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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a spate of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."

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

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

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

"Thank you Dave for being an immense aspect of my life and for the music 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 "steadfast support".

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

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

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 old.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, 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, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on a television science show a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting millions of units worldwide. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured 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 number two in 1982.

Career Highlights

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."

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

They released one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another hiatus, they returned in recent years, issuing 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 30 September, 2018.

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

Ball recently characterized the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while making their initial records.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my head from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."

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