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Dave Ball, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a classic of electronic music.

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

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a headline show 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 last two years, after a spate of ill-health.

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we literally completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my existence and for the songs 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".

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television science show a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of copies worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.

Career Highlights

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, 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 other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

After a further break, they returned in 2018, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, that year.

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

Ball lately characterized the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

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

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the sounds in my head from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.