Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Robinson.
Hi Zach, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been a musician most of my life. I was born and raised on Long Island, NY, in a little town named Patchogue. I remember watching MTV as a kid, daydreaming of the days when I could perform for other people. I picked up the guitar when I turned ten, took some lessons and have been hooked ever since. I cut my teeth as a musician during my decade-long stint living in Colorado. Definitely some of the best years of my life. I was in a few different projects during my time there. I had the opportunity to hone my craft, learn the music business and truly grow as a person. One year ago, my journey took me south, to the lovely town of San Marcos, TX. I started out going to open mics/open jams in Austin and the surrounding areas looking for other musicians to collaborate with. I ended up running into a fellow CO musician, Blake Rooker, this past April in Austin. We started jamming together and quickly realized we had a strong musical bond. We auditioned a few drummers until we met a cat named Arthur Brewer. Both Blake and I knew he was the one to fill out our three-piece. Our new project is called The Disconnectors.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has certainly been filled with potholes and asteroid-sized craters, haha. Much like every other musician on earth, my musical journey was halted dead in its’ tracks during the initial covid period. My last band, The Sixty Minute Men, was on its last legs prior to covid but was laid to rest during the lockdown. In 2020, I embarked on a solo musical quest. I put out my first ever solo EP “Evolve” that fall. I followed that with one more single and music video in 2021 called “What A Crazy World.” I played one gig that August at The Lost Lake in Denver, CO and that was pretty much the end of my solo career. After moving to Texas, I quickly realized that I missed the collaborative environment of a regular band and have been super stoked on being thrust back into that dynamic.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the guitarist/backing vocalist for a brand new group based out of Austin, TX called The Disconnectors. We are an energetic three-piece rock band with a dash of punk and psychedelia. Out of all the bands I have been involved with, I have had the most fun playing in The Disconnectors. This summer, we recorded three brand new singles. Two are currently out now and we will be releasing one more in October. We have amassed a solid amount of original music, in a very short time frame. We will be heading back into the studio in the coming months to record even more music.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Keep going! The music industry, like anything else, is a grind. It will chew you up and spit you out if you let it. You need to take the licks, the failures, the letdowns and keep moving forward. Network! Go to other bands’ shows, tell them you dug their set, and maybe buy some merch. Music is a business, treat it like one. Explore music outside your comfort zones. If you’re a blues cat, go to a classical show. If you are a pop singer, go check out GWAR. Be open musically. You never know what will spark your creative process. Don’t play wasted! I tried it during my early twenties, it didn’t work for me. I never sounded as good as I thought I did, haha. Treat it as you would any other profession. Never stop learning and practicing! Be inspired by other musicians. Every time I watch a clip of Steve Vai shredding and I want to lay my guitar in a shallow grave for all eternity, I remember the wise words of the late, great Neil Peart of Rush: “I’ve heard the stories. Like, Eric Clapton said he wanted to burn his guitar when he heard Jimi Hendrix play. I never understood that because, when I went and saw a great drummer or heard one, all I wanted to do was practice.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @thedisconnectors
- Facebook: @The Disconnectors
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3xD0k3dfpOYoAorCEfAoqg?si=gFtv6i45TqqMfF0S2maLuQ&utm_source=copy-link
