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Dave Ball, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time 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 previous couple of years, following a period of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the music you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The track was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five 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 purchase my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, that year.

However, they stayed active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He noted that his time in hospital had shaped the band's sound.

"I experienced strange recollections when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from those days.

"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 80s."

The last versions were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.