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The talented musician, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we actually finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

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

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC program a popular series, and began to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which produced two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford newfound drugs to relieve 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."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

After another hiatus, they returned 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 large venue on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their first two albums.

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

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

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we got up to in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.