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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and broke my wrist."

After contracting pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was focused and very pleased with the new album that we actually completed only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

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

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

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

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable experiences together. Many thanks, 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 old.

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television program Tomorrow's World, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path 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 top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."

Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further break, they returned in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

However, they stayed active, recording their fifth album, 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 visited while making their first two albums.

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

"I experienced strange recollections when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from that time.

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

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