Demonizing the Love Boat: Greg Dulli on 40 Years of The Afghan Whigs

In the landscape of 90s alternative rock, The Afghan Whigs were always the glorious outliers. While the rest of the world was drowning in flannel and apathy, Greg Dulli and company were donning sharp suits and channeling the showmanship of Stax and Motown.

As the band prepares to hit the road for their 40th Anniversary Tour this April, Dulli took the time to chat with me about the band's Cincinnati roots, the "demonization" of soul classics, and why he’s still surprising himself four decades into the game.

One of the most enduring pieces of Afghan Whigs lore is their ability to take a classic R&B track and turn it into something visceral and dangerous. I first discovered the band when I heard their cover of Barry White’s "Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe.” I told Dulli how much I love that song because it has no business going as hard as it does. The song isn't streaming, but you can find it on YouTube.

Photo Credit: Royal Cream

Dulli’s secret? He had to keep it from sounding like a theme song.

"We tried to learn Barry’s version... the way he played it," Dulli laughed. "When we played it, it sounded like The Love Boat. So, we had to demonize it." That "demonization" of taking the smooth and making it raw and sexy became the band's sonic calling card.

With ten albums in the rearview mirror, building a 40th-anniversary setlist is no small feat. Dulli revealed that the band is currently pulling tracks from nine different records, with the flexibility to swap out songs every night to keep the energy fresh.

But for Dulli, playing the old material is more time travel than a nostalgia trip.

"We are but a compilation of our memories," Dulli mused. "That I can go reconnect with 'young me' and sing the song that that guy wrote and still feel it... it’s a beautiful experience. Sometimes I'll be on stage, and a meaning will appear to me... there will be a reveal within myself."

The band's DNA has always been shaped by their surroundings. Whether it’s the "dark, Memphis-drenched energy" of the Gentlemen era or the swampy influence of New Orleans, where Dulli has recorded for 30 years and even owns a few bars, the locale always seeps into the wax.

Our conversation wrapped with a glimpse into the "what if?" I asked if the Whigs hadn't formed in 1986, Dulli, a former film student, whose 1990s character actor career he would have hijacked. "Ray Liotta," he answered without hesitation. Personally, I think he has more of a Michael Madsen vibe, which only furthers my opinion of Greg Dulli as one of rock’s most compelling leading men. 

Catch The Afghan Whigs on their 40th Anniversary Tour, which began April 25th.