Dave Allen, post-punk’s “Ace of Bass,” was not your typical musician. An original member of Gang of Four and later Shriekback, he was an integral figure behind the burgeong post-punk movement of the late 70s and early 80s.
Born in Cumbria in 1955, Allen embodied the stark chill of northern stone and an electric discontent that would shape his art. In 1976, in the industrial heart of Leeds, he joined Gang of Four—a band that cut through the post-punk landscape with razor-sharp edges and uncompromising intensity. His intricate, funk-infused basslines weren’t just melodic; they were a force of nature, injecting spine-tingling energy into tracks that daringly challenged the core of capitalist society, with irony sparking like static behind every beat.
With their debut album, Entertainment!, a title dripping with biting sarcasm, the band struck like a cold slap—Andy Gill’s angular guitars setting a mood of raw, national despair, while Allen’s steadfast bass provided a tightening undercurrent that demanded a physical, almost visceral response. Even on Solid Gold, when the atmosphere grew heavier and the walls seemed to close in, Allen’s relentless, rhythmic playing remained an unwavering beacon—a steady pulse in a world spiraling into chaos.
Watch Gang Of Four’s 1980 performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test:
Not long after Gang of Four unleashed the single, “To Hell With Poverty,” in 1981, Dave Allen stepped away from the seminal post-punk band, flexed his creative muscles with the more experimental outfit, Shriekback. Alongside Barry Andrews—an XTC alumnus—and Carl Marsh, the trio crafted a sound that was slurred, sinuous, and steeped in rhythmic tension. Their album, Oil and Gold, released in 1985, blossomed into a dark tapestry of bass, keys, and haunting incantations. However, with Marsh’s departure, Andrews took the helm, and the band’s trajectory began to waver, eventually leading to their dissolution in 1988 after a final gasp of creativity.
Forever restless, Allen rejoined Gang of Four in the 2000s, reconnecting with old comrades for a time before venturing into new artistic landscapes. He explored projects like The Elastic Purejoy and Low Pop Suicide, while also founding the fiercely independent label World Domination Recordings, aptly named with a touch of irony.
In later years, Allen transitioned to a behind-the-scenes role in the music industry, collaborating with tech giants such as Intel, Beats, and Apple. He continued to shape the evolving landscape of music with the same innovative spirit that once defined the post-punk scene.
Gang of Four bandmate Hugo Burnham paid tribute to his friend on social media:
“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. He was at home with his family. Dave had endured the early-onset of mixed dementia for some years which has been a heartbreaking time for his wife Paddy, his children, and close friends. 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. 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.”
Gang of Four is embarking on a farewell tour across North America and Europe. Though the absence of founding guitarist Andy Gill, who passed in 2020, and Dave Allen is deeply felt, the remaining original members — Jon King and Hugo Burnham—are determined to give their longtime fans a proper send-off, honouring the legacy with one final, fiercely felt goodbye.
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