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 duo achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.
He later founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep 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
At that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.
"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my wrist."
After contracting a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for seven months.
However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.
"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's so sad 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 finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."
Tributes
Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", 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 significant part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Being in a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is very tight," he added.
"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. 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 was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.
Musical Partnership
The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk appear on BBC program a popular series, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling millions of units worldwide. Together with successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.
The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.
Professional Journey
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.
But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I know that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."
During the party-filled existence, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.
Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
After a further hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.
However, they remained active, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.
Ball lately characterized the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while recording their first two albums.
He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the group's music.
"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.
"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from those days.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times we got up to in the 80s."
The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.
