The talented musician, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.
He later founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
During that performance, Ball performed in a wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a period of ill-health.
"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I broke spinal bones in my spine and cracked about five ribs and fractured my wrist."
Following catching a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for publication next year.
"He was focused and very pleased with the new album that we literally finished only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's so sad as 2026 was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond described his bandmate as "an exceptionally talented musical genius", stating: "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 gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".
"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he added.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments as a team. Many thanks, 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 was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying 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 musician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a rare musical alchemy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on a television program a popular series, and began to marry moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting millions of units worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.
The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.
Professional Journey
Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.
But it also caused challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."
Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.
Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.
After another hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.
Yet, they remained together, creating their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball recently described 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 period 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 morphine," he explained to a music magazine.
"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the sounds in my mind from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."
The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.
