Michael Zilkha grew up in London and moved to New York in 1975. After interviewing John Cale for Interview Magazine in 1977, he and Cale started a short lived record label, Spy Records. After Spy Records Michael founded Ze Records. Very quickly, Michael signed many No Wave acts such as The Contortions, Cristina, Suicide, The Waitresses, and Teenage Jesus and the Jerks.

By 1984 Michael stepped back from the record business. He then took a job as an Editor at Atlantic Monthly Press and in 1986 moved to Houston where he and his father founded Zilkha Renewable Energy, which under its present ownership remains one of the largest renewable energy companies in the United States.  Currently Michael is the founder and owner of publisher Ze Books.