INTERVIEW: SoCal band the Ziggens head to ‘Oregon’ for new album

Image courtesy of the band / Provided by Earshot Media with permission.

---

The Ziggens are back with new music. Their recently released album is called Oregon, and the recording continues their unique brand of punk, surf, rockabilly and overall energetic vibes. They are Southern California to the core, and each of the 19 tracks on the new album showcase their beach-infused style and 30 years of history.

Bert Susanka is on guitar and vocals for the band, and he’s joined by Brad Conyers on drums and vocals, Dickie Little on guitar, and Jon Poutney on bass. Over the years the quartet has achieved many milestones: opening for Sublime, opening for No Doubt, appearing on Vans Warped tours, co-headlining with Dick Dale and jamming with the Ventures. These past two years they have been sidelined because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have remained creative and are ready to unleash Oregon on their fans.

Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Susanka about the new album and how they came to be friends with the musicians in Sublime. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

When did work on Oregon begin?

I started writing the songs and doing rough demos over the last four to five years and then doing actual recording over the last two. 

How have you been able to maintain your original lineup throughout 30 years?

None of us ever stopped getting a big kick out of our ridiculous live shows. Harassing the audience and being harassed by the audience is irreplaceable. 

How much has the ocean and surf music influenced your sound? 

A lot. I love surf music. I heard reverb drenched music as a kid. We got to tour with Dick Dale and the Ventures. That’s a big deal for a kid from Huntington Beach who didn’t even pick [up] a guitar until age 23. I wanted to learn a few songs to play around the campfire on ocean camping vacations. 

How did you first connect with the guys of Sublime?

Our initial guitarist Michael (Miguel) Happoldt told us about them. He went on to be their manager, and we replaced him all those years ago with Dickie — around 30 years ago. Same Ziggen lineup since. We opened for Sublime more than any other group and became fast friends.

Have you been able to play these new songs in front of a live crowd? What’s it like to perform during a pandemic?

We have not performed the new songs yet. We have not performed during the pandemic, but we do a lot of crochet and macramé to compensate. 

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

The Ziggens’ new album is called Oregon. Click here for more information.