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The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the team achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a classic of synth-pop.

He subsequently founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

During that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of ill-health.

"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."

After catching a lung infection and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.

Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.

"He was focused and so happy 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 next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant 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 aspect of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."

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

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

"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

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

He was raised in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.

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

Musical Partnership

The pair were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare creative synergy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of 1981, shifting millions of copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned 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 number two in the following year.

Professional Journey

Success had its benefits. "I loved being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

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

During the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.

Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, 2018.

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

Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while making their initial records.

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

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

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

"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 80s."

The final mixes were completed only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.