The Synth-Pop Duo's Creative Genius Dave Ball Dies, at the Age of 66

Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away 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 seminal work of synth-pop.

He later founded the innovative 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, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

Following contracting a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma 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 fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we literally completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Thank you Dave for being an immense aspect of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from being in a group, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

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

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on a television program Tomorrow's World, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside hits by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to alleviate the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a successful 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 ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

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

Following another 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 O2 Arena on September 30, that year.

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

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.

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

"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.