Multiplatinum hard rock band Ugly Kid Joe had a string of major hit singles in the early ’90s — “Everything About You,” “Neighbor,” “Cat’s in the Cradle” and “Busy Bee” — and then virtually disappeared. There wasn’t a big fuss when the group disbanded in 1997, and a 2010 reunion went pretty unnoticed in the United States. However, Ugly Kid Joe is now proving that rock fans really have missed their brand of music by snatching up enough copies of new album “Uglier Than They Used Ta Be” to make it debut at No. 21 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart.
The 11-song album, which dropped Oct. 16 via Metalville/UKJ Records, is the California-based band’s first full-length release in 19 years. Seven current and former members of Ugly Kid Joe, calling themselves the “Seven Headed Monster,” took part in the 21-day recording session at Louisiana’s JT Studios and Balance Studios: Whitfield Crane (vocals), Klaus Eichstadt (guitars), Sonny Mayo (guitars), Shannon Larkin (drums), Zac Morris (drums), Cordell Crockett (bass) and Dave Fortman (guitars). Fortman — who has gone on to produce major records for the likes of Godsmack, Slipknot and Evanescence — helmed the effort.
UGLY KID JOE DISCOGRAPHY
“As Ugly As They Wanna Be” (EP), 1991
“America’s Least Wanted,” 1992
“Menace to Sobriety,” 1995
“Motel California,” 1996
“The Very Best of Ugly Kid Joe: As Ugly As It Gets,” 1998
“The Collection,” 2002
“Stairway to Hell” (EP), 2012
“Uglier Than They Used Ta Be,” 2015
For more on Ugly Kid Joe, visit the band’s official website, Twitter and Facebook.
