Founder of the cult prog outfit has been told he has only six months to live.

Sad news for fans of classic ’70s prog band Gong, as founder Daevid Allen has revealed doctors have told him he has just six months to live.

The 77-year-old Australian artist had previously undergone surgery to address a tumour in his neck, though this has now returned and spread to his lung.

Allen was originally born in Australia in 1938 and moved to the UK in 1961, where he founded progressive rock band Soft Machine. After overstaying his visa following a European tour in 1966 Allen was forced to stay in Paris, where he then formed Gong along with his wife, singer Gilli Smyth. Although the band released many albums under many line-ups over the years, the band was best known for their “Radio Gnome Trilogy” consisting of Flying Teapot (1973), Angel’s Egg (1973), and You (1974).

Allen outlined the seriousness of his condition in a written statement, published below.

Hello you Kookaburras,

OK so I have had my PET-CAT scans (which is essentially a full body viewing gallery for cancer specialists, ) and so it is now confirmed that the invading cancer has returned to successfully establish dominant residency in my neck.

The original surgery took much of it out, but the cancer has now recreated itself with renewed vigour while also spreading to my lung.

The cancer is now so well established that I have now been given approximately six months to live.

So My view has Changed:

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.

I believe I have done my best to heal, dear friends and that you have been enormously helpful in supporting me through this time.

So Thank you SO much for being there with me, for the Ocean of Love and Now, importantly, Thank you for starting the process of letting go of me, of mourning then transforming and celebrating this death coming up – this is how you can contribute, this would be a great gift from those emotionally and spiritually involved with me.

I love you and will be with you always
– Daevid xxx –