Dave Ball, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a worldwide hit 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 considered a seminal work of electronic music.
He later founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
During that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of ill-health.
"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."
Following catching a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and remained in the hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.
"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.
"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".
"Being in a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is very tight," he added.
"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a one-parent family in 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 first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He met 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 promptly produced an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, shifting millions of units worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.
The track was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, 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 travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.
But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.
"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it applies for so many musicians."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on individual endeavors.
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 combined acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further break, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.
Yet, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.
He added that his period in medical care had influenced the group's music.
"I had strange recollections when I was coming and going 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 mind from those days.
"In parallel, it's about the times we got up to in the 80s."
The last versions were completed only days before Ball died. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.
