Gang of Four and Shriekback Bassist Dave Allen Passes Away at 69

Dave Allen, the renowned bassist of the influential post-punk band Gang of Four, has passed away at the age of 69.

The news was shared on Sunday, April 6, by his former bandmate, drummer Hugo Burnham, who posted a heartfelt tribute on social media.

Allen, who was living in Portland, Oregon, had been battling early-onset mixed dementia for several years, though no specific cause of death was provided.

"It is with broken yet full hearts that we share the news that Dave Allen, our old music partner, friend, and brilliant musician, died on Saturday morning," Burnham wrote. "He was surrounded by his family, and Jon [King, singer] and I had spent a wonderful afternoon with him not long before his passing."

According to RollingStone, Allen played a key role in Gang of Four's core lineup, joining after the band's early formation and contributing to the iconic albums Entertainment! (1979) and Solid Gold (1981).

While he was not the band's original bassist, he became integral to the group's sound during its post-punk heyday.

After leaving the Gang of Four in 1982, Allen co-founded the British rock band Shriekback, where he continued to make his mark with the band's distinctive sound.

Shriekback gained attention with tracks featured in the soundtracks of TV shows like "Miami Vice" and "Manhunter."

Allen's musical journey also included founding King Swamp and a later return to Gang of Four for various reunion tours, including their performance at Coachella in 2005.

Over the years, Allen transitioned into the business side of music, working for Beats Music (now Apple Music) as Director of Artist & Music Industry Advocacy. His extensive career saw him touching various parts of the music world, from bands to technology.

Dave Allen Remembered as Gang of Four Announces Final Tour

In recent years, Gang of Four, which continued after the passing of guitarist Andy Gill in 2020, had announced a farewell tour, "The Long Goodbye," which is scheduled to begin in April 2025.

The band's upcoming shows will be without Allen, and Burnham reflected on the band's plans without him: "We know that Dave would have wanted nothing more than to step onstage with us again in Portland on our farewell US tour. But it's now a bridge too far. Goodbye, Old Friend."

Many of Allen's fans and fellow musicians paid tribute following the news of his death.

Gail Greenwood, bassist for L7 and Belly, who joined Gang of Four for their farewell tour, posted on social media, praising Allen as a master of iconic bass lines and expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to play his parts on stage.

Fans flooded social media with their own tributes, recalling Allen's remarkable bass playing and his influence on the post-punk genre, Mirror said.

One fan remarked, "He laid down some of the most iconic, memorable, and funky basslines in post-punk history."

Dave Allen was born in Kendal, Westmorland, in December 1955. Beyond his work with Gang of Four and Shriekback, he was involved in several other musical projects, including The Elastic Purejoy and Low Pop Suicide.

He also ventured into business, founding a digital strategy firm called Fight and running an independent record label, Pampelmoose.