1970 Allen spent the first ten years of his adult life working in aircraft engineering. He became interested in jazz at the age of 16 and two years later started playing drums. He studied drumming with local drummer Jack Horwood for two years and for a short period with
Philly Joe Jones. Allen's first stage performance was in a skiffle contest at a cinema. He went on to play with
jazz musicians in Bournemouth. During 1963 he became a member of
Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, which included
Andy Summers (later of
The Police). For a few years he played occasionally at
The Bull's Head, Barnes with the Big Roll Band when visiting London. Allen moved to London on 1 January 1964 with Andy Summers. Allen has worked with
Bob Dylan,
John Lee Hooker,
Sonny Boy Williamson,
Memphis Slim,
Solomon Burke,
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers,
Mick Taylor,
Focus,
Donovan,
Stone The Crows,
Georgie Fame, Brian Joseph Friel, and
The British Blues Quintet with keyboardist
Zoot Money, bassist
Colin Hodgkinson, and vocalist
Maggie Bell. In 1973 he joined the Dutch band Focus. He played drums on the album
Hamburger Concerto (1974).
Songwriting Allen started writing lyrics when a member of Stone the Crows. He has also co-written songs which have been
recorded by artists including
Paul McCartney’s
Wings (with music by
Jimmy McCulloch),
Fleetwood Mac,
Mick Taylor and
Mick Ronson. When co-writing he has mostly worked as a lyricist, as in Taylor's "Alabama", from his solo debut
Mick Taylor (1979). To date about sixty songs he co-wrote have been recorded. ==Personal life==