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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He subsequently formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

At that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of ill-health.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and fractured about five ribs and broke my wrist."

After catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

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 Blackpool with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his given name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

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

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The track was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and travelling, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a successful 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 partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

After another break, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their first two albums.

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

"I had 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 noises in my head from those days.

"In parallel, it's about the times we had in the 80s."

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.