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Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

He later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single 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 music event in the Thames-side town.

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 injure myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

After catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

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

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

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

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

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

He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a unique creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and started to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of the early 80s, selling millions of copies worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

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

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

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

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

However, they remained active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while making their first two albums.

He noted that his time in medical care had shaped the group's music.

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

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

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

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.