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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their version 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 later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

During that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a period of ill-health.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

After catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the music you gave me. I couldn'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 different from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from Paul to David, together with his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

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

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and began to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of copies worldwide. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

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

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the monotony" 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 works for so many musicians."

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the unconventional, tense 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 band to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further break, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks 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, 2018.

Yet, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.

He added that his time in hospital had influenced the band's sound.

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a publication.

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

"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is due for release in Spring 2026.