Rick McCollum
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members
Greg Dulli Greg Dulli (born May 11, 1965) is an American musician from Hamilton, Ohio. Debuting as a member of the rock band the Afghan Whigs in 1986, Dulli has been a member of the Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins, and in 2020 released his debut solo albu ...
(vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), and
John Curley John Curley is a Professor, Distinguished Professional in Residence, and Co-Director of the Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. He was head of Gannett News Service, during which time the news service won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Serv ...
(bass) – rose up around the
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
movement, evolving from a
garage band Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
in the vein of the Replacements to incorporate more R&B and soul influences into their sound and image. After releasing their first album independently in 1988, the band signed to the Seattle-based label
Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...
. They released their major-label debut and fourth album, ''
Gentlemen A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...
'', in 1993. ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' described them as "one of the few alt-bands to flourish on a major label" in the 1990s. Dulli frequently claimed in interviews that the band would never get back together following their dissolution in 2001; however the group reunited in 2012.


Band history


Early years and ''Big Top Halloween'' (1986-1988)

Greg Dulli Greg Dulli (born May 11, 1965) is an American musician from Hamilton, Ohio. Debuting as a member of the rock band the Afghan Whigs in 1986, Dulli has been a member of the Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins, and in 2020 released his debut solo albu ...
(vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar),
John Curley John Curley is a Professor, Distinguished Professional in Residence, and Co-Director of the Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. He was head of Gannett News Service, during which time the news service won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Serv ...
(bass), and Steve Earle (drums) formed the band in Cincinnati late in 1986. The Afghan Whigs had evolved out of Dulli's previous band, The Black Republicans, a band that Curley later joined. Curley would introduce Dulli to McCollum, a frequent jam partner who was famed on the local Cincinnati scene for his innovative use of effects pedals. McCollum and Dulli would bond over their shared love of R&B, in fact the first song The Afghan Whigs ever rehearsed was a cover of
The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
' "
Psychedelic Shack ''Psychedelic Shack'' is the twelfth studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1970. Completely written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield, ''Psychedelic Shack'' almost completely abando ...
." Dulli later described the intent behind The Afghan Whigs was to exist as "a cross between the Band, the
Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 1 ...
, and
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
playing with
Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( lkt, Tȟašúŋke Witkó, italic=no, , ; 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by wh ...
." In the wake of The Black Republicans' breakup Dulli had decamped to Arizona, where he composed half the material for what would become The Afghan Whigs' debut album ''
Big Top Halloween ''Big Top Halloween'' is the first album by the band The Afghan Whigs. It was released in 1988 via Ultrasuede. Two thousand copies of the record were pressed. Critical reception ''Trouser Press'' wrote that "there's a surprising amount of subtle ...
'' (1988), self-released on the band's own Ultrasuede label. "We were running through what were the first songs I'd ever written to do some demos, so we were playing really loose," Dulli recalls. "And then all of a sudden, I found out John was having covers made." While only a thousand copies of ''Big Top Halloween'' would be pressed initially, one of them managed to capture the attention of
Jonathan Poneman Jonathan Poneman is an American record executive and co-founder of two record labels: Sub Pop and Hardly Art. Early life and education The third child of Harold and Beverly Poneman, Jonathan Poneman was born October 9, 1959 in Toledo, Ohio and g ...
, the co-founder of influential Seattle-based indie label
Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...
, which signed The Afghan Whigs in 1989. Initially Sub Pop planned for the Whigs to release only a one-off single, but that soon led to a full-blown record contract with the label.


Signing to Sub Pop and ''Up in It'' (1989–1990)

