🔗 Share this article The Synth-Pop Duo's Creative Genius Dave Ball Dies, at the Age of 66 Dave Ball (on the left) formed Soft Cell alongside Marc Almond at Leeds during 1977 Dave Ball, a key member of the innovative 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66. Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success with their version 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 later founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing. Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town. Health Struggles During 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 damage myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my spine and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm." Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year. However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year. "He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we literally finished only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute. "It's so sad as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work." The band were at the forefront of the electronic music scene in the early 1980s Heartfelt Messages Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy. "Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you." Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship". "Being in a partnership with someone is different from joining a band, the bond is incredibly close," he continued. "That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave." Dave Ball, photographed at BBC Radio 2 in recent years Early Life Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half old. He grew up in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted. He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an EP. Musical Partnership The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a unique creative synergy. Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing. Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular song of the early 80s, shifting 21 million units globally. Together with hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s. The song was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. They continued the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year. The duo were working on fresh songs right up until Ball's death Professional Journey Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a publication. But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said. "I realize that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it applies for so many bands." Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to create a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart. They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on other projects. Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration. Reunions and Final Projects Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty. Following a further break, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year. Yet, they remained together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions. Ball lately described the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while making their initial records. He added that his period in medical care had shaped the band's sound. "I experienced unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine. "Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the sounds in my head from that time. "In parallel, it's about the times we got up to in the 1980s." The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.