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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

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

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

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

"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Being in a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.

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

Early Life

Born 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 old.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

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

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show a popular series, and began to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies globally. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce 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 individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

Yet, they remained active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

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

He added that his period in medical care had influenced the group's music.

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

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

"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 80s."

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball died. It is due for release in Spring 2026.