Mazzy Star Founder David Roback Dead At 61

LOS ANGELES, CA — David Roback, best known as a co-founder of the influential Los Angeles alternative rock band Mazzy Star, has died, a publicist for the group announced Tuesday. He was 61.

Roback died Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing information from his publicist. A cause of death was not immediately given.

Roback and Hope Sandoval formed Mazzy Star in Santa Monica in 1989 after another group he had co-founded, Opal, broke apart. Mazzy Star's biggest mainstream hit was 1994's "Fade Into You," which hit No. 44 on Billboard's Hot 100 and No. 3 on its Modern Rock chart.

That song has since become a dreamy anthem of that era, appearing in the soundtracks for such television shows as "Ray Donovan."

A producer, guitarist and keyboardist, Roback played a leading role in the neo-psychedelic revival of the 1980s and '90s. He also formed Rain Parade, one of the key bands in Los Angeles' "paisley underground" scene of the early '80s.

"I felt like a punk," he told Robert Hilburn of The Times in 1990. "That's the attitude I identified with. But when I picked up the guitar and started playing it, the music didn't come out sounding punk. It was something else..."

In 1993, Roback explained the appeal of Mazzy Star's cosmic music to The Times.

"So much about music is overdetermined by television and what people write and say about it," he said. "You have to leave something to people's imagination, so they feel they can participate. Music is music. We don't want to be part of that over-determination. We feel you should be able to shut your eyes and listen to it."

Susanna Hoffs, a founding member of the band The Bangles, tweeted: "Peace and love David Roback... my first musical partner and my very dear friend. You will be eternally missed."

Hoffs also posted a link to a song she recorded with Roback.

Roback produced and curated the 1984 communal album "Rainy Day," which featured members of the Rain Parade, the Bangles, the Dream Syndicate and the Three O'Clock performing covers of songs by the Velvet Underground, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Big Star, the Beach Boys and others.

City News Service