Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.
He subsequently founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.
Recent Health Challenges
At that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.
"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."
Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the summer, as he was developing a new album 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 literally finished only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Tributes
Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", 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 aspect of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a group, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.
He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a unique creative synergy.
Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling 21 million units worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.
The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, 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 number two in 1982.
Professional Journey
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.
But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase substances to alleviate 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."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a second classic album - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.
Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
After a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.
Yet, they remained together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently described the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.
He noted that his period in hospital had shaped the band's sound.
"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.
"The new songs are a electronic representation of the sounds in my head from those days.
"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."
The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is due for release in Spring 2026.
