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

Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my wrist."

Following contracting pneumonia and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy with the latest project that we literally completed only a short time ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

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

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".

"Forming a partnership with someone is different from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he continued.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, extraordinary, memorable experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."

Early Life

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

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

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an EP.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on a television science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting 21 million units globally. Together with hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The track was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.

Career Highlights

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.

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

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to create a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to focus on individual endeavors.

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

Later Work and Comebacks

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

Following a further break, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

However, they remained together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball lately characterized the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.

He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the group's music.

"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of 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.

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

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball died. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.