The talented musician, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of electronic music.
He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act The Grid, who secured popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after performing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event 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 health issues.
"I managed to injure myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my wrist."
Following catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.
However, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for publication in the coming year.
"He was focused and very pleased with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and believed that it was a great piece of work."
Tributes
Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.
"Many thanks Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "steadfast support".
"Forming a duo with someone is distinct from joining a band, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.
He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and quickly produced an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and makeup; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.
Ball had cultivated a fascination with electronic instruments after watching the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and started to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Tainted Love became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling 21 million copies worldwide. Together with successful tracks by Gary Numan, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped paved the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.
The track was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which produced two additional high-charting hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at the second position in the following year.
Career Highlights
Fame had its upsides. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a publication.
But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could afford substances to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.
"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it applies for so many musicians."
Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a second memorable record - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before ending the group to concentrate on other projects.
Almond proceeded to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed dance music with melodic sounds over a long-lasting partnership.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on September 30, that year.
However, they stayed active, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball lately characterized the band's new album as a tribute to the New York club scene they visited while making their initial records.
He noted that his period in hospital had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a publication.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times me and Marc got up to in the 80s."
The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.
