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Dave Ball, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of synth-pop.

He later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully 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 Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

At that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of ill-health.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following contracting pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

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

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator 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 songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from joining a group, the connection is very tight," he continued.

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

Early Life

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

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from Paul to David, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

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

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling 21 million copies globally. Together with hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced 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 number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

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

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many musicians."

During the party-filled existence, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

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

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further break, they returned in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

Yet, they stayed together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball lately described the band's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their initial records.

He noted that his period in medical care had shaped the band's sound.

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

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my head from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 80s."

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.