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Dave Ball, one half of the innovative 1980s synth-pop band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.

Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.

He later formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.

Ball died peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.

Health Struggles

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

"I managed to damage myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and broke my arm."

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

However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.

"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.

"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."

Heartfelt Messages

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

"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my life and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."

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

"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.

"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming moments together. Thank you, Dave."

Formative Years

Born into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.

He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from Paul to David, alongside his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.

He encountered Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.

Musical Partnership

The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.

Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program a popular series, and started to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.

Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, shifting millions of copies worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.

The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

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

Professional Journey

Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my initial property, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.

But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford substances to relieve the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.

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

During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second classic album - the unconventional, 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 individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting collaboration.

Reunions and Final Projects

Soft Cell reunited in 2001, producing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.

Following another break, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.

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

Ball recently characterized the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while recording their initial records.

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

"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a publication.

"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from those days.

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

The final mixes were finished only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.