Upon signing to
Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...
, The Afghan Whigs became the second non-Pacific-Northwestern United States band to record for the Sub Pop label. In 1990, Sub Pop put out The Afghan Whigs' second album ''
Up in It ''Up in It'' is the second album by the Afghan Whigs, released in 1990 via Sub Pop. It marked the first time Sub Pop had released an album by a band hailing from outside the northwestern United States. Production The album was produced by Jack En ...
.'' Largely recorded by
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
producer
Jack Endino Jack Endino (born Michael M. Giacondino; 1964) is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhon ...
and featuring the college-radio hit "Retarded," ''Up in It'' received a favorable reception with music critics upon release. To support the album's release, The Afghan Whigs went on a package tour with grunge originators
Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. Orig ...
and Boston underground band
Bullet LaVolta Bullet LaVolta was an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in January 1987 by four college disk jockeys: Clay Tarver (guitar, now of Chavez), Bill Whelan (bass), Corey "Loog" Brennan (guitar) and Chris "Cruster" Guttmacher ( ...
. ''Up in It'' was followed by a limited edition single released by
No.6 Records No.6 Records was an independent record label, started in 1989 as a subsidiary of Rough Trade Records by A&R representative and booking agent Terry Tolkin. The name of the label came from the British television series ''The Prisoner''; the main ch ...
under the name "Ornament," which included vocals by
Scrawl Scrawl was an American indie rock trio based in Columbus, Ohio, and active from the mid-1980s. History The band formed in 1985, originally under the name Skull. The founding members were Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harsh ...
singer Marcy Mays (who would later contribute lead vocals to the band's song "My Curse" off the album ''Gentlemen'').


''Congregation'' and ''Uptown Avondale'' (1992)

With the 1992 album ''
Congregation A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship. Congregation may also refer to: *Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administra ...
'' and covers EP, ''
Uptown Avondale ''Uptown Avondale'' is an EP by the band The Afghan Whigs. It bears the Sub Pop catalog number SPCD 53/215 and is representative of the Cincinnati band's soul influences. The EP contains covers of four classic Stax/Motown-era songs: * " Band of ...
'', the band developed what would become their signature sound, blending soul with psychedelic sprawl and punk abandon. Critics noted the combination of
Stax Streaming API for XML (StAX) is an application programming interface (API) to read and write XML documents, originating from the Java programming language community. Traditionally, XML APIs are either: * DOM based - the entire document is read in ...
and
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
influences with indie-rock sonics on the band's material. ''Uptown Avondale'' featured covers of hits by soul acts such as
The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
. Videos for notable ''Congregation'' songs like "Conjure Me" and "Turn on the Water" would receive airplay on MTV, which began to regularly cover The Afghan Whigs as a new band to watch. The Afghan Whigs would also tour extensively during this period, including a U.S. jaunt with Scottish indie rockers
Teenage Fanclub Teenage Fanclub are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in Bellshill near Glasgow in 1989. The group were founded by Norman Blake (vocals, guitar), Raymond McGinley (vocals, lead guitar) and Gerard Love (vocals, bass), all of whom shared ...
.


Signing to Elektra and ''Gentlemen'' (1993)

Building on the buzz that welcomed ''Congregation'', The Afghan Whigs soon signed to a major label,
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
, following a bidding war that resulted in a contract so lucrative, it featured a clause that allowed for the funding of a Dulli-scripted feature film that ultimately was never made. For their major label debut, The Afghan Whigs ensconced themselves in
Ardent Studios Ardent Studios is an American recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. History Ardent Studios was founded by John Fry and were initially a studio in his family's garage, where he recorded his first 45s for the Arden ...
in Memphis, where
Big Star Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 by Alex Chilton (vocals, guiar), Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). The group broke up in early 1975, and reorganized with a new l ...
,
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
, and
ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. For 51 years, they comprised vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and vocalist-bassist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top developed a signature sound ...
had recorded. The result of those sessions was the 1993 album ''
Gentlemen A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...
''. ''Gentlemen'' received a positive review from ''Rolling Stone''. Critics would go on to praise it for its unflinching, self-flagellating lyrics, and a decisive stylistic break with the grunge-style epitomized by
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
and
Mudhoney Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. Orig ...
. ''Gentlemen'' would place at No. 17 on The ''
Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the creat ...
s "Pazz & Jop" critic's poll for 1993. ''Gentlemen'' proved to be The Afghan Whigs' most commercially successful release, and by 1996 it had sold 130,000 copies in the United States. The singles "Debonair" (a Modern Rock Top 20 hit) and "Gentlemen" received regular airplay on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
and
college radio Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produced ...
. Another album track, "Fountain and Fairfax" appeared on the television series ''
My So-Called Life ''My So-Called Life'' is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995. It is distributed by The Bed ...
'' in 1994. The lead vocals on "My Curse" were sung not by Dulli, but by singer Marcy Mays of
Scrawl Scrawl was an American indie rock trio based in Columbus, Ohio, and active from the mid-1980s. History The band formed in 1985, originally under the name Skull. The founding members were Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harsh ...
– allegedly because the lyrics documenting the violent dissolution of a relationship were so personal, Dulli couldn't sing it.


