The Cockroaches were an Australian pub rock band primarily active throughout the 1980s. The band was founded in 1979 by the Field brothers—Paul (lead vocals), John (rhythm guitar, vocals), and Anthony (lead guitar, vocals)—and Tony Henry on drums and Joseph Hallion on saxophone. They were joined in 1981 by Jeff Fatt on keyboards. In 1986 they signed with an independent label, Regular Records, which issued their first three albums, including The Cockroaches (March 1987), which peaked at No. 9 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart; it sold 70,000 copies and was certified platinum by their label. The album spawned the single "She's the One", which became the band's biggest hit when it peaked at No. 7 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart in April 1987. In 1988, The Daily Telegraph described the Cockroaches, who played over 300 gigs a year, as the "Hardest Working Rock'n'Roll Band" in the country.

In September 1988, the band was promoting their second album, Fingertips, when Paul's infant daughter died of SIDS. Although devastated, the group continued with a lower profile, and Anthony left to resume his university studies yet returned periodically to record their later studio albums. Early in 1991, Anthony and Fatt founded a children's music group, the Wiggles. The Cockroaches alumni served as musical and performing support for the new group; John wrote much of their music, Paul became their manager, and Henry performed with them. The Wiggles used many of the Cockroaches' business practices and reworked some of their songs into the children's music genre.

The Cockroaches released their third album, Positive, in June 1991 and left their label by the end of that year. In March 1994 they issued their fourth album, St. Patrick's Day 10am, on their own Roach Records. Australian musicologist Glenn A. Baker described their sound as "rangy, loose-limbed, good-natured, energetic, self-effacing, intuitive, harmonic, melodic, enduring, soused and fiercely frantic".

Members of the Cockroaches have pursued other music careers with John and Paul forming the Field Brothers, John forming his own band called the John Field Band and writing plays and musicals, and Henry working as a session musician. A compilation album, Hey Let's Go – The Best of the Cockroaches was released by Festival Records in 1999.

The Cockroaches (also called the Cockies) were founded in 1979 by the Field brothers (Paul on lead vocals, John on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Anthony (or "Tony") on lead guitar and vocals), while they were students at St. Joseph's College, a Sydney boarding school. According to Paul Field, the Field brothers grew up in a large family, with seven children. The brothers were each born one year apart, so they were very close. Paul said that he and all their siblings were taught music from a young age. Religion was an important part of their family as well; their entire family were involved in their local Catholic parish, which included playing music for services.

Other founders of the Cockroaches were Tony Henry on drums and Joseph Hallion on saxophone; they were joined by Bruce Hatfield on bass guitar by mid-1980. After Paul introduced his brothers to the Rolling Stones, the band took their name from an obscure alias used by Keith Richards during the 1960s because, according to Anthony Field, "it sounded kind of punkish and that scene was blossoming in Sydney at the time". Australian rock historian Ian McFarlane called the band's name "a fitting choice, due mostly to the good-time R&B material that The Cockroaches played during their formative years". One of their first gigs was at their school; Paul convinced the Marist Brothers, who ran St. Joseph's, to allow a charge for the performance. Their proceeds were "donated to 'the missions'". Paul booked their initial performances at local pubs, which, despite some of the member's under-age status, allowed them to perform. Anthony later said, "It was insane, it was fantastic. It was frightening. We didn't realise our playing was so rudimentary, but it didn't matter...Our inadequacies were made up by our spirit". According to Daniel Fallon, who toured with the band, the Cockroaches honed their craft as they performed on stage.

By early 1980, the Cockroaches began writing their own music as well as covering various 1960s rock 'n' roll artists, especially the Rolling Stones. In July 1980, they issued their debut single, "I Want a Leather Jacket", on the Refugee Records label. The song was written by Paul, was produced by Greg Owens and the band, and was recorded at their school and at Studio B in Bondi. According to Australian musicologist, Glenn A. Baker, the track provided "the aura of a rockabilly band ... [but] they have always been much closer in style to the original cocky, bluesy, strident Stones". When they recorded their second single, "Bingo Bango" in June 1981, Hatfield had been replaced by Geoff O'Reagan on bass guitar. This song was written by John and Anthony, was produced by Owens and was recorded at Wirra-Willa Studios. By August of that year Jeff Fatt had joined on keyboards and Phil Robinson became their bass guitarist. According to Anthony, Fatt had been a member of "a seminal Sydney rockabilly band called the Roadmasters", and had joined "to fight boredom". They had hired Fatt and his brother to manage their sound system during gigs. Anthony declared this began "a beautiful three-decade relationship that has made him a very wealthy man". Their early road manager was Graham Kennedy, former guitarist-vocalist for the hard rock band, Finch.

"What the Cockroaches had over many other bands was an ability to connect with their audience. John and Anthony inspired anarchy—one minute leading a scene from Les Misérables or recreating John F Kennedy's assassination on stage, and the next making up a song on the spot (such as "Do the Monkey"). Paul was a powerful singer and leader who kept the gig from descending into mayhem. Jeff was a gifted keyboard player and the rhythm section was tight. It didn't hurt that all of the band members were handsome, as well." – Cockroaches saxophonist Daniel Fallon