Daevid Allen (born Christopher David Allen; 13 January 1938 – 13 March 2015) was an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist. Often credited under the playful pseudonym Divided Alien, he became a central figure in the late 1960s and 1970s psychedelic and progressive scenes. Allen is best known as a co-founder of the English group Soft Machine and the Franco-British collective Gong, bands that blended rock, jazz, improvisation and theatrical performance.

Early career and Soft Machine

Allen moved to the United Kingdom during the 1960s and was active in the emergent underground music and poetry circuits. Alongside musicians such as Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt he helped launch what became known as the Canterbury/psychedelic milieu. Although his time in the original Soft Machine line-up was brief, his role in the band’s founding linked him to a wave of musicians exploring new forms of electric improvisation and songcraft.

Gong and artistic vision

After leaving the United Kingdom Allen settled in continental Europe. In 1970 he established Gong with a group of collaborators, including the poet and singer Gilli Smyth. Gong developed an elaborate, whimsical mythology—most famously the "Radio Gnome Invisible" narrative—and combined melodic songwriting with experimental, spacey textures and extended instrumental passages. Allen’s creative approach fused poetic language, ritualistic performance and surreal humor.

His work extended beyond conventional albums into theatrical shows, community-oriented projects and numerous line-ups and spin-offs. Allen repeatedly returned to the Gong concept across decades, reshaping it with different musicians and production approaches while preserving its playful, mystical character.

Style, influence and legacy

Allen’s music drew on psychedelic rock, progressive composition, free improvisation and performance art. As a guitarist and vocalist he favored a conversational, theatrical delivery that emphasized narrative and atmosphere over virtuoso display. Gong’s albums and live performances influenced later generations of progressive, space and experimental rock artists and contributed to the broader acceptance of concept-driven, collaborative music collectives.

Allen lived much of his later life in Australia and continued to record, tour and collaborate internationally. He died of neck cancer on 13 March 2015 at his home in Sydney, New South Wales, aged 77.

Notable facts and further reading

  • Also credited as Divided Alien in some records and performances.
  • Co-founder of two influential groups: Soft Machine and Gong.
  • Worked closely with Gilli Smyth and many musicians across Europe and Australia.