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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the team scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a classic of synth-pop.

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

Ball passed away peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

At that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my wrist."

After contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we literally completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in 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 his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from Paul to David, alongside his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular song of 1981, selling millions of units worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, 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."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

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 dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing 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 30 September, that year.

Yet, they stayed active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately characterized the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while making their first two albums.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 80s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball died. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.