The Ugly (punk band)
The Ugly were a Toronto punk rock band of the late 1970's first wave of punk rock.
Forming in 1977 with a line-up of Mike Nightmare (real name Mulroney) on vocals, his brother Raymi Gunner (guitar), Screamin Sam (bass) and Tony Torcher (drums), they started gigging late that fall. Their sound was an especially aggressive loud and fast three chord punk thrash obviously influenced by the Stooges, Ramones and Sex Pistols. Their shows were known for being wild and rowdy affairs with gear being smashed or set afire and fights breaking out. The Ugly were quickly considered rivals to similarly themed Toronto band The Viletones although the bands often shared stages. Unlike the Viletones who sported a somewhat glam look with black leather and t-shirts with punk slogans the Ugly preferred a more working class grubby jeans and unwashed hair look.
The Ugly also played with notable local bands The Diodes, the Curse, Forgotten Rebels, Teenage Head, the Skulls (who later became DOA and the Cardboard Brains along with opening gigs with Suicide, The Cramps, Richard Hell, Sylvain Sylvain, the Troggs and Destroy All Monsters. However they only played one out of town gig, in Detroit.
The band's outlaw image was carried on off-stage as well with frequent arrests, brawls and heavy drug use, especially by Nightmare. While the band's antics got some press, most of it hostile, they would attract no label interest. An album's worth of material was recorded in 1977 but not released. They did make an appearance on the soundtrack for the documentary The Last Pogo as well as being in the film.
In 1978, fed up with the band's instability and lack of prospects Screamin' Sam and Tony Torcher quit and joined the Viletones to replace the members who had left to start the Secrets. Nightmare would later briefly reform the band to record a single "Standing In The Laneway Of Love" which would turn out to be a surprisingly melodic ballad. Nightmare and Raymi would eventually break up the band for good and move to Vancouver where Nightmare would end up in prison for burglary. He died in 1997. Screamin Sam would later leave the Viletones and play in various Toronto and form a solo band which would make some recordings in the 1990's. He continues to play to this day.
The missing album was found and finally released along with some live tracks on CD in 1996. Two of their songs have been covered by latter day Toronto punk bands including "Disorder" by Fucked Up and "One Foot In The Gutter" by the Sinisters.
References
- Worth, Liz. Treat Me Like Dirt Bongo Beat, 2010
- Sutherland, Sam. Perfect Youth, The Birth Of Canadian Punk ECW Press, 2012
- B.George & Martha DeFoe. International Discography Of The New Wave 1982-1983 edition Omnibus Press, 1983