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The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.

He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

At that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of ill-health.

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

After contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the singer in a tribute.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

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

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a group, the connection is very tight," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

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 makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television program a popular series, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of 1981, selling 21 million copies worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

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

They followed the album 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 purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined dance music with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further break, they reappeared 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 O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

Yet, they remained active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their initial records.

He noted that his period in hospital had shaped the group's music.

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

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.