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Dave Ball, a key member of the innovative 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the team 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 later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a spate of ill-health.

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

After catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and remained in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is very tight," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television science show a popular series, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

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

They continued the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a second memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

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

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 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 performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

Yet, they remained active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

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

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

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.

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

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

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.