Two Years Ago Today, We Said Goodbye to the 1980s San Francisco Power Pop Hero Who Doubled as a Horror Novelist

On this day (August 13) in 2024, Greg Kihn—best known for hit songs “Jeopardy” and “The Break Up Song”—died at age 75 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition to founding and leading the Greg Kihn Band in 1976, the power-pop icon also penned several popular horror novels.

His debut, 1996’s Horror Show, earned a nomination for the renowned Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel.

“[Greg Kihn was] known for his magnetic stage presence and unique storytelling that captivated audiences around the globe,” Kihn’s friend, Skylar Turtle, wrote in a eulogy posted to the singer’s official website. “He was not merely a musician but a cultural phenomenon whose influence will resonate for generations to come.”

Today, we’re exploring the life and legacy of Greg Kihn on the second anniversary of his passing.

About Greg Kihn

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 10, 1949, Greg Kihn became inspired to take up music after seeing the Beatles’ February 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

 “If you were a shy 14-year-old kid who already had a guitar, it was a life-altering event. … In a single weekend everything had changed,” he recalled to CBS News in 2014. “I’d come home from school the previous Friday looking like Dion [DiMucci]. I went back to class on Monday morning with my hair dry and brushed forward. That’s how quickly it happened.”

After winning a talent search competition sponsored by a local radio station in high school, Kihn cut his teeth on the Baltimore club circuit until he headed to San Francisco in the early 1970s.

The Shift to Rock and Roll

Supporting himself by painting houses and singing in the streets, Greg Kihn eventually settled in Berkeley.

There, he was among the first artists signed to Beserkley Records, whose roster included proto-punk icon Jonathan Richman of the Modern Lovers.

After his solo debut on the compilation album Beserkley Chartbusters, he formed The Greg Kihn Band. They arrived on scene with the 1976 album Greg Kihn.

Throughout the 1970s, Kihn released an album each year and toured constantly, building a dedicated cult following. His album titles often riffed on his own last name, with examples including Next of Kihn (1978), and RocKihnRoll (1981).

Commercial Success at Last

While beloved in the Bay Area, Kihn and his band couldn’t quite seem to crack the national scene.

“The rap is, why hasn’t Greg Kihn made it yet,” he told Rolling Stone in 1980. “I don’t know and I don’t care. … I’ve given up worrying about ascending to the throne.”

Their breakthrough finally arrived the following year when “The Breakup Song” reached number 15 on the U.S. pop chart.

[RELATED: How a Restaurant Patron Inspired The Greg Kihn Band’s Breakthrough Hit]

Two years later, Kihn scored a career highlight with “Jeopardy”, which reached number two on the pop chart. It also inspired the Weird Al parody “I Lost on Jeopardy”—which Kihn considered an honor.

“It was a brilliant parody… God bless that man!” he said. “I still get mailbox money from Weird Al!”

During the 1980s, Kihn had the honor of opening arena-sized shows for the likes of Journey, the Grateful Dead, and the Rolling Stones.

Outside of music, he also spent 18 years as a morning radio host for the Bay Area classic rock station KFOX. Kihn was a member of the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame.

Featured image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images

The post Two Years Ago Today, We Said Goodbye to the 1980s San Francisco Power Pop Hero Who Doubled as a Horror Novelist appeared first on American Songwriter.