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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 duo scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of ill-health.

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

After catching a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

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

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Forming a duo with someone is different from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

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

Early Life

Born into a single-parent household in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an extended play.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, selling 21 million copies worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the way 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 top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

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

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

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

Almond proceeded 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 mixed dance music with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

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

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

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while making their first two albums.

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

"I experienced unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from those days.

"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only days before Ball died. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.