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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

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

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and remained in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over 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 concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.

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

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a duo with someone is different from joining a band, the bond is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

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

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I know that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it applies for so many bands."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a second classic album - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

Following a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

However, they stayed together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.

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

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a music magazine.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from those days.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 80s."

The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.