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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."

After catching a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul 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 couldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

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

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

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

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk appear on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

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

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

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

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they returned 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, that year.

Yet, they remained active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball lately described the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while making their initial records.

He added that his period in medical care had shaped the group's music.

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

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

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

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is due for release in Spring 2026.