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The talented musician, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team 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 electronic music.

He subsequently founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's 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

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

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

After contracting pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled 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 vocalist in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

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

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

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

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister Susan, 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 formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

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

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television program a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of the early 80s, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

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

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it applies for so many musicians."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second memorable record - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

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 mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

After a further hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately characterized the band's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while making their first two albums.

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

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

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.