Ugly Kid Joe

Ugly Kid Joe
Ugly Kid Joe at Sofia Rocks Fest 2012.
Background information
Origin	Isla Vista, California, United States
Genres	Hard rock heavy metal funk metal alternative metal
Years active	1987–1997 2010–present
Labels	Mercury, Evilution
Associated acts	Whitfield Crane Godsmack Souls at Zero Tim Wheater
Website	uglykidjoe.net
Members	Whitfield Crane Klaus Eichstadt Cordell Crockett Dave Fortman Shannon Larkin
Past members	Mark Davis Phil Hilgaertner Jonathan Spauldin Eric Phillips Roger Lahr Bob Fernandez

Ugly Kid Joe is an American rock band from Isla Vista, California, formed in 1987. The band's name spoofs that of another band, Pretty Boy Floyd. Ugly Kid Joe's sound includes a range of styles, including rock, hard rock, funk metal and heavy metal.

To date, Ugly Kid Joe have released four full-length albums, two compilation albums and two EPs. Their best selling records are As Ugly as They Wanna Be (1991) and America's Least Wanted (1992), which were both certified double platinum by the RIAA; the former is notable for being the first EP to go platinum. The band broke up in 1997, but announced a reunion in 2010.

Childhood friends Whitfield Crane and Klaus Eichstadt took an interest in music while growing up in Palo Alto, CA. In 1990 Eichstadt joined Crane's band in Isla Vista, CA. after the two recorded a demo with another Palo Alto native, record producer Eric Valentine. After several band member changes, the band signed with Mercury Records in 1991. By this time the As Ugly as They Wanna Be line-up was formed; consisting of Crane, Eichstadt, Mark Davis, Roger Lahr, and Cordell Crockett.

The band got its name Ugly Kid Joe as a parody of L.A. glam band Pretty Boy Floyd, initially for a one night show in Santa Barbara with guests Pretty Boy Floyd. Pretty Boy Floyd would pull out of the show and have the gig cancelled, but the band decided to keep the name.

The band became popular in the early 1990s, mixing satirical humor and heavy metal. Its logo was a cartoon embodiment of an "ugly kid" wearing a backwards baseball hat and giving the finger. Heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, Ugly Kid Joe covered several of the veteran band's songs, including "Sweet Leaf" and "N.I.B." The group toured the United States several times, making its second tour in support of Scatterbrain, and later opening for former Black Sabbath lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne.