Soft Cell's Creative Genius Dave Ball Dies, Aged 66

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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored 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 regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly 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

During that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a spate of ill-health.

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma 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, titled Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a short time ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

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

Tributes

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

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and quickly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on a television program a popular series, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies globally. Together with successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The track was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

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

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it applies for so many bands."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a successful individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

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

Yet, they stayed together, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

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

He added that his time in hospital had shaped the group's music.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.