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The talented musician, a key member of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of ill-health.

"I ended up damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my arm."

After catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we actually finished only a short time ago," stated 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 take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", adding: "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 significant aspect of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn'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 duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

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

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies globally. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two further high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

After a further hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.

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

Ball lately described the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He noted that his period in hospital had shaped the band's sound.

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the sounds in my mind from those days.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.