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The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and remained in hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming 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 2026 was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul 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 your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling 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 added.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

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

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

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

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

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, shifting 21 million units worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

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

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

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

During the party-filled existence, the pair 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 released one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

Following another break, they returned in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately described the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their initial records.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my head 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 died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.