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Dave Ball, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of ill-health.

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a short time ago," said the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a partnership 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, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, 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 first name from his birth name to his adopted name, 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 mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular song of the early 80s, selling millions of units globally. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which produced two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

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

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus 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 formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following another break, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

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

Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while recording their first two albums.

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

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

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.