Biography

b. 1952, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Kihn was a singer-songwriter who started out as a folk singer but switched to rock. He moved to Berkeley, California in 1974, and the following year provided two solo songs for a compilation album on Matthew King Kaufman's Beserkley Records. Afterwards, he became one of the first four acts signed to the label, adding backing vocals on label-mate Jonathan Richman's classic "Road Runner". Influenced by 60s pop such as the Yardbirds, he initially used another Beserkley signing Earth Quake to back him but then formed his own band in 1976 based initially around Earth Quake guitarist Ronnie Dunbar (brother of the Rubinoos' founder Tommy Dunbar). The initial line-up was Kihn (vocals/guitar), Robbie Dunbar (lead guitar), Steve Wright (bass), and Larry Lynch (drums). They were based in the San Francisco Bay area from 1976, playing local clubs and bars. Dunbar left after the first album to concentrate on Earth Quake and was replaced by Dave Carpender. The second album, Greg Kihn Again, included covers of Bruce Springsteen's "For You" and Buddy Holly's "Love's Made A Fool Of You". This line-up came closest to a hit with "Moulin Rouge", before Gary Phillips (again ex-Earth Quake) joined on guitar in 1981. The change brought about a more commercial direction which found quick reward. "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" reached the US Top 20 and Kihntinued, which housed it, became their biggest selling album, making number 4, after which Carpender was replaced by Greg Douglas (ex-Steve Miller Band). They managed a US number 2 in 1983 with the disco-styled "Jeopardy", before Kihn dropped the band title and recorded solely as Greg Kihn. He continues to collaborate with bubblegum pop writer Kenny Laguna, and has become renowned for his punning album titles. In recent years he has worked as a rock radio presenter, written novels, and still records.
DISCOGRAPHY: Greg Kihn (Beserkley 1975)**, Greg Kihn Again (Beserkley 1977)***, Next Of Kihn (Beserkley 1978)**, With The Naked Eye (Beserkley 1979)***, Glass House Rock (Beserkley 1980)**, Rockihnroll (Beserkley 1981)****, Kihntinued (Beserkley 1982)***, Kihnspiracy (Beserkley 1983)****, Kihntageous (Beserkley 1984)***, Citizen Kihn (EMI 1985)**, Love And Rock And Roll (EMI 1986)***, Unkihntrollable (Rhino 1989)***, Kihn Of Hearts (FR 1992)***, Mutiny (Clean Cuts 1994)***, Live: King Biscuit Flower Hour (King Biscuit Flower Hour 1996)***, Horror Show (Clean Cuts 1996)***.
COMPILATIONS: Kihnsolidation: The Best Of Greg Kihn (Rhino 1989)****, Kihnest Hits (Silenz 1991)***, Kihnspicuous Taste: The Best Of Greg Kihn 1975-88 (Snapper 1998)****, Anthology: All The Right Reasons (Castle 2000)***, True Kihnfessions (CoraZong 2000)***, Best Of Kihn (Beserkley/Sancturay 2003)****.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Horror Show, Greg Kihn. Shade Of Pale, Greg Kihn. Big Rock Beat, Greg Kihn. Mojo Hand, Greg Kihn.

Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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