Dave Allen, who performed bass guitar throughout influential British post-punk band Gang of 4’s early years — and who went on to discovered the group Shriekback — has died. He was 69.
Allen’s former Gang of 4 bandmate Hugo Burnham shared the information of his passing on Sunday (April 6).
“It’s with damaged but full hearts that we share the information that Dave Allen, our previous music companion, pal, and sensible musician, died on Saturday morning,” Burnham wrote on Gang of 4’s Instagram, the place the band featured a number of images in a tribute to Allen. “He was at residence along with his household.”
“Dave had endured the early-onset of blended dementia for some years which has been a heartbreaking time for his spouse Paddy, his kids, and shut buddies. Our love and ideas are with them,” he acknowledged.
The word continued: “Jon and I [Hugo] went to see him and spent a stunning afternoon with him and the household. We talked and laughed for hours, sharing wealthy and vivid recollections of excellent instances collectively. Adventures, careers in music, elevating households, our interwoven lives spanning half a century. We’ve been so very fortunate to have had the Ace of Bass in our lives. We all know that Dave would have wished nothing greater than to step onstage with us once more in Portland on our farewell US tour. Nevertheless it’s now a bridge too far. Goodbye, Previous Pal.”
After becoming a member of Gang of 4 with Burnham, Jon King and Andy Gill in Leeds in 1976, Allen made his mark as bassist on the band’s debut album, 1979’s Leisure!, and their follow-up set, 1981’s Stable Gold. Whereas neither had been chart successes within the U.S., Gang of 4’s early work influenced the likes of Michael Stipe, Flea and Kurt Cobain, who included Leisure! on his prime 50 albums listing (as printed within the posthumous Journals).
In 1981, Allen fashioned Shriekback with Barry Andrews (XTC, The League of Gents), and went on to document plenty of albums with the group.
Allen rejoined Gang of 4 for a reunion with the core lineup within the mid-’00s. He additionally carried out with bands together with The Elastic Purejoy and Low Pop Suicide.
Gang of 4 bandmate Gill, the group’s founding guitarist, died in 2020.
Allen’s expertise within the music trade went past the recording studio and stage. Most lately he co-founded and served as director of music relations at DinWorkshop, a consultancy, design studio and lab constructed to create alongside musicians.
Beforehand he held positions in artist relations and artist advocacy at Apple Music and Beats Music, was enterprise growth director in client digital audio companies at Intel, and within the late ’90s was normal supervisor at eMusic. Allen was a speaker and panelist on digital technique, music and expertise at SXSW, CMJ, SF Music Tech and extra all through his profession.
