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

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track 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 subsequently founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant 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 music you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a duo with someone is different from joining a band, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, memorable experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.

He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his first name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

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

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk perform on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling 21 million copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

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

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

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

They put out one more 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 solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further break, they returned in 2018, releasing the new tracks 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, 2018.

However, they remained active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while making their initial records.

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

"I experienced 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 digital reflection of the noises in my head from those days.

"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 scheduled for release in Spring 2026.