Namesakes #189: The Uglies

Look out, Namesakers - this week, things are going to get really Ugly.

We start today with a version of the band name designed to make every English teacher’s skin crawl – clearly, these guys missed a lot of SPaG lessons while they were mucking around with their guitars back in 1963. (Note that the apostrophe is missing from the band pic above – I’m guessing the designer knew better… but it’s on all their record sleeves.) These Ugly’s (sic) featured Steve Gibbons, who would go on to form Balls and The Idle Race (Jeff Lynne’s first band) before launching The Steve Gibbons band in 1972.

No, we won't be disqualifying them because of the adjective - I know, unbelievable, right?

These Uglies emerged from Detroit in 1963, and managed to keep things ugly through to the early 70s, during which time they worked with Bobby Vee, opened for The Who, and released a song all about the world's greatest superhero (no surprises which tune I chose today then). They got back together in 2005 because such things are inevitable.

The Unbelievable Uglies - Spider-Man

THE UGLIES #3

From Florida, a few years later, this band started out as The Uglies but when they heard that name was already taken, they graciously changed it to U.S. Male. I love how someone appears to have gone over all their singles with Dymo Tape to update the band name. I couldn’t find the song advertised above – and I had to take extra care when typing the title into my search engine – but I did discover that these Uglies were also the uncredited backing band on the single below, a posthumous tribute to a fellow high school student. 

Clearwater High School Class Of ’68 (featuring The Uglies) - My Friend 

THE UGLIES #4

New England Psychobilly band formed in 1990. They had a single called Peggy Suicide, which I’m guessing had nothing to do with the Julian Cope record. This was a four track 7”, and the only song I can find online is track 4…

The Uglies – Hot Rod Girl

THE UGLIES #5

Chicago Uglies from 2008 who describe themselves on bandcamp as “Your Mom’s favourite band”. If your Mom likes 90's Green Day, I guess.

The Uglies – Animal THE UGLIES #6

From Chicago, circa 2011, “Music to count your freckles to” – not entirely unlistenable.

The Uglies – Don’t Go There

 

THE UGLIES #7

About a decade ago in Winnipeg, Canada, this pop punk band first exposed their ugly faces to the world.

The Uglies - Still Crazy After All These Beers

 

THE UGLIES #8

Ugly Australians with a logo that might interest AC/DC's lawyers. Active from 2017, possibly still in the go – it appears from the camp of bands that they’ve set up their own ugly record label.

The Uglies – Life Is Boring

 

THE UGLIES #9

And finally today, the “debut single from south London five piece, who formed in 2019 with a shared love of Ennio Morricone and unfavourable looks.” That blurb is taken from discogs, who also filed this offering under “Psychedelic Rock”. I’ll let George be the judge of that…

The Uglies – Big And Ugly

Were they good, bad... or Ugly? You tell me.