Zatopeks
Loitering & Sauntering
There are many things to love about the Zatopeks - their wit and intelligence alone sets them apart from many run-of-the-mill punk bands - but Im especially fond of the way they add a hefty dollop of 50s rock and roll and doo-wop to the mix, and how they dont shy away from vital political issues, both past and present, yet manage to avoid beating you over the head with them. Although they started out in Britain, two out of the five Zatopeks now live in Germany, having made their own reverse Brexit some years ago. Their sound, though, cant be fixed to any one time or place: American influences abound along with the British and continental ones. Theyre one of those rare bands that continues to get better with age, and whose music continues to yield new treasures on repeated listenings. That kid in the pub back in 1998 may have had the last laugh on me by turning his crazy punk rock dreams into reality, but though I dont usually enjoy being proven wrong, this is one of those cases where being wrong never felt so right. - Larry Livermore