The talented musician, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.
He subsequently formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his rest at his home in London on October 22, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.
Recent Health Challenges
During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a spate of ill-health.
"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in 2023. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my arm."
Following catching a lung infection and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" during the summer, as he was developing a new album 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 literally completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our legacy.
"Thank you Dave for being an immense aspect of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a group, the bond is very tight," he continued.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Brought into the world into a single-parent household 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 Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they established Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk appear on a television program Tomorrow's World, and started to combine dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.
Tainted Love became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The song was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.
Professional Journey
Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball not long ago told with a music magazine.
But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase newfound drugs to alleviate the boredom" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."
During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to create a follow-up classic album - the unconventional, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to focus on other projects.
Almond went on to have a successful individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who combined dance music with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.
Later Work and Comebacks
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 staging what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.
However, they stayed active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.
Ball lately described the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their first two albums.
He added that his time in hospital had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was coming and going of 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 those days.
"In parallel, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 1980s."
The last versions were finished only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for launch in Spring 2026.
