Ugly Kid Joe

Formed in Isla Vista, California, in the late 1980s around Whitfield Crane and Klaus Eichstadt, Ugly Kid Joe blends hard rock, heavy metal, alternative metal and funk metal. The band is noted for punchy choruses, sharp humor and the contrast between raw energy and more accessible melodies. After early incarnations under different names, Ugly Kid Joe emerged in the early 1990s with the EP As Ugly as They Wanna Be (1991), and widened its audience with America’s Least Wanted (1992), which features a guest appearance by Rob Halford. The group continued with Menace to Sobriety (1995) and Motel California (1996), a period during which they toured with acts such as Ozzy Osbourne and Def Leppard and played both arenas and rock/metal festivals. Split in 1997, Ugly Kid Joe reformed in 2010 and resumed activity with the EP Stairway to Hell (2012) and the albums Uglier Than They Used ta Be (2015) and Rad Wings of Destiny (2022). The current lineup rests on a long-standing core of Whitfield Crane, Klaus Eichstadt, Cordell Crockett and Dave Fortman, with Zac Morris on drums.