The talented musician, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.
He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act 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 performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.
Health Struggles
At that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the previous couple of years, following a period of ill-health.
"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my wrist."
After contracting a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and believed that it was a masterpiece."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond described his bandmate 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 significant aspect of my existence and for the songs you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.
He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning fine arts. Inspired by a mutual passion of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a unique creative synergy.
Ball had cultivated a interest with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second most popular song of the early 80s, selling millions of copies worldwide. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The track was also featured on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at the second position in 1982.
Career Highlights
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having money and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.
But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches meant we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."
Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out another LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on other projects.
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.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
After another hiatus, they returned in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, that year.
However, they stayed together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball recently described the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their first two albums.
He noted that his period in hospital had influenced the group's music.
"I had strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.
"Our latest tracks are a electronic representation of the sounds in my mind from those days.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc had in the 80s."
The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.
