Sadly, Bert Susanka, frontman of Orange County band The Ziggens has passed away. He was 62 and had been battling ALS. Susanka was also a co-founder of Skunk records, the label that served as Sublime's launching pad. Of course, Susanka was a big influence on Sublime, with Sublime often covering or referencing Susanaka and Ziggens. Ziggens played with Sublime, No Doubt, Slightly Stoopid, Supernova, Mike Watt, The Vandals, Guttermouth, Voodoo Glowskulls, The Cadillac Tramps, and many, many more. Before his passing, unable to use his voice, Bert recorded an instrumental album which will feature vocals from his friends and peers alike. The Ziggens released their final album, Oregon in September 2021. You can see the family's statement below.
Susanka Family Statement
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Bert Susanka on August 17, 2024. Though we grieve his loss, we find peace in knowing he is now in God’s loving embrace.
For the past year and a half, Bert has battled ALS with extraordinary courage, never wavering in his positivity, sharp wit, or steadfast faith. In his final days, he reached out on social media to anyone who needed prayer, knowing he would soon speak directly with the creator on their behalf. He has assured us that all who reached out will remain in his thoughts and prayers forever.
Bert's legacy of kindness and generosity was woven into countless acts of quiet charity, many of which surfaced only through the heartfelt thanks of those he helped or by chance discoveries of family and friends. These moments reveal the depth of his character and his unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.
In the late 1980s, while working at a sunglass shop in the Westminster Mall, Bert turned his dream of playing music into a reality by forming The Ziggens. The band's unique blend of cowpunk, surf, rockabilly, punk, ska, and country earned them a dedicated following and solidified their place in the Southern California music scene. Reflecting on his journey, Bert once said, "When we started out we didn’t think we would play portions of two Warped Tours, open for Sublime, open for No Doubt, tour with The Ventures, tour with Dick Dale, open for Mojo Nixon, open for the Beat Farmers, open for NRBQ multiple times, open for Coolio, open for Slightly Stoopid, the great Frank Black (pixies) and have our disc 'Pomona Lisa' produced by Elliot Easton of the Cars, get played and interviewed on KROQ and 91X, make all these CD’s, make videos, get two record deals, tour many stages and different countries and still be playing shows and having fun. But dreams do come true."
Beyond The Ziggens, Bert brought joy to young listeners with two children’s albums as part of Jelly of The Month Club, released a solo album titled Onward Christian Slater, as well as an album with Bert Susanka and the Astronaut Love Triangle titled Space Junk, available on Bandcamp. As a lifelong fan of Peanuts, Bert was honored to voice Snoopy in song at Knott’s Berry Farm and to build a friendship with Charles M. Schulz's family.
For a deeper dive into his musical journey, visit theziggensofficial.com, where you’ll find a treasure trove of writings, pictures, videos. His music is available for streaming across all platforms, with physical copies available on select sites.
Though we mourn his passing, Bert did not want us to dwell in sorrow. We are happy to announce that post-diagnosis he left us a stand-up comedy routine and recorded 25 brand new instrumental surf songs that will feature performances from his closest friends in music - both to be released soon.
Details regarding Bert's memorial service will be shared in the coming days. In the meantime, we encourage you to reflect on and share your stories of how Bert’s music and spirit touched your life.
He was a devoted family man, survived by his wife of 35 years, Susan, and their four sons Paul, Eric, Ryan, and Jacob. Though we will miss him dearly, his music, life, and legacy will endure forever.
With love and gratitude,
The family of Bert Susanka