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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of synth-pop.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

After contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and remained in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set 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."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

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

He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies globally. Together with hits by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further high-charting singles: 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 enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant 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 valid cause, because it works for so many bands."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a second classic album - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks 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.

Yet, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

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 mind from that time.

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

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.