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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.

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

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.

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

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Being in a duo with someone is distinct from being in a band, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

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

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, shifting millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The song was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which produced two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Career Highlights

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

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it applies 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, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

Following another hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

Yet, they remained together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while making their first two albums.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a music magazine.

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from those days.

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

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.