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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

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 managed to damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for half a year.

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

"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a partnership with someone is different from being in a group, the bond is very tight," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, 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 altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

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

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine dark electronica 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 globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, 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 reached at number two in the following year.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

"I realize that's a common saying, 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 growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, including 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.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, 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 September 30, 2018.

However, they remained together, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their initial records.

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

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

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

"In parallel, it's about the times we got up to in the 1980s."

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