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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s electronic music band 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' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a classic of electronic music.

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

Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following catching a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for half a year.

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a tribute.

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

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", 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 wouldn't be where I am without you."

Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

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

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

Formative Years

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

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his first name from Paul to David, alongside his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, selling 21 million units globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The track was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.

Career Highlights

Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.

However, they stayed active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

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

He noted that his time in medical care had shaped the group's music.

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

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the noises in my head from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 80s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.