The talented musician, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo scored a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.
He later founded 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 home 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.
Recent Health Challenges
During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.
"I ended up injure myself quite a bit," he commented in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."
Following contracting pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in hospital for half a year.
However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the summer, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.
"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we actually finished only a short time ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.
"Many thanks Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the songs you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a group, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.
He grew up in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his first name from his birth name to David, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly produced an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and makeup; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after viewing Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and started to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of the early 80s, shifting millions of units worldwide. Together with 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 full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two further high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.
Career Highlights
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 shared with a music magazine.
But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches meant we could afford substances to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.
"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."
During the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a second memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released another LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to concentrate on other projects.
Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell came back together in 2001, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further break, they returned in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, that year.
Yet, they stayed active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball recently characterized the duo's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.
He noted that his time in hospital had shaped the group's music.
"I had strange recollections when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.
"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.
"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 80s."
The last versions were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.
