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Coming along after X and the Blasters but years before the terms “Americana” and “alt-country” were popularized, Lone Justice was another 80s act that — in a more perfect world — should have been huge. A smokin’ hot band intentionally patterned after Tom Petty‘s Heartbreakers (McKee even had an affair with Benmont Tench), Lone Justice’s fiery stage presence caught U2‘s collective eyes, and McKee and co. once opened for them on a tour leg.
Lone Justice did make some more splashes before disintegrating, before McKee’s lower-profile, 20-year solo career.
For me, however, the band’s sound and McKee’s whirling-dervish appeal have always been encapsulated in this live performance of the slightly bawdy “Ways To Be Wicked” (written by Petty and Mike Campbell, not-so-coincidentally).
What beauty, what talent, what a voice. Maria, thanks for being my secret girlfriend so long ago… if only in my daydreams.
– Steve Stav is a longtime and well-respected Seattle music writer. His work can be found at SteveStav.com and across the web.
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