Part I: The Band: An Unnatural History

The Rise and (for now) Rise of the Afghan Whigs

The biography of the band is still under development. In the interim, please look at Columbia Records' band biography, at http://www.afghanwhigs.com/bio.html

Where did the name come from?

Of the various stories about the band's name, no two have yet to match. These crop up the most frequently on the CONGREGATION mailing list.
  1. "A White Moslem group that went around painting flowers on things" (Volume 8, 1993). This group's existence has not yet been independently verfied.
  2. A huge marijuana joint (when a concert-goer asked Rick McCollum this, he laughed but didn't deny it)
  3. A variation on the "Black Republicans" (ethnic group, political party) formula
  4. The result of a drug trip.

How to describe their music?

One particularly memorable description on the listserv CONGREGATION was "green-eyed psycho-soul." In addition to the post-hard rock guitars and soul-style vocals, critics have detected traces of country, folk, and blues.

Are the Whigs grunge?

Never more than superficially, and only on their earlier recordings; from the album Congregation onward the band became not polished, but focused. (I believe someone drafted a technical definition of "grunge"--does anyone know where to find this?)

Are the Whigs punk?

Not primarily. They have expressed admiration for a number of punk/hardcore acts, including Husker Du and Fugazi, and definitely appreciate the DIY sensibility, but appear to have very little interest in noise for the sake of noise.

Are the Whigs alternative?

The term "alternative," as applied to rock music, was never adequately defined, and was downright abused when applied to successful and widely imitated bands like U2 or R.E.M. However, if "alternative" is defined to refer to major-label (as opposed to independent label) bands, which are critically acclaimed but not popularly successful, the label would fit the Whigs.

What's with the Motown/black music thing?

  1. The various covers. (Details 1994 interview) Greg Dulli grew up listening to his mother's collection of classic Motown singles
  2. The appropriated Stax logo (or, where have I seen that logo of a hand?) The Whigs' logo of a hand holding a cigarette is their appropriation of the classic Stax logo (the cigarette is their addition).
  3. The appropriated Motown letter: The "W" of the "AW" that is used as an alternate logo (on t-shirts, record sleeves, amps, etc.) is almost certainly an upside-down version of the "M" on the old Motown Records sign.

What's with all the religious imagery?

Greg Dulli was raised as a Catholic and has spoken of his past as an altar boy in terms of theater and performing. This expresses itself in lyrics linking sex and religion ("hyssop in your perfume," from "My Curse"), and the messianic imagery of "Turn on the Water" ("poisoned the people I wanted to save"). However, in a 1994 interview he denied some armchair psychologist's speculation that he had been sexually abused by a priest.

The Ohio Players

  1. Is Greg Dulli gay?
    Probably not, although certainly not for any lack of would-be partners. People who have met him say he doesn't set off their gaydar.
  2. Are the other guys spoken for?
    John Curley married Michelle Singletary, a long-time friend of the band, in 1994(?).
    Paul Buchignani left the band in 1996 in part because he was engaged (although he is now performing and touring with Todd Snider and the Nervous Wrecks).
    A couple years ago Rick McCollum was reported to be living with someone in Minneapolis.
  3. Is someone in the band as rich as I've heard?
    John Curley is related to the Curleys of Gannett Communications (a media conglomerate which includes the newspaper USA Today). However, he appears to live in comparative modesty in Cincinnati.

The equipment they use

(look for that article from some guitar magazine)

The band's movie/television career

Note that 1) Greg Dulli dropped out of the University of Cincinnati film school to run away to Hollywood, then pursue his bands; and 2) part of the band's major label deal was for Elektra to finance a feature film, which Greg would direct. Also see "Cherished Myths."

Cherished myths about the band

  1. Did Greg and Rick really meet in jail? No, and the story that they met Steve Earle when his motorcycle crashed into Greg's car also appears to be false.
  2. Was Greg really on the shortlist to play either Judd Nelson's or Anthony Michael Hall's role in The Breakfast Club? Highly unlikely; the music encyclopedia that vectored this also reported without criticism the story of Greg and Rick meeting in jail.
  3. What's the deal with the album Big Top Halloween? According to rumor, the band held back either 100 or 200 copies of the record, and supposedly quietly sell a copy every so often "to stimulate the economy." If this is true, more likely they do it to bolster band finances. Also, a contradictory rumor has the band buying up all the secondhand copies they can find because, for whatever reason, they don't want fans to be able to listen to their juvenalia.
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This page last updated December 19, 1998.

Copyright 1998, Julia Lutz (whiggrrl@erols.com)

"In time I'll find I'm stuck/Fugazi rules, but Hootie, you still suck." The Afghan Whigs, "Be Sweet" (as revised June 1995).