Hardly Dangerous

All-female Sunset Strip act initially active from 1985 to 1991. Original band name was "Rocket Queen." Singer/guitarist Tomi Rae Hynie-Brown became became leader of James Brown's opening act, Tomi Rae Band, later her backing singer, and finnaly married him in 2001; Beth-Ami Heavenstone became bassist and co-founder of The Graham Bonnet Band. Drummer Sherie Kaplan-Weinstein (who was brought in to replace drummer Athena Lee AKA Athena Kottak, sister of Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee) and former guitarist Lisa Rae Black are both ex-members of The Pandoras. The band reunited for shows at The Whisky a Go Go in 2012 and 2013 with final line-up members Tomi Rae Hynie-Brown (vocals), Beth-Ami Heavenstone (bass), and Sherie Kaplan-Weinstein (drums), along with Swiss Chris Declercq and later Graham Bonnet Band member Conrado Pesinato joining the band on guitar . "One night in 1985, after my band 'Feline' had just finished a show at the Galaxy Theatre in Hollywood playing with a band called 'Guns and Roses,' I hadn’t even walked off the stage yet when I was approached by a girl named Tomi Rae. Together we started a band called 'Rocket Queen' (1985) with Barbi Von Grief which later morphed into Hardly Dangerous. Tomi Rae was 16 years old when we star[t]ed the band, I was 22….In 1991…we were courted by Madonna. Sadly no record deal was offered to Hardly Dangerous by Madonna’s 'Maverick Records[,]' just the dreaded 'development deal.' We were dropped shortly after [a] show at The Limelight in New York. Madonna opted to sign Alanis Morissette instead.” (Lisa Rae Black, text in "Hardly Dangerous: Tijuana Taxi" YouTube video, uploaded June 23, 2012.) "Hardly Dangerous began with Tomi Rae Hynie....In 1984 [Note: 1985 according to Lisa Rae Black], she met guitarist Lisa [Rae] Black and vocalist Barbi Von Grief [Note: apparently this is Adriana Smith, the woman heard on Guns N' Roses' "Rocket Queen"]. Von Grief departed, but the band grew as bassist Beth-Ami Heavenstone and drummer Sheri[e] Kaplan joined in 1989. Hardly Dangerous tasted success playing gigs at NYC's Danceteria and LA's The Whisky. Briefly courted by such labels as Interscope and Maverick Records, things just didn't work out and Hardly Dangerous eventually disbanded in 1991." (Garry Sharpe-Young, Hollywood Rocks Audio Companion box set booklet. Deadline Records, 2005; p.60.)