Daevid Allen Dies

Allen had skin cancer that spread to his lungs, according to Gong’s website, and decided to forego further treatment opting, “the time has come to stop resisting and denying.”

Allen moved from Australia to France in 1967 where he helped form the Soft Machine but left to create Gong, a freewheeling prog-rock band that didn’t take itself as seriously as its contemporaries and incorporated ridiculously fun lyrics. One could associate Gong with Spinal Tap’s “Stonehenge” years.

Gong was one of those bands that did not have widespread success but was highly influential among musicians.