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Dave Ball, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a headline show 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 previous couple of years, after a spate of health issues.

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

Following contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and remained in the hospital for seven months.

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

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

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

Heartfelt Messages

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

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

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

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

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

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

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on a television program Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Career Highlights

Fame had its benefits. "I loved 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 music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a truism 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 follow-up classic album - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After 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 intended to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

However, they stayed together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

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

He noted that his period in medical care had influenced the band's sound.

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

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

"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 80s."

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