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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his rest at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

During that performance, Ball performed 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 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

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

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

Heartfelt Messages

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

"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the songs you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling 21 million copies globally. Together with hits by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

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

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

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

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

During the party-filled existence, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second classic album - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond went on 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 combined dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following a further break, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

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

Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while making their first two albums.

He added that his time in hospital had shaped the band's sound.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from those days.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."

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