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The talented musician, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of synth-pop.

He later founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his rest at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

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 quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

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

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we literally completed only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year 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."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

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

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in the city of 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 Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to David, alongside his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

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

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of the early 80s, shifting 21 million units worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The track was also featured on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached 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 travelling, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a publication.

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

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many musicians."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to create a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting record 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 supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

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

Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.

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

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

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

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

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.