‘Ace of Bass’ Dave Allen, original member of Gang of Four, and Shriekback, is gone at the age of 69. One of the few who played bass not as burden, but as weapon, as whisper, as whip. Born in Cumbria in 1955, he carried the chill of northern stone and the charge of electric discontent.
In Leeds, 1976, Allen co-founded Gang of Four, a quartet that sliced through the early post-punk landscape with sharp edges and a fierce voice. His intricate, funk-infused basslines were both melodic and unyielding, providing spine-tingling energy to songs that boldly challenged the heart of capitalism, with irony crackling like static behind every pulsating beat.
Their debut album, Entertainment!—a title steeped in biting sarcasm—hit like a cold slap, with Andy Gill’s angular guitars capturing a mood of national despair. Allen’s basslines held the music together, tightening the screws and igniting a physical response even as the lyrics provoked thoughtful unease. With Solid Gold, the air grew denser, the walls felt closer, and the drums hit with greater weight. Yet, Allen pressed onward, his playing always rhythmic, always resolute—an unwavering force in a world spiraling into chaos.
Gang of Four. Photo by Andrew Corrigan
Later, he flexed his creative muscles further with Shriekback, finding new shapes for funk and tension. In the end, however, early-onset dementia dimmed what had once burned so fiercely. But in his recorded body of work, the records remain raw and alive. His sound still walks—lean, low, and loud.
Watch Gang Of Four’s 1980 performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test:
Not long after Gang of Four unleashed their rallying cry, “To Hell With Poverty,” in 1981, Dave Allen stepped away from the clenched fist of post-punk and embraced the sultry snarl of 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 are currently embarking on their 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 members: Jon King, Hugo Burnham, and David Pajo – are determined to give their longtime fans a proper send-off, honouring the legacy with one final, fiercely felt goodbye.
April 2025:
April 18: Westport Library, Westport, CT
April 19: The Cut, Gloucester, MA
April 20: Crystal Ballroom, Somerville, MA
April 22: Théâtre Beanfield, Montreal, QC
April 23: The Opera House, Toronto, ON
April 24: Sony Hall, New York, NY
April 25: 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
April 27: Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
April 28: Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC
April 29: Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
May 2025:
May 1: Granada Theater, Dallas, TX
May 2: Paper Tiger, San Antonio, TX
May 3: Mohawk, Austin, TX
May 5: The Basement East, Nashville, TN
May 7: The Magic Bag, Ferndale, MI
May 8: Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
May 9: Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
May 10: Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN
May 12: Wave, Wichita, KS
May 13: Knuckleheads, Kansas City, MO
May 15: Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO
May 16: Mesa Theater, Grand Junction, CO
May 18: Treefort Music Hall, Boise, ID
May 20: Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
May 21: Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
May 23 & 24: The Chapel, San Francisco, CA
May 26: Pappy & Harriet’s, Pioneertown, CA
May 28: The Fonda, Los Angeles, CA
May 29: Music Box, San Diego, CA
June 2025:
June 24: O2 Forum Kentish Town, London, UK
June 26 & 27: The Button Factory, Dublin, Ireland
June 28: Roisin Dubh, Galway, Ireland
July 2025:
July 1: Le Trianon, Paris, France
July 7: Luxor, Cologne, Germany
July 8: Hole 44, Berlin, Germany
July 11: Circolo Magnolia (Estivo), Segrate, Italy
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