Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of synth-pop.
He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball died peacefully in his rest at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
At that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.
"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."
Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for seven months.
However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we actually finished only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.
"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a duo with someone is different from joining a group, the bond is very tight," he continued.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming moments together. Many thanks, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.
He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.
Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television program a popular series, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling 21 million units globally. Together with hits by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.
The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.
Career Highlights
Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of press appearances 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."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on other projects.
Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.
After a further break, they reappeared in 2018, 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 large venue on 30 September, 2018.
However, they remained together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.
Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their first two albums.
He noted that his period in medical care had shaped the band's sound.
"I had strange recollections 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 digital reflection of the noises in my head from those days.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times we got up to in the 80s."
The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.
