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The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their cover 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 classic of synth-pop.

He subsequently founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following contracting a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling 21 million units worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

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

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

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on individual endeavors.

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

Reunions and Final Projects

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

After a further break, they returned in 2018, releasing the new tracks 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.

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

Ball recently characterized the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.

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

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a music magazine.

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

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

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