Greg Kihn began his career as a singer-songwriter in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. He started writing songs and playing coffee houses while still in high school in the Baltimore area. When he was 17 his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of local Top 40 radio station WCAO, in which he took first prize and won a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar.
He moved to San Francisco in 1972 and worked painting houses, singing in the streets, and working behind the counter at a Berkeley record store with future bandmate and Earth Quake keyboardist Gary Phillips. The following year, he was signed to Matthew "King" Kaufman's Beserkley Records. Along with Jonathan Richman, Earth Quake, and The Rubinoos, Kihn helped to develop the label's sound.
In 1976, after his debut on the compilation album Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1, Kihn formed the Greg Kihn Band, with Steve Wright on bass. Wright became the most influential member of the Greg Kihn band, co-writing Kihn's songs. Kihn recorded his first album, Greg Kihn, with his own band, now named The Greg Kihn Band, consisting of Wright, Robbie Dunbar on guitar, and Larry Lynch on drums.
Dunbar, already a member of Earth Quake, was replaced by Dave Carpender in time to record their second album, Greg Kihn Again. The lineup of Kihn, Wright, Lynch, and Carpender lasted until 1982 (changing to a quintet in 1981 with the addition of Phillips). Guitarist Greg Douglass replaced Carpender before the band's 1983 Kihnspiracy album.[4]
Throughout the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year and became better known during promotional touring, becoming Beserkley's biggest seller. In 1981, Kihn earned a Top 20 single, "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)," from the RocKihnRoll album.
Kihn continued in a more commercial vein through the 1980s with a series of pun-titled albums: Kihntinued (1982), Kihnspiracy (1983), Kihntagious (1984), and Citizen Kihn (1985). His second successful single was 1983's "Jeopardy" (rising to number two) from the Kihnspiracy album. "Jeopardy" was spoofed by "Weird Al" Yankovic as "I Lost on Jeopardy" on Yankovic's album "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D. Kihn made a cameo appearance in the music video. In 1983, the groundbreaking "Jeopardy" video became an MTV favorite.
In 1985, Kihn broke with Beserkley Records and signed with EMI. Matthew Kaufman continued to produce Kihn's albums. "Lucky" (1985) broke the top thirty and a video sequel was made to the original "Jeopardy" video. In 1986 Joe Satriani replaced Greg Douglass on lead guitar, Tyler Eng replaced Larry Lynch on drums, and Pat Mosca replaced Gary Phillips on keyboards. This is the lineup that went into the studio to record the 1986 album Love and Rock & Roll. Satriani left the band to pursue his solo career in 1987 and was replaced by former Eddie Money lead guitarist Jimmy Lyon. Greg Kihn returned to Baltimore to record a pair of solo acoustic albums at the studios of his friend Jack Heyrman for Clean Cuts Records, Mutiny in 1994 and Horror Show in 1996.
The Greg Kihn Band continued to play with a lineup consisting of Greg's son Ry Kihn on lead guitar, Dave Danza (from Eddie Money) on drums, Dave Medd (from The Tubes) on keyboards, and Robert Berry (from Hush) on bass. Every year, KFOX hosts a concert at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, called the "Kihncert" featuring The Greg Kihn Band. The Kihncert always featured Greg Kihn as the show opener and sometime emcee, along with other KFOX FM air personalities. In addition to the Kihncert, Greg Kihn performed private, public, charity and KFOX FM-sponsored or promoted events.
On August 13th, 2024, Greg Kihn passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 75.[5]
Members
Final lineup
Greg Kihn – lead vocals, guitar (1976–2024; his death)
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970 to 1974 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison. The sound of the band owed a great deal to the influence of the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, and is now sometimes classified as "proto-punk". It pointed the way towards much of the punk rock, new wave, alternative and indie rock music of later decades. Their only album, the eponymous The Modern Lovers, contained idiosyncratic songs about dating awkwardness, growing up in Massachusetts, love of life, and the USA.
Gregory Stanley Kihn was an American rock musician, radio personality, and novelist. He founded and led the Greg Kihn Band and he wrote several popular horror novels. He is best known for the hits "The Breakup Song " in 1981 and "Jeopardy" in 1983.
"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D is the second studio album by the American parody musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on February 28, 1984, by Rock 'n Roll Records. The album was one of many produced by former McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer. Recorded between October and December 1983, the album was Yankovic's follow-up to his modestly successful debut LP, "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Beserkley Records was an American independent record label based in Berkeley, California, from 1973 to 1984. Beserkley is usually regarded as a power pop and rock and roll label. During the 1970s, the label released albums by Earth Quake, Greg Kihn, Jonathan Richman, and The Modern Lovers, the Rubinoos, and the Tyla Gang. Several other artists appeared on singles, or on compilation albums. From 1980 to its dissolution in 1984, Beserkley was a one-artist label, the artist being Greg Kihn.
"Jeopardy" is a song released by the Greg Kihn Band, from their 1983 album Kihnspiracy. It was the band's only Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reaching number 2 in May 1983.
The Rubinoos are an American power pop band that formed in 1970 in Berkeley, California. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I Think We're Alone Now", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" (1979), and for the theme song to the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds. Although "I Think We're Alone Now" has been their highest charting hit, reaching No.45 in 1977, the group has a significant enduring cult following among fans of the power pop genre.
Matthew "King" Kaufman is an American record producer who was the owner of leading independent label Beserkley Records in Berkeley, California from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s, successfully producing records by Jonathan Richman, Greg Kihn and others.
Earth Quake is an American power pop band, formed in the San Francisco area in 1966, who released several albums in the 1970s, mostly on Beserkley Records, a company which they were involved in setting up.
"Love's Made a Fool of You" is a song co-written and originally performed by Buddy Holly. It was later re-recorded by Sonny Curtis and the Crickets, with the lead vocal by Earl Sinks, and famously covered by the Bobby Fuller Four.
Released in 1981, Rockihnroll is the sixth studio album by Greg Kihn and the third album as the Greg Kihn Band. It produced the band's second highest-charting single, "The Breakup Song ".
With the Naked Eye is an album by the American band the Greg Kihn Band, released in 1979. It was produced by Matthew King Kaufman, Glen Koloktin, and Kenny Laguna.
Glass House Rock is the fifth studio album by Greg Kihn and the second album to be released as The Greg Kihn Band in 1980.
Kihntinued is a 1982 studio album by Greg Kihn and the fourth album to be released as The Greg Kihn Band. It was the final album to feature long-time guitarist Dave Carpender.
Next of Kihn is a 1978 studio album by American singer-songwriter Greg Kihn. It was the third and last album to be released under the name Greg Kihn before the group changed into The Greg Kihn Band in 1979.
Kihnspiracy is a studio album by the Greg Kihn Band, released in 1983 by Beserkley Records. The album features the hit single "Jeopardy", the band's only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It reached number 2 in May 1983, beneath Michael Jackson's "Beat It". A parody of the song, "I Lost on Jeopardy", was released by "Weird Al" Yankovic in 1984.
Greg Douglass is an American rock guitarist.
Kihntagious is a 1984 studio album by the Greg Kihn Band. It is the last album to feature drummer and founding member Larry Lynch and keyboard player Gary Phillips.
Greg Kihn Again is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Greg Kihn. It was released by Beserkley in 1977.
Greg Kihn is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Greg Kihn. It was released by Beserkley in 1976.
Citizen Kihn is a studio album by the American musician Greg Kihn, released in 1985 through EMI America. It was his first album since 1978's Next of Kihn not to be released under the Greg Kihn Band name. The album reached number 51 on the Billboard Hot 200. The first single was "Lucky".
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