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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of ill-health.

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about five ribs and broke my wrist."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and remained in hospital for half a year.

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

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a band, the bond is very tight," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

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

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of 1981, selling millions of units worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.

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

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

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

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

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following a further break, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

Yet, they remained active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball lately described the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He added that his time in hospital had shaped the band's sound.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the sounds in my head from those days.

"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.