''Black Love'' era (1996)

Following the promotion of ''Gentlemen'', The Afghan Whigs further expanded into the public eye. In 1996, Dulli served as executive producer for the soundtrack for the
Ted Demme Edward Kern Demme ( ; October 26, 1963 – January 13, 2002) was an American director, producer, and actor. Early life Demme was born in New York City, the son of Gail (née Kern) and Frederick Rogers Demme. He grew up in Rockville Centre, New ...
film '' Beautiful Girls''. The Afghan Whigs appeared in the film as a bar band and contributed two songs to the soundtrack: Frederick Knight's "Be For Real" and
Barry White Barry Eugene Carter (September 12, 1944 – July 4, 2003), better known by his stage name Barry White, was an American singer and songwriter. A two-time Grammy Award winner known for his bass voice and romantic image, his greatest success came ...
's "
Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" is a song written, recorded, and produced by American musician Barry White. Released in June 1974 as the first single from his third album, '' Can't Get Enough'' (1974), the song topped the US ''Billboard'' ...
." Dulli also was the only musician other than
Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...
to appear on the debut album from
Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
. Eventually, work began on The Afghan Whigs' fifth full-length album, which would be called ''Black Love'' upon its release in 1996. The band started writing demos in March 1995; the recording took place in both Seattle and Memphis-based studios featuring new drummer
Paul Buchignani Paul Buchignani (born October 31, 1967) is an American drummer who came into musical prominence for his work with The Afghan Whigs on the ''Black Love'' album and subsequent tour. Buchignani graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN in 1989. ...
, who had replaced Steve Earle. Although previous releases explored liquor-drenched obsession, secrets and misery, ''Black Love'' stepped into a darker, seedier and complex side of Dulli's persona, passionately taking his obsession with murder and paranoia to their logical ends. Dulli himself noted that the songs had a conceptual framework that reflected the structure of a film, influenced by noir-influenced writer
James Ellroy Lee Earle "James" Ellroy (born March 4, 1948) is an American crime fiction writer and essayist. Ellroy has become known for a telegrammatic prose style in his most recent work, wherein he frequently omits connecting words and uses only short, sta ...
and violent neo-noir films like ''
Blood Simple ''Blood Simple'' is a 1984 American independent neo-noir crime film written, edited, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, and M. Emmet Walsh. Its plot follows a Texas bartender who ...
.'' Other influences included pulp fiction novels, Kenneth Anger's ''
Hollywood Babylon ''Hollywood Babylon'' is a book by avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger which details the purported scandals of famous Hollywood denizens from the 1900s to the 1950s. The book was banned shortly after it was first published in the U.S. in 1965, ...
'' and the crime photographs of
Weegee Arthur (Usher) Fellig (June 12, 1899 – December 26, 1968), known by his pseudonym Weegee, was a photography, photographer and photojournalism, photojournalist, known for his stark black and white street photography in New York City. Weegee w ...
. Other lyrical inspirations included the troubled life of Temptations singer
David Ruffin David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...
for the song "Blame, Etc." The album opener, "Crime Scene Part One", was allegedly influenced by the story of then-unproduced screenplay for the film ''
The Million Dollar Hotel ''The Million Dollar Hotel'' is a 2000 Drama (film and television), drama film based on a concept story by Bono and Nicholas Klein, directed by Wim Wenders, and starring Jeremy Davies (actor), Jeremy Davies, Milla Jovovich, and Mel Gibson. The fil ...
''. Commercially, ''Black Love'' peaked at No. 79 on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 chart. The album also received critical praise for capturing the power of the Whigs' live show in a studio recording; its lush yet funky musicality garnered comparisons to the
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
in their 1970s-era prime and standing out once again from the day's more conventional alternative rock in its distinctive embrace of black-music idioms. The Whigs promoted ''Black Love'' with extensive touring, including a jaunt of large venues opening for a
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
tour that also featured Jewel.


