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 team achieved a global success with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.
He later formed the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball died peacefully in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, 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 wheelchair, as he had for the previous couple of years, after a period of health issues.
"I ended up damage myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my wrist."
Following contracting a lung infection and developing sepsis, he was put in an induced coma and stayed in the hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" during the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, called Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication in the coming year.
"He was focused and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the singer in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as 2026 was completely planned to be such an positive time for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his bandmate as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our legacy.
"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the songs you gave me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That was the case with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming moments as a team. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He was raised 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 Susan, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an distinctive pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all glitter and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare musical alchemy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching Kraftwerk perform on BBC program Tomorrow's World, and began to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, shifting millions of copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it contributed to cleared the path for the synth-pop sound of the 80s.
The track was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in the following year.
Professional Journey
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to relieve the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I know that's a common saying, but it's a truism for a good reason, because it works for so many bands."
During the party-filled existence, the duo were also drifting apart, but they managed to create a second memorable record - the wayward, edgy and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more LP, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on other projects.
Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, including 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 long-lasting partnership.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, producing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further hiatus, they returned in 2018, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on 30 September, that year.
Yet, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball recently characterized the duo's upcoming release as a tribute to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their initial records.
He added that his time in hospital had shaped the group's music.
"I had strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.
"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from those days.
"In parallel, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 1980s."
The final mixes were completed only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in Spring 2026.
