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The talented musician, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo 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 regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

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

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a group, the bond is incredibly close," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to David, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

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

Musical Partnership

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular single of 1981, shifting millions of units globally. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The track 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 album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

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

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - 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 ending the group to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately described the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while recording their first two albums.

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

"I experienced unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a music magazine.

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

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

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