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The talented musician, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following contracting pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling 21 million units worldwide. Together with successful tracks by other artists, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, that year.

Yet, they stayed together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while making their first two albums.

He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the group's music.

"I experienced strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is due for release in Spring 2026.