Legal dispute with Elektra and signing to Sony/Columbia for ''1965'' (1998)

In the wake of ''Black Loves commercial disappointment, The Afghan Whigs said they suffered neglect and dishonest business dealings with their label, Elektra. Eventually, the two parted ways and the Whigs signed to Columbia Records for their next album, ''
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
''. The unamicable parting resulted in Dulli being treated for depression, providing subject matter for songs like "Neglekted" which was featured on the band's next full-length effort.The song had originally been named "Sylvia" as a swipe against then-Elektra head,
Sylvia Rhone Sylvia Rhone (born March 11, 1952) is an American music industry executive. Since 2019, she is the chair and CEO of Epic Records, a label owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Rhone served previously in senior positions at Vested In Culture, Unive ...
. After a year's hiatus during which Dulli began another project known as
The Twilight Singers The Twilight Singers are an United States, American indie rock musical group, band. The group was formed in 1997 by Greg Dulli as a side project during a hiatus from his group The Afghan Whigs. After the Afghan Whigs disbanded, Dulli used The Twi ...
, The Afghan Whig's went to
Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie ...
' famed studio in New Orleans to record ''1965,'' named after the year both Dulli and Curley were born. Influenced again by film noir, as well as the urban wordplay of rappers like
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...
, ''1965'' received positive reviews in the press, praising, in particular, the band's continued flair for blending soul styles with rock. In addition to their headlining dates, The Afghan Whigs went on tour with
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
as the classic-rock group's opening act. During the live dates for ''1965,'' Dulli got in an altercation with a stagehand following an
Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
concert date and suffered a head injury that left him in a coma. Two months after Dulli's recovery, however, the group returned to the road.


Break up (2001)

In 2001, The Afghan Whigs broke up by circulating a press release announcement which was picked up by the major music press. In it, the band claimed their geographic disparity and family obligations of its core members made it impossible for them to create new material together. In further interviews, Dulli clarified that theirs was an amicable split, and did not necessarily represent an "official breakup."


Reunion (2006, 2011–present)

In 2006, The Afghan Whigs temporarily reunited. The lineup recorded two new tracks ("I'm A Soldier" and "Magazine") featured on their retrospective titled '' Unbreakable: A Retrospective 1990–2006'', released on June 5, 2007, through
Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
, which critics noted rated on a par with the band's material released during its prime. The band would not perform again until a December 7, 2011, press release from the promoters of All Tomorrow's Parties announced that The Afghan Whigs would reunite and play at their I'll Be Your Mirror events on May 27, 2012, in London, followed by an appearance at Asbury Park, New Jersey on September 22, 2012. A week later it was announced that the band would also be performing at both
Primavera Sound Primavera Sound (commonly referred to as simply Primavera) is an annual music festival held in Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona, Spain that takes place between the end of May and beginning of June. The first edition took place in 2001 in Poble Espany ...
festivals in 2012. In April of that year, it was revealed that the revitalized The Afghan Whigs would be playing the 2012 edition of
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...
. Dulli clarified in interviews that playing The Afghan Whigs with Curley on a 2010 solo tour and meeting with McCollum anew during that period directly led to plans of reforming for live performance. On May 22, 2012, the reunited The Afghan Whigs (minus drummer Steve Earle) made their debut performance on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...
'', playing one new song, the soul cover "See and Don't See," and old favorite "I'm Her Slave" from ''Congregation''. The reunited Whigs played their first full concert the next night at Manhattan venue The
Bowery Ballroom The Bowery Ballroom is a New York City live-music venue located at 6 Delancey Street in the neighborhood of Bowery in Manhattan. The Bowery Ballroom holds something of a cult status among musicians as well as audiences. ''Rolling Stone'' magazi ...
, receiving critical accolades from the major media. "Regardless of how the surprising reunion of The Afghan Whigs turns out, their show last night at the Bowery Ballroom will go down as the '90s alt-rock heroes' greatest concert ever," Glenn Gamboa wrote in Newsday; meanwhile, Steve Kandell noted in a ''
SPIN Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' review that "their first show together since then, at New York's Bowery Ballroom last night, felt less like an easy nostalgia trip than a reminder of problems we, perhaps selectively, forgot we ever had. …Leader Greg Dulli was leaner, meaner, fitter, and in better voice at 47 than even during the band's heyday… From the opening strains of "Crime Scene, Part One," all the old drama and menace and hurt feelings and failings were right there, palpable and visceral, all couched in the equally palpable sense of relief that none of us are that fucked up anymore." The Afghan Whigs' first new recording released during the 2012 reformation, "See and Don't See," also received considerable airplay on influential stations such as
Sirius Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...
XMU, KEXP, XPN, and KCRW. On July 16, the band released their second new recording, a cover of
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
's "Lovecrimes." Like the previous release, the song was made available as a free download from the band's website. In 2013 at
South by Southwest South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...
(SXSW), The Afghan Whigs headlined The FADER FORT and played a collaborative set with surprise guest Usher. John Curly claims that moment solidified the probability that the band would record together again and that following their SXSW performance they began compiling ideas for new material. On January 27, 2014, the band's official mailing list announced an April release date for the first album of new The Afghan Whigs material in 16 years, a return to the Sub Pop roster titled ''
Do to the Beast Do to the Beast is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs, their first in 16 years. It was released on April 15, 2014 on Sub Pop Records, the same label that released their albums '' Up in It'' and ''Congregati ...
''. On February 18, 2014, the band announced that Rick McCollum was no longer a member of the group. Guitar parts on ''Do to the Beast'' were performed by numerous musicians including
Dave Rosser Dave Rosser was an American rock guitarist known for his work for the Afghan Whigs, who he joined in 2014. He played guitar on their albums ''Do to the Beast'' and '' In Spades''. Previously, he was a member of the Gutter Twins and the Twilight Si ...
, Jon Skibic, and Mark McGuire among others. The band added drummer
Patrick Keeler James Patrick Keeler is an American rock music drummer from Cincinnati, who is best known for playing in The Greenhornes, The Raconteurs, and The Afghan Whigs. He plays with both traditional and matched grips. Recording career Keeler has play ...
of
The Raconteurs The Raconteurs (, also known as The Saboteurs in Australia) is an American rock band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 2005. The band consists of Jack White (vocals, guitar), Brendan Benson (vocals, guitar), Jack Lawrence (bass guitar), and Pa ...
and
The Greenhornes The Greenhornes were an American garage rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Craig Fox, bass guitarist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler. They released their debut album '' Gun For You'' in 1999, follow ...
in 2014. The band released its eighth album, ''
In Spades ''In Spades'' is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs, released on May 5, 2017 on Sub Pop Records. Reception The album received mainly positive reviews; according to online review aggregator Metacritic M ...
'' on May 5, 2017. Guitarist Dave Rosser, a band member since 2014 who played on both of their reunion albums, died on June 28, 2017, following a long battle with colon cancer. In February 2022, the band released their first single in five years, "'I'll Make You See God," which was featured on the ''
Gran Turismo 7 ''Gran Turismo 7'' is a racing simulation video game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game is the eighth mainline installment in the '' Gran Turismo'' series. The game was announced on June 11, ...
'' soundtrack. ''How Do You Burn?'' their ninth studio album, was released Sept. 9, 2022, through
BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...
, their first album since 1998's ''
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
'' to not be released under
Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...
.


