The Greg Kihn Band is an American band that was started by frontman Greg Kihn and bassist Steve Wright.
Greg Kihn began his career in his hometown of Baltimore, MD, working in the singer/songwriter mold, but switched to straightforward rock & roll when he moved to San Francisco in 1972.
He started writing songs and playing coffee houses while still in high school in the Baltimore area. At the age of 17 his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of the big local Top 40 radio station WCAO, in which he took first prize and won three things that would change his life: a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar.
He moved to California in 1972 and worked painting houses, singing in the streets, and working behind the counter at Berkeley record store Rather Ripped Records with future band mate and Earth Quake keyboardist Gary Phillips. The following year, he became one of the first artists signed to Matthew Kaufman's Beserkley Records. Along with Jonathan Richman, Earth Quake, and The Rubinoos, Kihn helped to carve the label's sound. In 1976, after his debut on the compilation Beserkley Chartbusters, Kihn and sometimes guitarist Dan Alexander founded the Greg Kihn Band, with former associates of Alexander's Steve Wright and John Cuniberti. Friction with management led to the quick departure of Alexander and Cuniberti. Steve Wright stayed and was the most influential member of the Greg Kihn band, co writing Kihn's hit songs. Kihn recorded his first album, Greg Kihn, with his own band, called The Greg Kihn Band, consisting of Robbie Dunbar (guitar), Steve Wright (bass), and Larry Lynch (drums).
Robbie 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 1983 (changing to a quintet in 1981 with the addition of keyboardist Gary Phillips). Guitarist Greg Douglass replaced Dave Carpender before the band's 1983 Kihnspiracy album.
Through the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year and built a cult following through constant touring, becoming Beserkley's biggest seller. In 1981, Kihn earned his first bona fide hit with the 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). He scored his biggest hit with 1983's "Jeopardy" (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. Greg Kihn made a cameo appearance in the music video. In 1983, the groundbreaking "Jeopardy" video became an MTV favorite. Many of the videos that followed were sequels with connecting story lines. One of the earliest examples of a concept video with its "Night Of The Living Dead" theme, "Jeopardy" received airplay on the fledgling cable music channel.
show less
Greg Kihn began his career in his hometown of Baltimore, MD, working in the singer/songwriter mold, but switched to straightforward rock & roll when he moved to San Francisco in 1972.
He started writing songs and playing coffee houses while still in high school in the Baltimore area. At the age of 17 his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of the big local Top 40 radio station WCAO, in which he took first prize and won three things that would change his life: a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar.
He moved to California in 1972 and worked painting houses, singing in the streets, and working behind the counter at Berkeley record store Rather Ripped Records with future band mate and Earth Quake keyboardist Gary Phillips. The following year, he became one of the first artists signed to Matthew Kaufman's Beserkley Records. Along with Jonathan Richman, Earth Quake, and The Rubinoos, Kihn helped to carve the label's sound. In 1976, after his debut on the compilation Beserkley Chartbusters, Kihn and sometimes guitarist Dan Alexander founded the Greg Kihn Band, with former associates of Alexander's Steve Wright and John Cuniberti. Friction with management led to the quick departure of Alexander and Cuniberti. Steve Wright stayed and was the most influential member of the Greg Kihn band, co writing Kihn's hit songs. Kihn recorded his first album, Greg Kihn, with his own band, called The Greg Kihn Band, consisting of Robbie Dunbar (guitar), Steve Wright (bass), and Larry Lynch (drums).
Robbie 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 1983 (changing to a quintet in 1981 with the addition of keyboardist Gary Phillips). Guitarist Greg Douglass replaced Dave Carpender before the band's 1983 Kihnspiracy album.
Through the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year and built a cult following through constant touring, becoming Beserkley's biggest seller. In 1981, Kihn earned his first bona fide hit with the 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). He scored his biggest hit with 1983's "Jeopardy" (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. Greg Kihn made a cameo appearance in the music video. In 1983, the groundbreaking "Jeopardy" video became an MTV favorite. Many of the videos that followed were sequels with connecting story lines. One of the earliest examples of a concept video with its "Night Of The Living Dead" theme, "Jeopardy" received airplay on the fledgling cable music channel.
The Greg Kihn Band is an American band that was started by frontman Greg Kihn and bassist Steve Wright.
