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

Alongside vocalist 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 their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of synth-pop.

He later founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of health issues.

"I managed to injure myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."

After contracting a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

"He was focused and very pleased with the latest project that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my existence and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

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

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting millions of units globally. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional top five singles: 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 purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair 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, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous 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.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another break, they returned in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, 2018.

However, they stayed together, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

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

He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the band's sound.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.