The talented musician, one half of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the team scored a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their debut album their initial full-length release is regarded as a seminal work of synth-pop.
He subsequently formed the pioneering techno group 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, only a short time after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
At that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of health issues.
"I managed to injure myself significantly," he commented in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my spine and fractured about multiple ribs and broke my arm."
Following catching pneumonia and developing sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and remained in the hospital for seven months.
However, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record 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," said the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Tributes
Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.
"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the music you gave me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".
"Being in a duo with someone is different from being in a group, the bond is very tight," he continued.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many extraordinary, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."
Early Life
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was similarly welcomed.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying 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 distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, bent over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC science show Tomorrow's World, and started to marry moody electronic sounds to the catchy tunes Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the UK's second most popular song of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies globally. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to paved the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.
The song was also featured on their first album, their initial LP, which produced two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which reached at number two in 1982.
Career Highlights
Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a beauty queen," Ball recently told with a publication.
But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could afford substances to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball said.
"I realize that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it works for so many bands."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to produce a follow-up memorable record - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on individual endeavors.
Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed acid house with ambient pop over a enduring partnership.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell reunited in 2001, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.
After another break, they reappeared in 2018, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, that year.
However, they stayed active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently characterized the band's new album as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while recording their initial records.
He noted that his time in hospital had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on pain medication," he explained to a music magazine.
"The new songs are a electronic representation of the noises in my mind from those days.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 1980s."
The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.
