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The talented musician, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of synth-pop.

He later founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

During that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.

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

Following contracting a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "a great place emotionally" 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 very pleased with the new album that we actually finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

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

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half of age.

He grew up in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his first name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister Susan, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following a further break, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

However, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.

Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.

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

"I had strange recollections 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 sounds in my head from those days.

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

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