Former LUNGBRUSH Singer Troy "Roach" Coates Passes
March 22, 2009, 15 years ago
Former LUNGBRUSH/current GHOST OF THE UNDERGROUND singer Troy "Roach" Coates has died after suffering from a rare form of adrenal cancer. He celebrated his 43rd birthday on March 1st.
According to his bio, "Roach fought to get metal and all heavy/hardcore music back to the forefront of the Chicago music scene and into the bigger venues like The Metro and The House of Blues. Lungbrush and Roach worked endlessly to unite Chicago bands, and due to his persistence with people such as Joe Shanahan from The Metro, bands like DISTURBED, SOIL, MACABRE, 5 POINT O, RELATIVE ASH, YAKUZA (and the list goes on) were given a chance. These larger venues were selling out shows, bands were getting signed to good record deals, and the next generation of metal had a path to follow."
Roach's MySpace page adds: "Psycho frontman for metal bands, loving husband to Tina and caring father. Union painter. I would love to pursue acting and comedy. One day hope to counsel people with alcohol and drug addictions."
Former TROUBLE singer Eric Wagner posted the following poem on Roach's MySpace page.
A constant slumber seems to take
And would not for the world awake
I'm down down by the water at evenings tide
Watching angel wings unfold
On the other side
Lonely faces disappear
And all my troubles too
All that's in my heart
Is with me still
As the sun draws near
For more info on Roach visit www.rockforroach.com.
