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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.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

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

Ball died calmly in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Recent Health Challenges

At that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my arm."

After catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we actually finished only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.

"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

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

"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

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

He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling song of the early 80s, selling millions of copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to purchase my initial property, having money and travelling, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another break, they returned in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging 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 2020 restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

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

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

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.