Legacy

The influence of The Afghan Whigs has been acknowledged by a number of musicians spanning genres and formats, including The National,
The Gaslight Anthem The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The band consists of Brian Fallon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Alex Rosamilia (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Levine (bass guitar, backing vocals), ...
,
The Horrible Crowes The Horrible Crowes is a musical duo consisting of vocalist and guitarist Brian Fallon and guitarist Ian Perkins. Fallon is also the front man in The Gaslight Anthem, a band he formed in 2006. Their debut album and only full-length studio release t ...
,
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
,
The Hold Steady The Hold Steady is an American rock band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, now based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), ...
,
My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance (commonly abbreviated to MCR or My Chem) is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mi ...
and
Jimmy Eat World Jimmy Eat World is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Mesa, Arizona. The band is composed of lead vocalist and lead guitarist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind. They h ...
. Also, Italian indie rock band Afterhours, who extensively toured the US between 2006 and 2011, under the auspice of Greg Dulli cites The Afghan Whigs as their influence. On June 23, 2009, an The Afghan Whigs tribute album was released, featuring contributions from
Mark Lanegan Mark William Lanegan (November 25, 1964 – February 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. First becoming prominent as the lead singer for the early grunge band Screaming Trees, he was also known as a member of Queens of the St ...
,
Joseph Arthur Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his solo material, and as a member of Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Arthur has built his reputation over the years through c ...
, and 11 other artists influenced by the band.


