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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

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

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of ill-health.

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

After catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.

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

"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 listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

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

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

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

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

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to David, alongside his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Together with successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

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

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the new tracks 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, that year.

However, they remained active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball lately characterized the band's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while recording their initial records.

He noted that his time in hospital had influenced the group's music.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 1980s."

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