The Greg Kihn Band
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Greg Kihn, Steve Wright |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Rock, pop rock, power pop music |
The Greg Kihn Band was a notable American rock ensemble established by lead vocalist Greg Kihn and bassist Steve Wright. Their highest-charting hits include "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" (peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100) and "Jeopardy" (which reached number 2 on the same chart). Their musical approach incorporated elements of rock, pop rock, and power pop genres.
History
Starting his career as a singer-songwriter in Baltimore, Maryland, Greg Kihn initially gained attention through local music competitions. In 1972, he moved to San Francisco, where he took on various jobs and met future band member and keyboardist Gary Phillips. By 1973, Kihn had secured a contract with Beserkley Records, led by Matthew "King" Kaufman, contributing significantly to the label’s signature sound alongside artists such as Jonathan Richman and Earth Quake.
Following his appearance on Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1 in 1976, Kihn formed the Greg Kihn Band with Steve Wright, who became an essential collaborator in songwriting. The original group featured Wright on bass, Robbie Dunbar handling guitar duties, and Larry Lynch on drums. For their sophomore album, Greg Kihn Again, Dunbar was replaced by Dave Carpender. This lineup remained intact until 1982, eventually expanding to a five-piece with the addition of Phillips in 1981. Prior to the release of Kihnspiracy in 1983, guitarist Greg Douglass took over from Carpender.
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kihn consistently released albums annually, becoming Beserkley’s best-selling artist. The 1981 record RocKihnRoll included the Top 20 single "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)." Subsequent releases featured pun-inspired titles such as Kihntinued (1982), Kihnspiracy (1983), Kihntagious (1984), and Citizen Kihn (1985), sustaining their commercial success. The track "Jeopardy" from 1983 climbed to number two on the charts and received significant MTV airtime; its music video was famously spoofed by "Weird Al" Yankovic.
In 1985, Kihn transitioned from Beserkley Records to EMI but maintained his working relationship with producer Kaufman. That year’s single "Lucky" broke into the top thirty. The band experienced lineup shifts: Joe Satriani joined as lead guitarist in 1986, with Tyler Eng on drums and Pat Mosca on keyboards for the album Love and Rock & Roll. Satriani left in 1987 to focus on his solo career and was replaced by Jimmy Lyon, formerly of Eddie Money.
In later years, Greg Kihn pursued solo acoustic projects including Mutiny (1994) and Horror Show (1996), while the band continued live performances featuring his son Ry Kihn on lead guitar. The group regularly headlined the annual "Kihncert" event at Mountain View’s Shoreline Amphitheatre, hosted by radio station KFOX FM.
Keyboardist Gary Phillips succumbed to cancer in 2007 at age 59. Greg Kihn died on August 13, 2024, at age 75 after a prolonged battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Final lineup
- Greg Kihn – lead vocals, guitar (1976–2024; deceased)
- Ry Kihn – guitar, backing vocals (1996–2024)
- Dave Medd – keyboards, backing vocals (1996–2024)
- Robert Berry – bass guitar, backing vocals (1996–2024)
- Dave Danza – drums (1996–2024)
Past members
- Robbie Dunbar – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (1976–1977)
- Larry Lynch – drums, backing vocals (1976–1986)
- Steve Wright – bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (1976–1996; deceased 2017)
- Dave Carpender – guitarist (1977–1983; deceased 2007)
- Gary Phillips – keyboards, backing vocals (1981–1986; deceased 2007)
- Greg Douglass – guitar, backing vocals (1982–1986)
- Tyler Eng – drums (1986–1996)
- Pat Mosca – keyboardist (1986–1996)
- Joe Satriani – guitar (1986–1987)
- Jimmy Lyon – guitar (1987–1996)
- Dennis Murphy – bass guitar (2004–2008)
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Billboard 200 | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Greg Kihn | — | — |
| 1977 | Greg Kihn Again | — | — |
| 1978 | Next of Kihn | 145 | 85 |
| 1979 | With the Naked Eye | 114 | — |
| 1980 | Glass House Rock | 167 | — |
| 1981 | RocKihnRoll | 32 | 72 |
| 1982 | Kihntinued | 33 | — |
| 1983 | Kihnspiracy | 15 | 76 |
| 1984 | Kihntagious | 121 | — |
| 1985 | Citizen Kihn | 51 | — |
| 1986 | Love and Rock and Roll | — | — |
| 1989 | KihnSolidation: The Best Of Greg Kihn | — | — |
| 1991 | Unkihntrollable (Greg Kihn Live) | — | — |
| 1992 | Kihn of Hearts | — | — |
| 1994 | Mutiny | — | — |
| 1996 | King Biscuit Flower Hour | — | — |
| 1996 | Horror Show | — | — |
| 2000 | True Kihnfessions | — | — |
| 2004 | Jeopardy | — | — |
| 2006 | Greg Kihn Live, Featuring Ry Kihn | — | — |
| 2011 | Kihnplete (Post Beserkley Records) | — | — |
| 2012 | Greg Kihn Band: Best of Beserkley, '75–'84 | — | — |
| 2017 | Rekihndled | — | — |
Singles chart performance
| Year | Track | US Hot 100 | Mainstream Rock Tracks | Hot Dance Club Play | Kent Music Report | RPM (magazine) | UK Singles Chart | Album association |
|---|
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 | US M.S.R. | US Dance | AUS | Canada | UK | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | "Remember" | 105 | - | - | - | - | - | Next of Kihn |
| "Sheila" | 102 | 39 | - | - | - | - | ||
| "The Girl Most Likely" | 104 | 57 | - | 55 | - | - | ||
| "Happy Man" | 62 | 30 | - | 68 | - | - | ||
| "Every Love Song" | 82 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| "Love Never Fails" | 59 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| "Rock" | 107 | - | - | - | - | - |
Music Videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "The Breakup Song" | |
| 1982 | "Happy Man" | Joe Dea |
| 1983 | "Jeopardy" | Joe Dea |
| 1983 | "Tear That City Down" | Bob Hart |
| 1984 | "Reunited" | Joe Dea |
| 1985 | "Lucky" | Joe Dea |
| 1985 | "Boys Won't (Leave The Girls Alone)" | Joe Dea |
| 1986 | "Love and Rock & Roll" |