Lyrical themes

Since the band's formation, certain themes have been noted as developing Dulli's songwriting for The Afghan Whigs and beyond – in particular, his mixing of
black humor Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
with topics such as
drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...
, sexual deviancy and suicidal thoughts, which often seem more personal and provocative due to their frequent embrace of the first person. Many notable The Afghan Whigs' songs are rooted in exploring power battles in romantic relationships. ''
Gentlemen A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...
'' in particular has been cited for its frank and uncomfortable exploration of masculine tropes and expectations, including elements of sadomasochism and alienation. ''
Black Love Black is a color which results from the absence or complete Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption of visible spectrum, visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or fi ...
'' meanwhile, contains lyrics about revenge and honesty. Dulli's songs with The Afghan Whigs also betray a fascination with and sympathy for the
anti-hero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...
, which he attributed to an influential conversation with his grandfather during childhood: "I remember as a kid watching a cowboys-and-Indians movie and I was rooting for the cowboys… My grandfather asked me why, and I said, `Because they're the good guys.' And my grandfather explained to me that the Indians were fighting for their land and that the cowboys were trying to steal it from them. Then he said something to me that I never forgot, which was, `Good people aren't good all the time and bad people aren't bad all the time.' I've been exploring that gray area ever since the idea that saints can fall and sinners can transcend."


Covers

The Afghan Whigs are known for their cover songs as well as their original material – in particular, freely reinterpreted songs from the soul music and R&B canon that they were exposed to in their youth. However, The Afghan Whigs have never restricted their choices in covers by genre; even from their earliest concerts they have been known to cover songs like
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
' "
Cocksucker Blues ''Cocksucker Blues'' is an unreleased documentary film directed by the still photographer Robert Frank chronicling The Rolling Stones American Tour 1972 in support of their album '' Exile on Main St.'' Production There was much anticipation for ...
" and Neil Young's " Like A Hurricane," as well as tracks made famous by The Supremes,
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
,
PJ Harvey Polly Jean Harvey (born 9 October 1969) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments. Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined loca ...
,
The Fugees ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
, and
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
. ''Congregation'' includes a version of "The Temple" from the soundtrack of ''
Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...
'' and they were also known to perform
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
's album ''
The Wall ''The Wall'' is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979 by Harvest/EMI and Columbia/CBS Records. It is a rock opera that explores Pink, a jaded rock star whose eventual self-imp ...
'' in its entirety. The Afghan Whigs' most recent recording was a cover of a rare 1970 soul song by Marie "Queenie" Lyons, "See and Don't See," although the band continues to explore contemporary material as well, such as "Love Crimes" by current R&B iconoclast
Frank Ocean Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
, which was debuted on the band's 2012 reunion tour.


Other projects

*Dulli has recorded and performed with Mark Lanegan as
The Gutter Twins The Gutter Twins was a musical collaboration between rock musicians Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan. Dulli and Lanegan had regularly contributed to each other's projects since 2000, most notably in Dulli's Twilight Singers; of the duo's origins, Dul ...
*Dulli continues to record and tour with his evolving collective
The Twilight Singers The Twilight Singers are an United States, American indie rock musical group, band. The group was formed in 1997 by Greg Dulli as a side project during a hiatus from his group The Afghan Whigs. After the Afghan Whigs disbanded, Dulli used The Twi ...
and as a solo artist *Dulli also has been executive producer on several works by Italian indie-rock band Afterhours on top of acting as their sponsor for several US tours between 2006 and 2011. *Curley is the bassist of Fists of Love *McCollum is the guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for
Moon Maan Moon Maan is the solo project of Rick McCollum of The Afghan Whigs. Moon Maan debuted at SXSW South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, ...
*Horrigan is the bassist for
Brendan Benson Brendan Benson (born November 14, 1970) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released eight solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs. Recording career ''One Missi ...
*Steve Earle is the drummer for the rock band Moonbow, featuring Dave McElfresh (also guitar and fiddle for Hank Williams III) and lead singer Matt Bischoff (also known for his role as a contestant on the television series ''Survivor'') *Earle is the songwriter, lead singer, and rhythm guitarist of Earle Grey. Additionally, he is the current drummer for the Santa Rosa, California, based band the Fizz Fuzz featuring Dandy Brown (Hermano, Orquesta del Desierto). *Dulli does most of the lead vocals on the soundtrack to ''
Backbeat In music and music theory, the beat is the basic unit of time, the pulse (regularly repeating event), of the ''mensural level'' (or ''beat level''). The beat is often defined as the rhythm listeners would tap their toes to when listening to a pi ...
'', a 1994 film about the beginning days of the Beatles. Dave Grohl (Nirvana), Don Fleming (Gumball), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), and Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) accompany Dulli as a "supergroup" playing the Beatles' early live staples (none of which are written by the Beatles).


