Dave Ball, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of electronic music.
He subsequently formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.
Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
During that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of health issues.
"I managed to damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my arm."
Following contracting pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and remained in hospital for seven months.
However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for publication 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 so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.
"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a group, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.
"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.
He grew up in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show a popular series, and started to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.
Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The song was also featured on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at number two in the following year.
Professional Journey
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 publication.
But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I know that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."
During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.
Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
After another break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.
However, they remained active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently described the band's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their first two albums.
He noted that his period in hospital had shaped the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from those days.
"In parallel, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."
The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in Spring 2026.
