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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success 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 seminal work of synth-pop.

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

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep 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 Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

At that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of ill-health.

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

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

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

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we literally completed only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "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 existence and for the music you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

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

Early Life

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

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and started to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies globally. Together with hits by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

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

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Career Highlights

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

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."

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

They put out another LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, that year.

Yet, they remained together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while making their initial records.

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

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the sounds in my head from those days.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."

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