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The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a classic of synth-pop.

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

Ball passed away peacefully in his rest at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

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

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my arm."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally finished only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", 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 life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a band, the bond is very tight," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents his caregivers, who changed his first name from Paul to David, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies worldwide. Together with hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

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

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

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

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

He noted that his time in hospital had influenced the band's sound.

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.

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

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

The last versions were finished only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.