Bert Susanka was a singer and rhythm guitarist best known for fronting The Ziggens. Formed in the early 1990s in Huntington Beach, California, the band blended cowpunk, surf, rockabilly, punk, ska, and country into their self-described "cowpunksurfabilly" style. Their debut album C0002 was released in 1990. The Ziggens gained attention when their song "Big Salty Tears" was covered by Bradley Nowell on Sublime's acoustic album. They contributed a cover of "Paddle Out" to the Sublime tribute album Look at All the Love We Found, released in June 2005. Throughout their career, The Ziggens released several albums, including Wake Up & Smell and Oregon. Susanka also formed the children's music side project Jelly of the Month Club with Bud Gaugh. After a long battle with ALS, Bert Susanka passed away on August 17, 2024, at the age of 62.
