Frances McKee
Encyclopedia
Frances McKee is a singer and songwriter known best for her work in the Scottish
indie
band The Vaselines
.
The Vaselines formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986. Following the release of two EPs, Son of a Gun
and Dying for It, the first and only full length album, Dum-Dum, in 1989, the band split up. Kurt Cobain
of Nirvana
was a big fan of the band, covering three of their songs; "Molly's Lips
" and "Son Of A Gun" were included on their album, Incesticide
. Nirvana also covered The Vaselines song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam", most notably on their album MTV Unplugged in New York
.
Following a post-Vaselines break, she began making music with Vaselines bass player James Seenan, writing material of a more mellow flavour. These songs were released under the name Suckle
, initially coming out on 4AD
offshoot Detox Artefacts. This coincided with a John Peel
session.
Against Nurture, the only Suckle long player, was released in 2000 on Chemikal Underground
.
On 10 April 2006, McKee released her first solo album, Sunny Moon
.
In the summer of 2006, Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly
took to the stage together for the first time since 1990 to perform a set of The Vaselines songs, as part of a joint tour to promote their individual solo albums. This led to The Vaselines reforming (minus the old rhythm section) on 24 April 2008 for a charity show for the Malawi Orphan Support group at Glasgow's MONO venue.
Since 2008, The Vaselines have continued to perform around the world, with members of Belle & Sebastian
supporting their live set. On 5 May 2009, Sub Pop
released Enter the Vaselines
. A deluxe-edition reissue of the 1992 Sub Pop release, it includes remastered versions of the band’s two EPs, album, as well as demos and live recordings from 1986 and 1988.
Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, named his daughter, Frances Bean
, in part after McKee, but also after Frances Farmer, an American actress.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
band The Vaselines
The Vaselines
The Vaselines are an alternative rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession. McKee had...
.
The Vaselines formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986. Following the release of two EPs, Son of a Gun
Son of a Gun (EP)
Son of A Gun was the debut extended play single by Glasgow alternative rock group The Vaselines. The title-song of this EP came to a wider audience after Nirvana covered it, along with "Molly's Lips", on their compilation album Incesticide...
and Dying for It, the first and only full length album, Dum-Dum, in 1989, the band split up. Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
of Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
was a big fan of the band, covering three of their songs; "Molly's Lips
Candy/Molly's Lips
"Candy"/"Molly's Lips" is a vinyl-only split-single from the American rock bands The Fluid and Nirvana. It was released in January 1991 on Sub Pop records and includes the live versions of "Candy" by The Fluid, and "Molly's Lips" by Nirvana....
" and "Son Of A Gun" were included on their album, Incesticide
Incesticide
-Personnel:All sessions:*Kurt Cobain – vocals, guitar*Krist Novoselic – bass guitarSeattle, WA: Reciprocal Recording Studios Nirvana's first studio demo tape...
. Nirvana also covered The Vaselines song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam", most notably on their album MTV Unplugged in New York
MTV Unplugged in New York
MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American rock band Nirvana. It features an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993 for the television series MTV Unplugged. The show was directed by Beth McCarthy and first aired on the cable television...
.
Following a post-Vaselines break, she began making music with Vaselines bass player James Seenan, writing material of a more mellow flavour. These songs were released under the name Suckle
Suckle (band)
Suckle were an indie pop band formed in Glasgow, Scotland in the mid-1990s by former Vaselines member Frances McKee, along with her sister and co-vocalist in the group Marie McKee and another former Vaselines member James Seenan...
, initially coming out on 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
offshoot Detox Artefacts. This coincided with a John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
session.
Against Nurture, the only Suckle long player, was released in 2000 on Chemikal Underground
Chemikal Underground
Chemikal Underground is an independent record label set up in 1994 by Glasgow, Scotland rock band The Delgados. It was set up to release their first single, "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" and went on to break many new Scottish bands in the nineties....
.
On 10 April 2006, McKee released her first solo album, Sunny Moon
Sunny Moon
Sunny Moon is the first solo album by Frances McKee. Containing a much softer and more mellow style of music than her previous days in the Vaselines, the music is more reminiscent of her work in Suckle. All songs were written by McKee except "You Know Who I Am"...
.
In the summer of 2006, Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly
Eugene Kelly
Eugene Kelly is a Scottish musician who is a member of the group The Vaselines, a founding member of the now disbanded Eugenius and has had a number of solo releases....
took to the stage together for the first time since 1990 to perform a set of The Vaselines songs, as part of a joint tour to promote their individual solo albums. This led to The Vaselines reforming (minus the old rhythm section) on 24 April 2008 for a charity show for the Malawi Orphan Support group at Glasgow's MONO venue.
Since 2008, The Vaselines have continued to perform around the world, with members of Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
supporting their live set. On 5 May 2009, Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
released Enter the Vaselines
Enter the Vaselines
Enter the Vaselines is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines. The release date is May 5, 2009, on the record label Sub Pop.The album is a deluxe reissue of their 1992 compilation The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History...
. A deluxe-edition reissue of the 1992 Sub Pop release, it includes remastered versions of the band’s two EPs, album, as well as demos and live recordings from 1986 and 1988.
Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, named his daughter, Frances Bean
Frances Bean Cobain
Frances Bean Cobain is the daughter of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Hole singer Courtney Love.-Childhood and youth:...
, in part after McKee, but also after Frances Farmer, an American actress.
Releases
- The Vaselines
- Son of a Gun (EP)Son of a Gun (EP)Son of A Gun was the debut extended play single by Glasgow alternative rock group The Vaselines. The title-song of this EP came to a wider audience after Nirvana covered it, along with "Molly's Lips", on their compilation album Incesticide...
(1987 53rd & 3rd53rd & 3rd"53rd & 3rd" is a song by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It was released as the band's second single and the final released from their debut album, Ramones.-Lyrics:...
) - Dying for It (1988 53rd & 3rd)
- Dum-Dum (album) (1989 Rough TradeRough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
) - The Vaselines / Beat Happening (1991 K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
- recorded live in London June 16, 1988) - The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete HistoryThe Way of the Vaselines: A Complete HistoryThe Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines, released May 1992 on Sub Pop Records, catalogue SP145b. The album compiles every previous release by the band, the two EP's Son of A Gun and Dying For It, as well as their only long-playing...
(1992 Sub Pop) - All the Stuff and More... (1992 Avalanche)
- Enter the VaselinesEnter the VaselinesEnter the Vaselines is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines. The release date is May 5, 2009, on the record label Sub Pop.The album is a deluxe reissue of their 1992 compilation The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History...
(2009 Sub Pop) - Sex with an XSex with an XSex with an X is the second studio album by the Scottish alternative rock band The Vaselines, which was released on September 14, 2010 on Sub Pop.The first single from the album, "I Hate The 80's" was released on June 10, 2010...
(2010 Subpop)
- Son of a Gun (EP)
- Painkillers
- Tropical Zodiac single (1994 Human ConditionHuman Condition RecordsHuman Condition Records is an independent record label based in Edinburgh, Scotland which was founded in 1990 by Jamie Watson, ex-guitarist of Scottish punk group The Solos....
)
- Tropical Zodiac single (1994 Human Condition
- Suckle
- Hormonal Secreations EP (1997 Detox Artifacts, UK)
- Cybilla/Sex With Animals (1998 Left Hand Recordings)
- Against Nurture album (2000 Chemikal Underground Records)
- To Be King EP (2000 Chemikal Underground Records)
- The Sun Is God EP (2000 Chemikal Underground Records)
- Solo
- Sunny Moon album (2006 Analogue Catalogue)