Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside singer Marc Almond, the pair scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of synth-pop.
He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his rest 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.
Health Struggles
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 quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."
After contracting a lung infection and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for seven months.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.
"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 believed that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.
"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my life and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from being in a band, the connection is very tight," he continued.
"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a single-parent household in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given 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 changed his given name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a rare creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the UK's second most popular song of 1981, selling millions of copies worldwide. Together with hits by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The song 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 separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.
Professional Journey
Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I know that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."
Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on individual endeavors.
Almond went on to have a successful individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.
However, they stayed together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.
He added that his time in medical care had shaped the band's sound.
"I had strange recollections when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from those days.
"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 80s."
The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.
