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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

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

Health Struggles

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

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.

"He was focused and very pleased with the latest project that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my existence and for the music you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of 1981, selling millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Career Highlights

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

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"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 hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on 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 mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another hiatus, they returned in 2018, issuing the original singles 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.

Yet, they remained together, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He added that his period in medical care had influenced the band's sound.

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

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

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

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.