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

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of health issues.

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for seven months.

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

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Tributes

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

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my existence and for the music you created with 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".

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

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on a television science show a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of the early 80s, selling millions of units globally. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford substances to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

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

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

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on other projects.

Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed 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 another break, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

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

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

He noted that his time in hospital had influenced the band's sound.

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times we got up to in the 80s."

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