David Roback

David grew up in Hollywood California. He started a band called Rain Parade with his brother Steven. They first hit the scene in 1982 as part of a loose aggregate of psychedelic '60s-influenced guitar bands in Los Angeles, and they were in the forefront of that movement which lasted a couple years.
After Rain Parade's first album and tours, David left the band. He now got involved, both musically and emotionally with ex-Dream Syndicate bassist Kendra Smith and formed a new band named Clay Allison in 1983. The recordings from the summer this year remained unreleased until the 1989 release of Opal Early Recordings.

After Clay Allison's '84 tour, the band decided to go with a name change, and went from Clay Allison to Opal whose sound was defined by Roback's spare, distorted guitar work and Smith's lyrical voice. They released the Northern Line EP in 1985. SST Records signed Opal and released their masterpiece album Happy Nightmare Baby on December 14 1987. During the Opal tour in Decemeber '87, Kendra Smith left the band. She was replaced by Kendra's friend, Hope Sandoval, and they toured Europe through early 1988. Hope and David had an intimate relationship at this time and after Opal was disbanded, David and Hope took the remaining members of Opal and changed their name to Mazzy Star in 1989.

In Mazzy Star David plays guitar and occasionally keyboard and piano. While Hope Sandoval writes the lyrics David compose almost all the music. He has also been the producer of all their recordings.

In 1999 David worked with Beth Orton. He produced and mixed some songs on her album Central Reservation. And back in 1990 he worked as producer for the band Sacred Miracle Cave.
Roback have been spending most of his time in Norway the last eight or nine years. Different sources says that he's been working on material to a new Mazzy Star album. If that ever will be released is hard to say.
David have also played a smaller part in the french movie "Clean" (2004) in which he played himself.