About Zach Taylor Roth
Screenwriter
Though inspired by film from an early age as a way to make sense of a sometimes frightening world, Zach only began seriously pursuing screenwriting in 2021. It quickly became a medium for him to explore societal issues (exploitation, late-stage capitalism) and personal struggles (masculinity, anxiety, depression). His recent script, Ivories, a thriller set in the music industry, has received recognition in several screenwriting competitions and festivals.
Musician
For years, Zach has slogged it out as a guitarist and sometime vocalist in a string of bands, performing in dive bars, dingy basements, sparsely populated clubs, and everywhere in between. Despite the false starts, near-misses, and bands breaking up just as they were about to “make it,” Zach has sharpened his skills across a range of genres, including indie rock, punk, blues, folk, and shoegaze. Currently, Zach is a guitarist/vocalist in Structure Sounds, a heartland punk band signed to Wiretap Records.
Music →
Writer
Zach’s essay writing navigates the realms of music, film, history, politics, and culture, all infused with his signature humor. With a sharp wit and a discerning eye, he examines the connections between the profound and the absurd, always striving to provoke thought and challenge conventional thinking.
Recent posts
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The Art of the Album Opener
20 Essential Track 1s What makes a great album opener? It’s a question that becomes increasingly irrelevant with each passing year, as the music world sinks deeper into algorithm-dominated streaming playlists, and listeners settle into more passive habits. Yet for a dedicated minority of music fans, the album remains the primary medium to experience and
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Laughing Through the Ashes
9/11 Humor in a Broken World I’ll never forget the first time I cracked a 9/11 joke. It was September 14, 2001. I was 11 years old. My children’s theater company was holding a candlelight vigil for the victims. Trying to impress my older friends in the cast, I suggested that instead of the solemn,
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