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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

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

Health Struggles

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

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

After contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond described his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

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

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

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Together with successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded 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 combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

Yet, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.

He noted that his time in hospital had influenced the band's sound.

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 80s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.