Soft Cell's Musical Force Dave Ball Dies, Aged 66

The talented musician, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the team scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly 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.

Health Struggles

At that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.

"I managed to injure myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

Following contracting pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the summer, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we actually completed 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 find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my existence and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is very tight," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, 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 changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television program a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling 21 million units worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

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

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

Yet, they stayed active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their initial records.

He added that his time in medical care had shaped the band's sound.

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.

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

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

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.