November 22, 2025

Today the loss of big red, the funky Andromedan, the Georgian octopus.......hit me square in the heart. After a month of denial and trying to go around the sadness instead of gently though it, has hit me real hard. The trigger: I was listening this whole week and especially this morning to the magical 2-3 weeks that ended October in 2007. At 6am I am at Rams Head on the 26th of Oct '07, one of the year's best. I was grounding up some coffee this a.m., listening loudly to the magical "Bazaar" transition jam, shake and shiver into the inverted Spaga". Allen was so absolutely on another frequency that night...halfway leaving the "Bazaar jam" brilliantly opening up the pipes of potentiality into the "Spaga ending jam" It is SOFA KING good. I sobbed. I am very fortunate to have seen him around 130+ times but no goodbye really sucks. He not only saved the band but put it into another dimension. His talent let the others want to reach their creative peaks...to be better. And they sure as hell did.

Allen is a miracle, down home cool dude who has given so much to us, never taking a night off and auto tuning a performance so to speak. Also, to the DnB scene...incredible. He is also such a good student. A true hero to me and so many. He changed and rearranged what drumming could be. I never knew I could feel this away about percussion. I saw so many long and luscious jam, staring at him live, not understanding what I was watching and hearing! He has it all: timing, power, endurance, creativity, a quick learner and an elite listener. Oooozing with confidence. With Allen playing, your band will sound like the tightest and funkiest group by sheer osmosis. His drumming is just that good. As much as we say thank you and gbye to Allen, a one of a kind human hybrid...we welcome with open and patient arms big Marlon, the new fresh beat on the street that keeps the girls on their feet. May you enjoy the ride and slowly find your own rhythm within and outside of the rest of the band. Never forget!

"We just came for the chicks"