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Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He later founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly 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 show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of ill-health.

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

After catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we literally finished only a short time ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate 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 part of my life and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from being in a group, the bond is very tight," he added.

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

Early Life

Brought into the world into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

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

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC program a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, shifting millions of units globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

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

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.

Professional Journey

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 presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

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

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, that year.

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

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while recording their initial records.

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

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

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

"In parallel, it's about the times we got up to in the 1980s."

The last versions were completed only days before Ball died. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.