Maria McKee

Before her solo career Maria McKee was the singer with Lone Justice, a band formed by her brother, Brian McLean, the former Love guitarist and vocalist. Both Lone Justice albums, LONE JUSTICEAND SHELTER, were critically acclaimed. After the break up of the band McKee took time to compose herself, and her debut solo album gave a good platform for her powerful voice and distinctive register (similar to a more cultured Janis Joplin) with more pop-orientated hooks. Predominantly concerned with romance and heartbreak, it included an unrepresentative UK number 1 single, Show Me Heaven, taken from the soundtrack to the Tom Cruise motor racing film, Days Of Thunder. Touring extensively in support of the album, McKee eventually decided to move to Ireland. This period also saw McKee collaborate with a variety of Irish musicians, including Gavin Friday at a series of gigs for the Dublin A.I.D.S. Alliance. She also recorded the UK club hit, Sweetest Child, with the help of noted producer Youth (Killing Joke, Brilliant). She eventually returned to Los Angeles in 1992 to begin work on a follow-up set. This time she recruited producer George Drakoulias, veteran of successful albums by Black Crowes and the Jayhawks both of whom sounded similar to Lone Justice. YOU GOTTA SIN TO GET SAVED reunited three-quarters of the original line-up of that band: Marvin Etzioni (bass), Don Heffington (drums) and Bruce Brody (keyboards), alongside Gary Louris and Mark Olsen (guitar/vocals) of the Jayhawks. As McKee noted, ‘We had everything in common musically so it just happened.’ Bob Fisher provided guitar on live dates, with McKee seemingly much more comfortable with the return to rootsy material.