - vocals
- Klaus Eichstadt - guitar
- Roger Lahr - guitar
- Dave Fortman - guitar (replaced Roger Lahr)
- Cordell Crockett - bass
- Mark Davis - drums
- Shannon Larkin - drums (replaced Mark Davis)
Bio
Ugly Kid Joe was a hard rock band from Isla Vista, California, USA. The band's name is a pun on the band Pretty Boy Floyd. The band enjoyed popularity in the early 1990s with their mix of sarcastic humor and hard rock/metal sound. Their logo was a cartoon embodiment of an "ugly kid" wearing a backward baseball hat and giving the finger. Heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, they covered several of their songs, including, "Sweet Leaf" and "N.I.B.". They toured the US several times - their second tour was in support of Scatterbrain, and later opening for former Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne.Ugly Kid Joe first gained success with their song "Everything About You," which was later used in the movie Wayne's World. Further singles did not fare as well, but the positive response to the band's live performance of Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" prompted a studio version, subsequently released as a well-received single that sold over 500,000 copies in the United States alone.
After a world tour in support of their 1992 full-length album America's Least Wanted, the band searched around for a replacement drummer, as Mark Davis left to pursue a life away from the spotlight. Davis was eventually replaced by Shannon Larkin, formerly of the metal band Souls At Zero. His contributions led to a grittier sound for the second album Menace to Sobriety, released in the summer of 1995.
Menace to Sobriety received much praise from the press and fans, and UK rock magazine Kerrang! ranked it as a contender for "album of the year."[citation needed] Despite success overseas and a successful European tour, the album failed in the United States.
After being dropped by Mercury Records, Ugly Kid Joe formed their own independent label Evilution Records for the release of their next album. With distribution support from Castle Communications, Motel California at the end of 1996, and again the band toured Europe to smaller crowds. The tour was named "Late check-out Tour", underlining the band's characteristic sense-of-humor. Motel California initially received lukewarm reviews and sold poorly, though it has gained a minor cult following in recent times.
Ugly Kid Joe disbanded 1997, and as of 2007 have not expressed plans for reuniting.
Source
So Damn Cool Music Video
Ugly Kid Joe Discography
Albums
Are you an Ugly Kid Joe fan?
Then sign the guestbook!
|
slammann57
I played with these guys back in the day...what a gas !!! I was known as Slam Thunderhide from the British Metal Band "Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction". Hey, whats up Whit, and Klaus?? I hope you are all well and enjoying life....Rock on...Slammie Posted May 29, 2008 |
Ugly Kid Memorabilia
Ugly Kid Joe Black Knit Hat
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 10/10/2008)
