What Happened To Greg Kihn?

Younger readers and collectors probably have no idea who I'm talking about. Older (much older) people like me undoubtedly remember Kihn as one of the acts that got a lot of play in the early days of MTV. He was known for The Breakup Song (uh-uh-uh uh-uh-uh-uh-uh) and Our Love's In Jeopardy. Weird Al immortalized the latter as I Lost on Jeopardy. Why am I talking about the guy here and where has he gone?

Well, Greg Kihn is still alive and presumably well. He does a radio show out in California. And you still hear those catchy songs on the oldies channels.

But as far as Horror Drive-In is concerned, Kihn is revered for writing a quartet of excellent horror novels a while back.

The first one, Horror Show, took everyone by surprise back in '96. I heard it was good, but I liked it far more than I ever dreamed I would. In fact, I'd go so far as to make the claim that Horror Show is one of the best genre novels of the 90's. It's an incredibly savvy and smart book that revels in horror and B-Movie history. The story deals with a 1950's filmmaker that shoots a horror movie called Cadaver in a morgue, with rumors going around that he shot it using real corpses.

Horror Show manages to walk a fine line and use humor and outrageous situation, yet Kihn also makes his story scary. It's a neat trick that I'm sure is a lot harder than it seems by reading the book. Many have tried to combine wit and genuine horror, but few have successfully done so.

Horror Show was nominated for a Stoker for First Novel, but lost to Owl Goingback, for his novel Crota. No offense to Mr. Goingback, but I thought the award should have gone to Kihn.

Kihn followed Horror Show with a less delirious horror story called Shade of Pale. It's a good book, but I didn't think it was in the same league as Horror Show.

Greg Kihn returned in 1998 with Big Rock Beat, and he also used some of the same characters he created in Horror Show. Subtitled A Wacky Zany Romp, Big Rock Beat is a loving throwback to bikini beach movies. If it's not as wildly enjoyable as Horror Show, it's not for lack of trying on Kihn's part. I cannot imagine any fan of 60's exploitation film not having a blast with this ridiculously fun novel.

Kihn returned to the deranged world her first created with Horror Show in 2002 with Mojo Hand. This story takes place in the late 1970's. Someone is killing the living masters of the blues. Enter an albino guitar player, a voodoo priestess, and a mummified hand. To learn more you must read Mojo Hand. But please read Horror Show and Big Rock Beat first.

Greg Kihn published some short stories, and an excellent anthology of stories by rock musicians, about rock music, called Carved In Rock. This was in 2003.

Here it is, eight years later, and I'm left wondering what happened? I want to read more fiction by Greg Kihn. Hopefully in novel-length form.

What I'd really like to see is some smart small press do a deluxe edition of Horror Show. The novel deserves it far more than many I see coming out today. I'm sure the presses have their schedules pretty full, but Horror Show would be such a great title to come out. I'd love to see it jumpstart the writing career of Greg Kihn.

But for now, everyone should read Horror Show. Unlike many books I recommend, you can get this one for practically nothing at the secondary stores.

Oh, Greg Kihn released a CD called Horror Show about the same time that Horror Show: The Novel, was published. I bought it, and it's a decent album, but the title cut, Horror Show, is marvelous. It has nothing to do with the book, but it's a real favorite of mine. I'd like to have it played at my funeral. You guys are my only real family. Maybe some of you could help make it happen whenever the time comes.



And finally, should these words happen to reach Greg Kihn's eyes, Greg, baby, I love your stuff. Please write some more!