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Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He subsequently formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we actually finished only a short time ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months 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, together with his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Career Highlights

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it applies for so many bands."

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, that year.

However, they stayed together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while making their initial records.

He noted that his time 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 noises in my mind from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only days before Ball died. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.