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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the team achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a classic of electronic music.

He later founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of health issues.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and remained in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant 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 existence and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC program a popular series, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of 1981, selling 21 million units worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it works for so many musicians."

During the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, featuring 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 long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the charting 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 intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball recently 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 time in hospital had shaped the group's music.

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

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my head from that time.

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

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