Ugly Mus-tard may not be a household name to younger fans, but Dallas music regulars from ten years ago still have fond memories of the group. As Dallas’ answer to Nine Inch Nails, the group’s industrial metal mayhem was a major force during the late 90s. Thanks to “High” receiving local and national airplay, the band did well in their home country, and they were treated like rock gods in Europe. “Touring Europe was a high point in our career,” guitarist Eric Trent reports. “ They loved us there.”

Besides Eric, the band included Mike Daane (bass), Fred Rush (drums), and Kelly Barker (vocals). They were one of the few acts that successfully balanced industrial’s dark side, metal’s raw force and playful tongue-in-cheek lyrics. While most bands in the genre seemed tired and stale, the Mus-tard guys felt fresh and real.

Then in 2000, lead singer Kelly Barker decided to take a break, and Mus-tard’s closing credits started to roll. “At one point, I didn’t know Kelly’s phone number or where he lived,” Eric says. “It was painful because we’ve been friends since the 80’s.”

Eventually, the band members moved on to other things, and Ugly Mus-tard seemed like just another footnote in the story of Texas music. Luckily, everything goes in cycles, and Ugly Mus-tard was ready for a comeback.

“Fred and I were active with the Beautiful Disaster, and Mike has been in close contact,” Eric relates. “Kelly just showed up one night and started spending a lot of time with me. After about eight months of just hanging out, we finally went to the studio to just jam for fun.”

Those jam sessions quickly turned into something serious, and the two musicians felt it was time to call the crew back together. “All four of us met and didn’t hold back any feelings,” Eric notes. There were no grudges or regrets among the friends. “With our humor and being great friends, we picked up right where we left off. It just took that one hug and toast of Guinness.”

The guys are excited to play again. They look forward to performing old fan favorites and some new material. Speaking of new tunes, Eric states, “It’s different, but it still has that Mus-tard signature. I think my writing has come a long way, and you’ll find a lot more groove.”

Of course, the band’s trademark was their amazing live show, and they are ready to wow crowds again. “Each Mus-tard show was always completely different from the last one. Many visuals and awesome stage props.” he adds, “The upcoming show will be bigger, better, with the same dark charm.”