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The talented musician, a key member of the pioneering 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

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 a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and broke my arm."

After catching a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

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

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

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

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

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

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

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

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

Career Highlights

Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it applies for so many bands."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to create a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another break, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately characterized the band's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while making their initial records.

He noted that his time in medical care had shaped the group's music.

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

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from those days.

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

The last versions were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.