Gong and Soft Machine founder Daevid Allen dies age 77

Daevid Allen, founder of psychedelic bands Gong and Soft Machine, has died at the age of 77.

The Australia-born Allen was told in February that he only had six months to live after cancer in his neck had returned, despite a tumour being removed through surgery, and spread to his lungs, reports The Guardian. His death was announced by his son and Gong member Orlando Monday Allen on Facebook.

"And so dada Ali, bert camembert, the dingo Virgin, divided alien and his other 12 selves prepare to pass up the oily way and back to the planet of love. And I rejoice and give thanks," wrote Orlando. "Thanks to you dear dear daevid for introducing me to my family of magick brothers and mystic sisters, for revealing the mysteries, you were the master builder but now have made us all the master builders. As the eternal wheel turns we will continue your message of love and pass it around. We are all one, we are all gong. Rest well my friend, float off on our ocean of love. The gong vibration will forever sound and its vibration will always lift and enhance. You have left such a beautiful legacy and we will make sure it forever shines in our children and their children. Now is the happiest time of yr life. Blessed be."

Writing online last month about his terminal diagnosis, Allen stated: "I am not interested in endless surgical operations and in fact it has come as a relief to know that the end is in sight. I am a great believer in 'The Will of the Way Things Are' and I also believe that the time has come to stop resisting and denying and to surrender to the way it is. I can only hope that during this journey, I have somehow contributed to the happiness in the lives of a few other fellow humans."

Born Christopher David Allen in Melbourne in 1938, Allen moved to the UK in early 1960s and formed Soft Machine with Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt and Mike Ratledge. He went on to form Gong in 1969 with partner Gilli Smyth, with debut album 'Magick Brother' released in 1970. They played the second ever Glastonbury Festival in 1971 and released the 'Radio Gnome Trilogy', made up of 'Flying Teapot' (1973), 'Angel's Egg' (1973) and 'You' (1974). Gong went through numerous line-up changes over the years. Their most recent album, 'I See You', came out last year.