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

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success 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 later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

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

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of health issues.

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

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

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my life 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, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a group, the connection is very tight," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

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

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

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

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular song of 1981, selling millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The track was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two further high-charting 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

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful 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 ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

However, they remained together, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their first two albums.

He noted that his time in medical care had shaped the band's sound.

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

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the sounds in my head from that time.

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

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