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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died 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 seminal work of electronic music.

He subsequently founded the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.

Health Struggles

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

"I managed to damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

After contracting pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for seven months.

However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.

"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.

"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."

Tributes

Almond referred to his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul 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 couldn't be where I am without your influence."

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

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

"That was the case with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable moments together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

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

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

He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

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

Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and began to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting 21 million copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The track was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

They continued the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in 1982.

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and television shows, Ball said.

"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 party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a second memorable record - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They put out another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on individual endeavors.

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

Reunions and Final Projects

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

After another break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

Yet, they remained together, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.

Ball recently characterized the duo's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while recording their first two albums.

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

"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.

"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the sounds in my head from that time.

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 80s."

The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.