Conversation so far:
what happened with ministry ( band) in 1981?
Ministry's origins date to 1978, when Al Jourgensen went from Denver to Chicago, in order to study in University of Illinois.
what did he study?
Jourgensen was introduced to the local underground scene by his then-girlfriend Shannon Rose Riley, and soon after joined a post-punk.
joined a post-punk what?
new wave band Special Affect.

Question: did they do well?
Self-contained rewrite: did Al Jourgensen and Ministry do well?