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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of synth-pop.

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

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

Health Struggles

At that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of ill-health.

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."

After contracting pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

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

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

Formative Years

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

He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to David, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

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

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

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

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which produced two additional 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 the following year.

Career Highlights

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, 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 meant we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."

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

They released another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while recording their initial records.

He noted that his period in medical care had shaped the group's music.

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

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.