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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He subsequently formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.

"I managed to injure myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for seven months.

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

"He was focused and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," said the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

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

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

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a group, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on a television program a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of units worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Career Highlights

Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the boredom" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it applies for so many bands."

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

However, they stayed together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while recording their initial records.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my head 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 days before Ball died. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.