Allen Shellenberger, the drummer for the multiplatinum-selling Southern California rock band Lit, has died. He was 39.

Shellenberger died of brain cancer Thursday at his mothers home in Artesia, Calif., said Ken Phillips, the bands publicist.

Shellenberger was diagnosed with malignant glioma in May 2008 and began treatment; he performed with the band until fall 2008.

To know Al was to know laughter, said band members Kevin Baldes, Jeremy Popoff and A. Jay Popoff in a joint statement. He had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. Words cannot begin to express how much he will be missed.

A graduate of Kennedy High School in La Palma, Shellenberger and his bandmates began performing together in 1989. They went through different styles and names Razzle and Stain before becoming Lit in the mid-90s.

Lit recorded one album, Tripping the Light Fantastic, in 1997 for an independent label before its breakout major-label album debut in 1999 with A Place in the Sun.

The album, released by RCA Records, went platinum, meaning it sold more than 1 million copies. It included the hit single My Own Worst Enemy, which held the No. 1 spot on Billboards Modern Rock list for three months and, according to Billboard, was the No. 1 Modern Rock single of 1999. The other top-10 hit singles off A Place in the Sun were Miserable and Ziplock.

The band has since released two other albums that have spawned top-10 hits.

Shellenberger, who was born Sept. 15, 1969, in Long Beach, Calif., brought humor and a certain calm to the band, said Baldes, the groups bass player.

He was a very peaceful guy, Baldes said Friday. He didnt like arguing, didnt like confrontation. He just liked to have a good time.