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The talented musician, a key member of the pioneering 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 cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of synth-pop.

He subsequently founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim 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 performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

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

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

After catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

"He was focused and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

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

"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

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

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

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

Early Life

Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The track was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and travelling, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase substances to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, 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, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, they returned 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 September 30, 2018.

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

Ball lately described the duo's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.

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

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

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

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

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.