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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

At that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

After contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and remained in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a group, the connection is very tight," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on a television program a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting millions of copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it applies for so many musicians."

During the party-filled existence, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, that year.

Yet, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball lately characterized the band's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.

He noted that his time in hospital had shaped the group's music.

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

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my head from those days.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in Spring 2026.