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Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He later formed the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

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

Health Struggles

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

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually finished only a short time ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

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 extremely pleased of our legacy.

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

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

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from being in a group, the bond is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

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 a year and a half old.

He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

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

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling millions of copies globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

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

They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.

Career Highlights

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

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

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After 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 supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

However, they stayed active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while making their first two albums.

He noted that his period in medical care had influenced the group's music.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

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

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

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