Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.
He later founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.
"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."
After catching a lung infection 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 "high spirits emotionally" during the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond described his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.
"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."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".
"Being in a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming moments together. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a unique creative synergy.
Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting 21 million units globally. Together with successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.
The song was also featured on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.
Professional Journey
Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.
But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.
"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it works for so many musicians."
During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on other projects.
Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
After a further hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.
However, they remained active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.
Ball recently described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.
He noted that his period in hospital had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.
"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the sounds in my head from that time.
"In parallel, it's about the times we got up to in the 1980s."
The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.
