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

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

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

Ball passed away peacefully in his rest at his home 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

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

"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."

After catching a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.

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

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

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from Paul to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on a television program a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of 1981, shifting millions of units worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two further high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

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

After 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 large venue on September 30, 2018.

Yet, they remained together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited 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 hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.

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

"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball died. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.