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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.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He later formed the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home 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.

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of ill-health.

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and broke my wrist."

Following catching a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" 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 focused and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

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

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a group, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He grew up in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on a television program Tomorrow's World, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, selling 21 million units worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

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

Ball lately described the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.

He added that his period in hospital had influenced the band's sound.

"I experienced strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my head from that time.

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

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.