The talented musician, a key member of the pioneering 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.
He subsequently formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball died peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
At that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of ill-health.
"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my wrist."
After catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an induced coma and remained in hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" during the summer, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is set for release next year.
"He was concentrated and very pleased with the new album that we literally completed only a short time ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.
"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.
"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my life and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".
"Being in a duo with someone is distinct from being in a group, the connection is incredibly close," he added.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.
He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from his birth name to David, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning art. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an EP.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.
Ball had developed a interest with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second most popular song of 1981, shifting millions of units globally. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped paved the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.
The song was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.
Professional Journey
Success had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase substances to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.
"I know that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."
Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a second memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the band 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 combined dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring partnership.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.
Yet, they remained active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.
Ball recently described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while recording their first two albums.
He added that his time in hospital had influenced the band's sound.
"I experienced strange recollections when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.
"The new songs are a electronic representation of the sounds in my mind from those days.
"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 died. It is due for release in Spring 2026.
