Dave Ball, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of electronic music.
He later formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away peacefully 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 music event in the Thames-side town.
Recent Health Challenges
At that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a period of ill-health.
"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."
Following catching pneumonia and developing 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 mentally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we actually finished only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.
"Many thanks Dave for being an significant aspect of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.
He grew up in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.
Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.
Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling millions of units worldwide. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.
The track was also featured on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at number two in the following year.
Professional Journey
Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.
But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.
"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."
Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on other projects.
Almond went on to have a successful individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, 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, 2018.
Yet, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.
Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their first two albums.
He noted that his time in hospital had shaped the band's sound.
"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a music magazine.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 80s."
The final mixes were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.
