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

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

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

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

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a period of ill-health.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following catching pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled 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," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", 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 part of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Being in a duo with someone is distinct from being in a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, memorable experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

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

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

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

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of the early 80s, shifting millions of units worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

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

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

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" 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."

During the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate 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 formed The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following another hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, releasing 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 active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the band's sound.

"I had strange recollections 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 electronic representation of the noises in my head from those days.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 80s."

The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.