The Kropotkins, an American avant-garde music collective, were formed in 1994 by drummer Jonathan Kane and Dave Soldier. Their musical influences ranged from Bill Monroe to Howlin' Wolf. The group was named after Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin and initially included members such as Lorrette Velvette on vocals and Samm Bennett on percussion. The band's inception was inspired by a concert performance with John Cale in Germany, where Soldier had an epiphany to start the collective. Their debut album, The Kropotkins, was released in 1996 under Mulatta Records and received favorable reviews, including a B+ grade from Tony Scherman. The group's subsequent releases include Five Points Crawl (2000), Paradise Square (2010) featuring B.J. Cole on pedal steel guitar, and Portents of Love (2015).
