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

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of synth-pop.

He later formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of ill-health.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and remained in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we literally completed only a few days ago," said the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

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

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a publication.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they reappeared 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 O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.

However, they stayed active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while recording their initial records.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from those days.

"In parallel, it's about the times we got up to in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.