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Dave Ball, a key member of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

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

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

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

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following contracting pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we actually finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", 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 significant aspect of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.

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

Formative Years

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

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on a television program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting 21 million units worldwide. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to 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 spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another 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 large venue on 30 September, that year.

However, they remained together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately described 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 hospital had influenced the group's music.

"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 1980s."

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