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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the team achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently formed the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, 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

During that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of ill-health.

"I managed to injure myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was focused and very pleased with the new album that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

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

"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a band, the bond is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world 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 Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

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

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

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

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, edgy 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 went on to have a successful individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

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

Yet, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately described the band's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.

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

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.

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

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

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.