Greg Kihn began his career in his hometown of Baltimore, MD, working in the singer/songwriter mold, but switched to straightforward rock & roll when he moved to San Francisco in 1972.
He started writing songs and playing coffee houses while still in high school in the Baltimore area. At the age of 17 his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of the big local Top 40 radio station WCAO, in which he took first prize and won three things that would change his life: a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar.
He moved to California in 1972 and worked painting houses, singing in the streets, and working behind the counter at Berkeley record store Rather Ripped Records with future band mate and Earth Quake keyboardist Gary Phillips. The following year, he became one of the first artists signed to Matthew Kaufman's Beserkley Records. Along with Jonathan Richman, Earth Quake, and The Rubinoos, Kihn helped to carve the label's sound. In 1976, after his debut on the compilation Beserkley Chartbusters, Kihn and sometimes guitarist Dan Alexander founded the Greg Kihn Band, with former associates of Alexander's Steve Wright and John Cuniberti. Friction with management led to the quick departure of Alexander and Cuniberti. Steve Wright stayed and was the most influential member of the Greg Kihn band, co writing Kihn's hit songs. Kihn recorded his first album, Greg Kihn, with his own band, called The Greg Kihn Band, consisting of Robbie Dunbar (guitar), Steve Wright (bass), and Larry Lynch (drums).
Robbie 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 1983 (changing to a quintet in 1981 with the addition of keyboardist Gary Phillips). Guitarist Greg Douglass replaced Dave Carpender before the band's 1983 Kihnspiracy album.
Through the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year and built a cult following through constant touring, becoming Beserkley's biggest seller. In 1981, Kihn earned his first bona fide hit with the 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). He scored his biggest hit with 1983's "Jeopardy" (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. Greg Kihn made a cameo appearance in the music video. In 1983, the groundbreaking "Jeopardy" video became an MTV favorite. Many of the videos that followed were sequels with connecting story lines. One of the earliest examples of a concept video with its "Night Of The Living Dead" theme, "Jeopardy" received airplay on the fledgling cable music channel.
read more
Greg Kihn began his career in his hometown of Baltimore, MD, working in the singer/songwriter mold, but switched to straightforward rock & roll when he moved to San Francisco in 1972.
He started writing songs and playing coffee houses while still in high school in the Baltimore area. At the age of 17 his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of the big local Top 40 radio station WCAO, in which he took first prize and won three things that would change his life: a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar.
He moved to California in 1972 and worked painting houses, singing in the streets, and working behind the counter at Berkeley record store Rather Ripped Records with future band mate and Earth Quake keyboardist Gary Phillips. The following year, he became one of the first artists signed to Matthew Kaufman's Beserkley Records. Along with Jonathan Richman, Earth Quake, and The Rubinoos, Kihn helped to carve the label's sound. In 1976, after his debut on the compilation Beserkley Chartbusters, Kihn and sometimes guitarist Dan Alexander founded the Greg Kihn Band, with former associates of Alexander's Steve Wright and John Cuniberti. Friction with management led to the quick departure of Alexander and Cuniberti. Steve Wright stayed and was the most influential member of the Greg Kihn band, co writing Kihn's hit songs. Kihn recorded his first album, Greg Kihn, with his own band, called The Greg Kihn Band, consisting of Robbie Dunbar (guitar), Steve Wright (bass), and Larry Lynch (drums).
Robbie 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 1983 (changing to a quintet in 1981 with the addition of keyboardist Gary Phillips). Guitarist Greg Douglass replaced Dave Carpender before the band's 1983 Kihnspiracy album.
Through the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year and built a cult following through constant touring, becoming Beserkley's biggest seller. In 1981, Kihn earned his first bona fide hit with the 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). He scored his biggest hit with 1983's "Jeopardy" (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. Greg Kihn made a cameo appearance in the music video. In 1983, the groundbreaking "Jeopardy" video became an MTV favorite. Many of the videos that followed were sequels with connecting story lines. One of the earliest examples of a concept video with its "Night Of The Living Dead" theme, "Jeopardy" received airplay on the fledgling cable music channel.
show less
Date/Times:
2367 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704
The Best Events
Every Week in Your Inbox
From Our Sponsors
UPCOMING EVENTS
Great suggestion! We'll be in touch.
Event reviewed successfully.