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

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of ill-health.

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following contracting a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the summer, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

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

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".

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

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months 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 David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC program Tomorrow's World, 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 the early 80s, shifting millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The song was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and television shows, 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 party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, including the chart-topping single 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 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another break, they returned in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

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

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

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

"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 electronic representation of the sounds in my mind from that time.

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

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.