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Dave Ball, 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 team achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

During that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of ill-health.

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

Following contracting a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in 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 the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

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

Tributes

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

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the songs you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, 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 a year and a half old.

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

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

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC program a popular series, and began to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to create a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they returned in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

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

Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the band's sound.

"I experienced strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 80s."

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