Dave Allen, the bassist for British post-punk band Gang of Four, has died aged 69.
The news was shared by his former bandmates, Jon King and Hugo Burnham, who said that he died on Saturday 5 April.
“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,” the statement said. “He was at home with his family.”
Allen’s former bandmates said he had been suffering from early-onset mixed dementia, a condition where a person has more than one type of dementia. The ordeal had been “heartbreaking” for his wife Paddy, his children and close friends, Burnham said.
“Our love and thoughts are with them. Jon and I went to see him and spent a lovely afternoon with him and the family. We talked and laughed for hours, sharing rich and vivid memories of good times together.
“Adventures, careers in music, raising families, our interwoven lives spanning half a century. We’ve been so very lucky to have had the Ace of Bass in our lives.”
The statement concluded: “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.”
Allen’s distinctive playing style became a defining force in Gang of Four. He joined guitarist Andy Gill, King and Burnham in 1976, replacing bassist Dave Wolfson who played just a handful of shows.
Their 1979 debut Entertainment! was a hit among critics while only achieving modest commercial success, and is regarded as a major influence on bands such as Nirvana and REM.
Allen also performed on the band’s second album, Solid Gold, and two EPs. He left Gang of Four in 1981, going on to form the band Shriekback with Barry Andrews.
He and his former bandmates were reunited in 2005, when they embarked on a tour and released an album of re-recorded original songs, Return the Gift.
"It's our dynamic that sets us apart from all the pretenders," Allen told The Independent in an interview with the band that year. “It's inspired by Hugo and I pummelling away on drums and bass, and Andy sending out shards of guitar, whilst Jon's firing out thought-provoking lyrics.
“It also answers the question of why we're back, because no one has proved to me that they're capable of doing what we did. It sounds arrogant, but when we play live it still blows minds because the songs are still potent.”
Guitarist Andy Gill died in 2020, aged 64.
Allen is survived by his wife and children.
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