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Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a classic of synth-pop.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball died 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 Festival in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

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

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

After contracting pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

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

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

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

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

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

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from being in a band, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable experiences 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 18 months old.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting 21 million units globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The track was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed 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 cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - 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 band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, 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 partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

After another hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

Yet, they remained together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.

He added that his period in hospital had influenced the group's music.

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," 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 times me and Marc had in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.