[3] Roback was active in the Paisley Underground indie music scene in Los Angeles in the early to mid-1980s as leader of the band Rain Parade, which was popular on the local club circuit.

[1] Shortly after the release of Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, their debut album in 1983, Roback left Rain Parade to join Rainy Day, a collective featuring other musicians from the Paisley Underground.

[3] He reunited with Sandoval to release Mazzy Star's fourth studio album in 2013, Seasons of Your Day, followed by the 2018 EP Still, which was promoted with a three-night residency at the Sydney Opera House.

[3] Prior to his death, Roback had been working with Kendra Smith on re-releases of Happy Nightmare Baby and a compilation of Opal EPs titled Early Recordings, both of which are "imminently" due for release via INgrooves.

[1][3][9] Numerous musicians paid tribute to him, including his Mazzy Star bandmate Hope Sandoval,[10] Unconscious and Rainy Day bandmate Susanna Hoffs, Clairo, Jennifer O'Connor, Joe Pernice, Craig Wedren, Steve Wynn, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices, Grasshopper of Mercury Rev, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Mac McCaughan of Superchunk, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, A. C. Newman of The New Pornographers, Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins, as well as bands The Pastels, Sleigh Bells and The Vacant Lots.