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Dave Ball, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, 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 lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

After contracting pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to 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 immense aspect of my existence and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from being in a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Born 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 old.

He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further break, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.

However, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

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

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 80s."

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.