Along with Marlene Kuntz and C.S.I., Afterhours were the most important rock band to emerge from Italy in the 1990s -- although their career had started the previous decade. Their energetic and extremely personal style gained them huge success and the attention of the critics, who immediately recognized the talent of their leader, singer/guitarist Manuele "Manuel" Agnelli (b. 1966), whose multiple activities (musician, writer, producer, manager) gained him a pivotal role in the growth of the Italian indie scene.