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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored 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 considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

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

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of ill-health.

"I ended up 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."

After contracting a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for half a year.

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

"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.

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

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the music you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a group, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The pair 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 achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting 21 million units worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

However, they remained active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their initial records.

He added that his time in medical care had shaped the group's music.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.

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

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

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