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Dave Ball, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of electronic music.

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

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

Recent Health Challenges

At that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of health issues.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."

After contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for seven months.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release in the coming year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

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

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a group, the bond is very tight," he added.

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He grew up in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who changed his first name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League 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, their initial LP, which spawned two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Success had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.

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

Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.

After another break, they reappeared in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, that year.

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

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

He added that his time in hospital had shaped the band's sound.

"I had strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from those days.

"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 1980s."

The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.