Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, 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 playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.
Health Struggles
At that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of ill-health.
"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."
After catching a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we literally completed only a short time ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.
"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."
Tributes
Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence 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, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a band, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.
"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming moments together. Many thanks, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a single-parent household in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.
He grew up in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program a popular series, and started to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of 1981, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.
The track was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five singles: 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.
Career Highlights
Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.
But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, 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."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on other projects.
Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further hiatus, 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 September 30, 2018.
Yet, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball recently described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while recording their initial records.
He noted that his period in hospital had influenced the band's sound.
"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of the 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 head from that time.
"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."
The last versions were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.
