Evolving from a garage punk band in the vein of the Replacements, Dinosaur Jr., and Mudhoney to a literate, pretentious, soul-inflected post-punk quartet, the Afghan Whigs were one of the most critically acclaimed alternative bands of the early 90s. Although the band never broke into the mainstream, they developed a dedicated cult following, primarily because of lead singer/songwriter Greg Dullis tortured, angst-ridden tales of broken relationships and self-loathing. The Afghan Whigs were one of the few alternative bands around in the late 90s to acknowledge R&B, attempting to create a fusion of soul and post-punk. The Afghan Whigs were formed when the members — vocalist/rhythm guitarist Greg Dulli, bassist John Curley, lead guitarist Rick McCollum, and drummer Steve Earle — were attending the University of Cincinnati. Dulli, who was raised in Hamilton, OH, was studying film at the university, where he met fellow students McCollum and Earle. Unlike the rest of the band, Curley didnt attend the University of Cincinnati. He arrived in the city to intern as a photographer at the Cincinnati Enquirer, which his father — who published USA Today — arranged for him; for the next few years, Curley continued to shoot pictures for the paper, quitting only when the bands schedule became too busy for him to work both jobs. Dulli happened to meet Curley when visiting a friends apartment building. Eventually, the pair formed the Afghan Whigs in 1986, along with McCollum and Earle.