Members

Current members *
Greg Dulli Greg Dulli (born May 11, 1965) is an American musician from Hamilton, Ohio. Debuting as a member of the rock band the Afghan Whigs in 1986, Dulli has been a member of the Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins, and in 2020 released his debut solo albu ...
– lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (1986-2001, 2006, 2011–present) *
John Curley John Curley is a Professor, Distinguished Professional in Residence, and Co-Director of the Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. He was head of Gannett News Service, during which time the news service won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Serv ...
- bass guitar (1986-2001, 2006, 2011–present) * Rick G. Nelson - keyboards, strings, guitar, backing vocals (2011–present) * Patrick Keeler - drums (2014–present) * Christopher Thorn - guitar (2021–present) Former members *
Rick McCollum The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members Greg Dulli (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), and John Cur ...
- guitar (1986-2001, 2006, 2011-2012) * Steve Earle - drums (1986-1995) * Jon Skibic - guitar, backing vocals (2013-2021) *
Paul Buchignani Paul Buchignani (born October 31, 1967) is an American drummer who came into musical prominence for his work with The Afghan Whigs on the ''Black Love'' album and subsequent tour. Buchignani graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN in 1989. ...
- drums (1995-1996) * Michael Horrigan - drums (1997-2001, 2006) * Cully Symington - drums (2011-2014) *
Dave Rosser Dave Rosser was an American rock guitarist known for his work for the Afghan Whigs, who he joined in 2014. He played guitar on their albums ''Do to the Beast'' and '' In Spades''. Previously, he was a member of the Gutter Twins and the Twilight Si ...
- guitar, backing vocals (2011-2017) * Mark McGuire - guitar (2013-2014) Touring musicians * Doug Falsetti - percussion, backing vocals (1996-1998, 1999) * Barbara Hunter - cello (1996) * Harold "Happy" Chichester - keyboards, backing vocals (1996, 1999) * Susan Marshall - backing vocals (1997-1999) * Steve Myers - backing vocals (1997-1999) * Josh Paxton - keyboards (1998, 1999) Timeline


Discography

Studio albums *''
Big Top Halloween ''Big Top Halloween'' is the first album by the band The Afghan Whigs. It was released in 1988 via Ultrasuede. Two thousand copies of the record were pressed. Critical reception ''Trouser Press'' wrote that "there's a surprising amount of subtle ...
'' (1988) *''
Up in It ''Up in It'' is the second album by the Afghan Whigs, released in 1990 via Sub Pop. It marked the first time Sub Pop had released an album by a band hailing from outside the northwestern United States. Production The album was produced by Jack En ...
'' (1990) *''
Congregation A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship. Congregation may also refer to: *Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administra ...
'' (1992) *''
Gentlemen A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...
'' (1993) *''
Black Love Black is a color which results from the absence or complete Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption of visible spectrum, visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or fi ...
'' (1996) *''
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
'' (1998) *''
Do to the Beast Do to the Beast is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs, their first in 16 years. It was released on April 15, 2014 on Sub Pop Records, the same label that released their albums '' Up in It'' and ''Congregati ...
'' (2014) *''
In Spades ''In Spades'' is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs, released on May 5, 2017 on Sub Pop Records. Reception The album received mainly positive reviews; according to online review aggregator Metacritic M ...
'' (2017) *''
How Do You Burn? ''How Do You Burn?'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Afghan Whigs. The album was released on September 9, 2022, through BMG Rights Management, making it their first album since 1998's '' 1965'' to not be released under Sub Pop ...
'' (2022)


References


External links


Summer's Kiss – A Tribute to The Afghan WhigsThe Afghan Whigs Myspace PageThe Twilight SingersStaggering StatisticsMoon MaanThe Afghan Whigs
at ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Afghan Whigs, The Alternative rock groups from Ohio Indie rock musical groups from Ohio American post-punk music groups American grunge groups Sub Pop artists Blast First artists Mute Records artists Elektra Records artists Columbia Records artists Musical groups from Cincinnati Musical groups established in 1986 Musical groups disestablished in 2001 Musical groups established in 2012 1986 establishments in Ohio 2001 disestablishments in the United States 2012 establishments in Ohio