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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with singer 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 regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

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

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my wrist."

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

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"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 finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

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

"Many thanks 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."

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

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from joining a band, the bond is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, 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 the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to create a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

Yet, they stayed active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

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

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

"I had strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from those days.

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

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