Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.
He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.
Health Struggles
At that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.
"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."
After contracting a lung infection and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.
However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for release next year.
"He was focused and very pleased with the new album that we actually completed only a few days ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.
"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the music you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a group, the connection is very tight," he added.
"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Brought into the world into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an EP.
Creative Collaboration
The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.
Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform 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 single of 1981, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.
The track was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.
Career Highlights
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a publication.
But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.
"I know that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus 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 created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles 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 stayed together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.
Ball recently described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.
He added that his period in hospital had shaped the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.
"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from those days.
"In parallel, it's about the experiences we had in the 80s."
The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.
