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The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Alongside singer Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.

He subsequently formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.

Ball passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, only a short time after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

During that show, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.

"I ended up injure myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."

Following contracting a lung infection and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.

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

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

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."

Heartfelt Messages

Almond described his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.

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

His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".

"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.

"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."

Formative Years

Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, 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 altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly recorded an extended play.

Creative Collaboration

The pair were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk appear on a television program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.

Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular single of 1981, shifting 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it helped paved the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.

The song was also included on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having money and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.

But it also caused challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to produce a second classic album - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.

They released another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to concentrate on other projects.

Almond went on to have a successful solo career, featuring 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 enduring collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell came back together in 2001, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.

After a further hiatus, 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 30 September, that year.

However, they stayed active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Ball recently described the duo's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.

He added that his period in hospital 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 told a publication.

"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from that time.

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

The final mixes were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.