Lone Justice
This group of US country-rockers were fronted by Maria McKee (b. 17 August 1964, Los Angeles, California, USA) who is the half-sister of Love's Bryan MacLean. When she was just three-years-old her brother would take her to the various clubs along Los Angeles' Sunset Strip and she was befriended by the likes of Frank Zappa and the Doors. When she grew up, she and MacLean formed a duo initially called the Maria McKee Band, but later changed to the Bryan MacLean Band to cash in on his slightly higher profile. Heavily immersed in country music, McKee formed the first incarnation of Lone Justice with Ryan Hedgecock (guitar), Don Heffington (drums), Marvin Etzioni (bass) and Benmont Tench (keyboards, ex-Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers). The group were signed to the Geffen label at the recommendation of Linda Ronstadt. McKee's talents were also admired by artists such as Bob Dylan, U2's Bono, who offered them a support slot on tour, and Tom Petty, who donated songs to the first album. One of these, Ways To Be Wicked, while not achieving any notable chart status, was responsible for bringing the group to the attention of the UK audience via an imaginative black-and-white, cut-up-and-scratched video. The band's more established line-up transmuted to that of ex-patriot Brit Shayne Fontayne (guitar), Bruce Brody (keyboards, ex-Patti Smith and John Cale), Greg Sutton (bass) and Rudy Richardson (drums). They were managed by the respected producer, Jimmy Iovine. In 1985, former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey scored a UK number 1 hit with McKee's A Good Heart. Lone Justice split suddenly in 1987 with McKee going on to a solo career, taking only Brody with her from the remnants of Lone Justice.