Ugly Kid Joe | Band Bios | Photos (Whitfield Crane, Klaus Eichstadt, Cordell Crockett, Mark Davis)

Ugly Kid Joe are an American hard rock band formed in 1989 in Isla Vista, California. Their name was a playful jab at the glam-metal scene—a parody of Pretty Boy Floyd—and it fit the band’s mix of heavy riffs and satirical humor. Across their career they’ve released multiple studio albums, EPs, and compilations, with their biggest commercial run coming early in the ’90s.

Their best-known releases are As Ugly as They Wanna Be (1991) and America’s Least Wanted (1992), both certified double-platinum by the RIAA. As Ugly as They Wanna Be also made history as the first EP to go platinum. After disbanding in 1997, the group reunited in 2010 and later resumed activity.

Childhood friends Whitfield Crane and Klaus Eichstadt first bonded over music while growing up in Palo Alto, California. In 1989, the project took shape in Isla Vista, where they recorded a demo with producer Eric Valentine. After lineup shifts, the band signed with Mercury Records in 1991 and locked into the As Ugly as They Wanna Be era lineup: Crane, Eichstadt, Mark Davis, Roger Lahr, and Cordell Crockett.

Before landing on Ugly Kid Joe, the band went through names like Overdrive and Suburban White Alcoholic Trash. “Ugly Kid Joe” stuck as a tongue-in-cheek parody of Pretty Boy Floyd—first used for a Santa Barbara bill where they were scheduled to open for the glam band. Even though the gig fell apart, the name didn’t.

Ugly Kid Joe broke through in the early ’90s by mixing big metal riffs with smart-ass humor and arena-ready hooks. Their imagery centered on a cartoon “ugly kid” in a backward cap, and the band’s influences leaned classic—especially Black Sabbath. They even recorded Sabbath covers like “Sweet Leaf” and “N.I.B.” and hit the road hard, including tours across the U.S. and high-profile opening slots (including dates supporting Ozzy Osbourne).