Arthur Lee, the legendary frontman of the 1960s psychedelic rock band Love, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 1995 for firing a gun into the sky during a dispute with a neighbour. The severity of his sentence stemmed from President Clinton's controversial "three strikes" law, which classified him as a repeat offender despite his relatively minor violent offence, resulting in an extraordinarily harsh punishment. This imprisonment disrupted what was becoming a significant career comeback for the then-51-year-old musician, who had spent the 1970s and 1980s in obscurity before reconnecting with devoted fans in the early 1990s.

Lee served approximately six years of his 12-year sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison in California before his early release in 2001. Rather than emerging defeated, he claimed to have experienced a spiritual revelation whilst imprisoned and relaunched Love with renewed vigour, subsequently playing sold-out shows across Europe and America. His comeback proved remarkably successful, generating more commercial and critical interest than Love had experienced since the 1960s Summer of Love era, with bandmates noting his transformation and dedication to delivering authentic, high-energy performances.