Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored 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 synth-pop.
He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his rest at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.
Health Struggles
During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.
"I ended up damage myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about five ribs and broke my wrist."
Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for seven months.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.
"He was focused and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days 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 completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Tributes
Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.
"Thank you Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a duo with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he continued.
"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a single-parent household in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He grew up in Blackpool with his new family his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a rare creative synergy.
Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform 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 song of the early 80s, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The track was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.
Career Highlights
Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many musicians."
Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on other projects.
Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, 2018.
However, they stayed together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.
He noted that his period in medical care had shaped the group's music.
"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.
"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from that time.
"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 80s."
The last versions were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.
