Legendary 'Gang of Four Bassist' Dave Allen passes away at 69 after a battle with dementia

Dave Allen, known as the original bassist for the influential post-punk band Gang of Four, has passed away at the age of 69. The band shared the sad news on social media, saying that Allen died at home on Saturday, April 5, surrounded by his family. Although the exact cause of death wasn’t mentioned, the group confirmed that Allen had been living with early-onset dementia for several years.
Allen, whose full name was David Geoffrey Allen, came from a working-class background and was born in the town of Kendal in Northern England. He later moved to Leeds, where he became part of the local music scene. It was in Leeds that he joined Gang of Four, stepping in as bassist after Dave Wolfson’s departure. Alongside bandmates Jon King, Andy Gill, and Hugo Burnham, Allen contributed to the group’s groundbreaking 1979 debut album, Entertainment!.
The album combined raw post-punk energy with funky rhythms and sharp, politically charged lyrics. It quickly gained a cult following and went on to influence many well-known bands like R.E.M., Nirvana, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Allen stayed with the group for their second album, Solid Gold, which also earned praise and expanded their fan base, particularly in the United States.
However, by 1981, tensions within the group—along with burnout and issues related to substance use—led Allen to leave Gang of Four while they were touring. That same year, he teamed up with Barry Andrews of XTC to form the band Shriekback. Over the years, Allen was involved in many other musical projects, including Elastic Purejoy, Low Pop Suicide, King Swamp, and Faux Hoax.
He briefly reunited with Gang of Four in 2004 for a tour but eventually stepped away again. It was known that he had disagreements with guitarist Andy Gill, especially over matters dating back to their early days in the band. After leaving music performance behind, Allen moved into the tech side of the music industry. He took up roles at major companies like Beats Music and Apple Music.
In their tribute, Allen’s former bandmates Hugo Burnham and Jon King remembered spending time with him and his family not long ago. They shared that they laughed and reminisced about their shared history, music careers, and the deep bond that had lasted over 50 years. They affectionately referred to Allen as the “Ace of Bass.”
They added that Allen had hoped to join them on stage one last time during their farewell U.S. tour in Portland. Sadly, that reunion wasn’t to be. In their emotional farewell, they simply said, “Goodbye, old friend.”