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

Together with singer 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 considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my arm."

Following contracting 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 "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.

"He was concentrated 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 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

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

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

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered 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 the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies globally. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

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

They continued the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it works for so many musicians."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

However, they remained together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

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

He noted that his time in hospital had influenced the group's music.

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

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my head from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.