Junkyard frontman David Roach has died at the age of 59 after a battle with cancer.
Roach’s passing comes after the singer was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in February. After falling ill with a fever and cough, it was discovered that Roach was suffering from an “aggressive squamous cell carcinoma affecting his head, neck, and throat,” per Blabbermouth.
At the time, David’s wife Jennifer Michael-Roach and his close friends launched a GoFundMe to help raise funds for his treatment, raising $35,000.
Roach’s bandmates in Junkyard shared the following statement in a Facebook post:
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of David Roach. 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. Our thoughts are with the entire Roach family and everyone who loved him.”
Junkyard formed in Los Angeles in 1987 and initially featured skateboarder Tony Alva on bass. Notably, the band also sported guitarist Brian Baker (of Minor Threat and Bad Religion fame) and ex-Big Boys member Chris Gates.
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The band was signed by Geffen, which released Junkyard’s self-titled debut in 1989 and the follow-up Sixes, Sevens & Nines in 1991. The sound can be described a harder and blusier taker on the glam/sleaze rock present in L.A. at the time, and while Roach and company only enjoyed cursory mainstream success — “Simple Man” and “All the Time in the World” were their highest charting singles — those first two albums are considered cult classics among hair/glam metal diehards.
The limited commercial impact and changing industry resulted in Geffen dropping the band in 1992, leading to its breakup. An unreleased third album was independently issued in 1998, with Junkyard re-forming a year later. Their final album High Water was released in 2017 and reached the Top 25 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Album Sales Chart.
Revisit Junkyard’s two biggest songs and see the band’s social media post about David Roach’s passing below.
