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Dave Ball, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a classic of synth-pop.

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

Ball passed away peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Recent Health Challenges

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

"I managed to injure myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and fractured about five ribs and broke my wrist."

After catching pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

"He was focused and very pleased with the latest project that we literally finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a tribute.

"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 described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Being in a duo with someone is distinct from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, 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 first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.

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

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on a television science show a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of 1981, selling millions of units globally. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

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

They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.

Career Highlights

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a publication.

But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and television shows, Ball explained.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

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

Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.

Later Work and Comebacks

Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After 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 intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.

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

Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.

He added that his period in medical care had influenced the group's music.

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

"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.

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

The last versions were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.