David Roach, the vocalist of veteran East Hollywood rock band Junkyard, has passed away at the age of 59 following a battle with cancer.
News of Roach’s passing was confirmed by Junkyard’s official social media account in a post made on Saturday (Aug. 2).
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of David Roach,” the post read. “After a courageous battle with cancer, David passed away peacefully last night at home, in the loving arms of his wife.
“He was a gifted artist, performer, songwriter, and singer—but above all, a devoted father, husband, and brother.
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“Our thoughts are with the entire Roach family and everyone who loved him.”
Originally hailing from Austin, Texas, Roach rose to fame as the frontman for Junkyard, which formed in Los Angeles in 1987 out of the ashes of the short-lived Texas outfit Strappados.
Initially boasting the likes of influential skateboarder Tony Alva in the lineup, the group released its self-titled debut on the Geffen label in 1989, with its membership also including the likes of former Minor Threat guitarist Brian Baker, just years prior to his joining Bad Religion.
The group’s debut was a modest success, peaking at No. 105 on the Billboard 200, and spawning singles such as “Blooze,” “Hollywood,” and “Simple Man,” with the latter reaching No. 47 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay charts.
Though 1991’s Sixes, Sevens & Nines wouldn’t chart, the group’s final record as part of the Geffen stable did result in the single “All the Time in the World,” which outperformed its predecessor when it reached No. 24 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay charts.
The group would be dropped by Geffen soon after and they split in 1992, with their unreleased third album later being issued independently in 1998.
Junkyard would reform in 1999, performing regularly and issuing a handful of releases ahead of a new studio album in 2017 called High Water. Their final record, it reached the top 25 of Billboard’s Hard Rock Album Sales Chart and put an end to years of requests from fans for new music.
“There’s a diehard fan base that never stopped digging us,” guitarist Tim Mosher told Billboard in 2017. “During our sporadic touring we would always come across fans asking us when we would release a proper full-length.”
In March 2025, Junkyard announced that Roach had been battling “aggressive squamous cell carcinoma affecting his head, neck, and throat,” and launched a GoFundMe campaign to aid in his treatment.
