Allen Shellenberger, the drummer with Californian rock outfit Lit, has died of brain cancer at the age of 39.

The sticks man lost his 15 month battle with the disease, malignant glioma, last Thursday (August 13).

Since his diagnosis in May 2008, Shellenbeger underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute in Los Angeles.

Shellenberger founded Lit in 1990 along with Kevin Baldes and brothers A. Jay and Jeremy Popoff and went on to have a US Modern Rock number one and UK top 20 with their biggest hit 'My Own Worst Enemy' in 1999.

Last July the band held a benefit concert, featuring Sugar Ray and Handsome Devil, for Shellenberger at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California.

Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dave Matthews Band members auctioned items on eBay to raise funds for his treatment.

A statement on Lit's website posted over the weekend, reads: "To know Al was to know laughter. He had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. Words cannot begin to express how much he will be missed. This was our brother and not a day will go by that we won't think about him.

"Right now we're trying to find the balance of mourning his loss and celebrating his life. Allen has experienced more in his 39 years than most people dream of in 10 lifetimes. This is a tremendous loss for us, our fans and also for Allen's family who took such good care of him during his battle with cancer."

(by Scott Colothan)