Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice interviewed Ugly Kid Joe guitarist and co-founder Klaus Eichstadt. Klaus spoke about the bands up and coming new album Rad Wings Of Destiny, which will be released on October 21 via Metalville Records.
He also spoke about the quick rise of the band in the early days, working with Rob Halford in the studio and touring with bands such as Van Halen, Guns N' Roses and Ozzy Osbourne.
When asked about the recording of the new album:
“It's just been kind of a three year process, it started right before Covid and then Covid slowed everything down but we started doing stuff remotely. Then as Covid ended we got back together again a couple times and finished it. "
When asked about the musical style of the new album:
“It's a hard rock record for the most part and it's pretty diverse. There are some songs that are more Moody and some that are more like AC/DC. Anytime we do anything that sounds a little like AC/DC it's like they're our favorite band of all time so I guess you'd have to say it's deliberate. Some of it’s more where we're just kind of having fun in the studio doing a full acoustic, almost a country song. It's a little more old school, it's not like new metal at all, it's more like hard rock, maybe going back to the late ‘70s a little bit. We even have a cover of Lola (The Kinks) which is a great song, we love that song it’s got a little bit of sarcasm in it too. The album has also got some serious stuff too, so it's got something for everybody."
When asked about touring with Ozzy Osbourne after the success of the band’s first E.P. and working on the debut album at same time:
"We needed to go make a record (debut album) and so we really had a small six week window to make the record and we didn't finish it on time. And then we started shows with Ozzy (No More Tears Tour opening). So Whit (Whitfield Crane) and I were flying back after every show, back to LA to record. It sucked because I wanted to enjoy the tour. I wanted to tour with Ozzy and be present. I didn't want to be worrying about the song and these lyrics. On the Ozzy tour, we called him Uncle Ozzy because I heard someone from Mötley Crüe call him that because he was the dude that took out the new metal bands and all my favorite bands opened for Ozzy at sometime early in their career. So to get to have that tour was an honor. Ozzy was actually totally sober, that's what he called the tour, the 'No More Beers Tour' he was boxing every day before the show.
“But Zakk (Zakk Wylde) drank and he drank with us and we drank on our bus. But one day because there was no alcohol backstage we showed up backstage and there's a case of Budweiser saying 'love Ozzy' on it and we're like he (Ozzy) realized we're a young band and this is our first big yeah Arena tour to have fun and have some beer. Ozzy was everything you expected like as a person or as an artist, he is the real deal. He would throw stink bombs in our dressing room. He was super nice and funny. Ozzy was still kind of a mythical being to us during and after the tour even though we saw him a few times, we met him and took a few pictures. Zakk became our friend and was on the bus with us hanging out but Ozzy was still kind of Ozzy yet at the same time very down to earth, very funny and very nice."
Ugly Kid Joe have released the official video for "Failure", the fourth track taken from the band's upcoming album, Rad Wings Of Destiny, which will be released on October 21 via Metalville Records. Watch below:
Rad Wings Of Destiny will be released as CD digi, vinyl, and limited fan box. Pre-order here.
Rad Wings of Destiny tracklisting:
"That Ain't Livin'"
"Not Like The Other"
"Everything’s Changing"
"Kill The Pain"
"Lola"
"Dead Friends Play"
"Up in the City"
"Drinkin' And Drivin'"
"Failur"
"Long Road"
"Long Road" video:
"Kill The Pain" video:
"That Ain't Livin'" video:
Lineup:
Whitfield Crane: Vocals
Klaus Eichstadt: Guitar
Dave Fortman: Guitar
Cordell Crockett: Bass
Zac Morris: Drums
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Shannon Larkin: Drums
Sonny Mayo: Guitar
Chris Catalyst: Guitar
