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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

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

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

At that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my wrist."

Following contracting pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually finished only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.

"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 bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

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

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, memorable experiences together. Many thanks, 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 a year and a half of age.

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

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC program a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies globally. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

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

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled 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 other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further break, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

However, they remained together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball recently described the band's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while making their initial records.

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

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

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."

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