Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz

According to Brooklyn Vegan, Dave Allen, the original bassist and co-founder of post-punk legends Gang of Four, has died at the age of 69. His former bandmate Hugo Burnham confirmed the news, sharing that Allen had been dealing with early-onset dementia in recent years.

Allen helped form Gang of Four in 1976 with Andy Gill, Jon King and Burnham. His sharp, funky bass lines were a big part of what made the band’s early albums especially their most popular, Entertainment! and Solid Gold, so groundbreaking. Their music mixed punk, funk and politics in a way that inspired generations of bands.

He left the band in 1981 and went on to form Shriekback, another group known for its unique sound. Over the years, he played in other projects like King Swamp and Low Pop Suicide. He also worked in the music tech world, holding roles at companies like Intel and Beats Music.

In 2004, Allen rejoined the original Gang of Four lineup for a reunion tour and album. Burnham remembered their time together fondly, saying they shared “good times, great stories, and lots of laughs.”Dave Allen’s energy and ideas helped shape modern music. He will be deeply missed by many.

Last year in October Gang of Four announced their spring 2025 North American Farewell tour dates. It begins on April 20 in Massachusetts and will proceed up until May, ending off in San Diego. The post-punk band has stated  “So, on what will be our last US tour, we’ll play two sets at each show: Entertainment! from start to finish in the first, and the best of the rest in the second. Come and join in, it’ll be a blast!”