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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.

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

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of health issues.

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

Following contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Thank you 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, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.

He was raised in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on a television program a popular series, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two additional top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a cliché, 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 drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, 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 partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

However, they stayed together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their initial records.

He noted that his period in hospital had influenced 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 publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my head from that time.

"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.