Soft Cell's Musical Force Dave Ball Dies, Aged 66

The talented musician, a key member of the pioneering 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

He later founded the innovative electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

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

Recent Health Challenges

During that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a period 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 fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

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

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually finished only a short time ago," stated 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 finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.

"Thank you Dave for being an immense aspect of my life and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

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

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a group, the connection is very tight," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

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 18 months old.

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who changed his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they attained a unique creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of units globally. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.

The track was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They followed the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.

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 Miss World," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.

"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."

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

They put out one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the charting record 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 farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.

Yet, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 restrictions.

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

He added that his period in hospital had influenced the band's sound.

"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.