🔗 Share this article

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

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

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

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following catching pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the summer, 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 new album that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.

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

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and began to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of units worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path 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 top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Career Highlights

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.

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

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, featuring the top 10 hit 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.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

Yet, they stayed together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He noted that his period in hospital had shaped the band's sound.

"I had unusual memories 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 noises in my head from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.