Allen grew up in Seal Beach, California. He began playing in bands in the 1980s as a member of Jack Grisham's Cathedral of Tears.[1] He also played bass for Grisham in Tender Fury, before forming the band Gypsy Trash with Grisham's sister D.D. Wood.[2] Following this, he played bass for The Vandals on their 1989 album Slippery When Ill.[3] In 1992, he sang backing vocals on Rikk Agnew's solo album Turtle.[4] He also recorded with Rat Scabies on a project that was never released, before forming the band One Hit Wonder.[1]
During this time, Allen made his primary living as a guitar tech for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Occasionally he played with the band as a live guitarist and backup singer, and opened shows for them as a solo act, sometimes with Chad Smith drumming.[1][10] In 1996, Allen recorded the album Monkey on Rico as part of the band Thermadore, a project that featured Chad Smith, Josh Freese, and Stone Gossard.[1] Allen served as Thermadore's lead singer and songwriter.[11] He teamed up with Jack Grisham again in 1996, singing backing vocals on Joykiller's album Static.[4]
Allen joined Candlebox after their album Happy Pills was released, playing guitar for them from 1998 until their split in 2000.[12] He would continue to work with Candlebox singer Kevin Martin as a composer and background vocalist on Martin's 2003 album The Possibility of Being. In 2008, he released his own solo album Artificial Horizon.[4]
In 2017, Allen played in an act called "Cowboy and Indian" with Antoine Arvizu and Sublime bassist Eric Wilson. The trio opened for Mike Watt.[13]
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (April 2, 1994). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (April 9, 1994). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)