The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the team achieved a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is regarded as a seminal work of electronic music.
He later formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away calmly in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
At that performance, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.
"I managed to injure myself significantly," he commented in 2023. "I fractured lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about five ribs and fractured my arm."
Following contracting a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for seven months.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for release next year.
"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a short time ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the knowledge that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Tributes
Almond referred to 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 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, shared his condolences, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a duo with someone is different from joining a group, the connection is incredibly close," he added.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He was raised in Blackpool with adoptive parents Donald and Brenda Ball, who changed his given name from Paul to his adopted name, alongside his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his keyboard, while Almond was a charismatic showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show a popular series, and started to combine 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 Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to paved the way for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The song was also included on their full-length debut, their initial LP, which spawned two additional top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the album up with the separate release, Torch, which reached at number two in the following year.
Career Highlights
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.
But it also presented challenges. "Sudden riches meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball said.
"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a good reason, because it works for so many musicians."
During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also drifting apart, but they succeeded to produce a follow-up memorable record - the unconventional, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more LP, 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 2001, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following another break, they returned in recent years, issuing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.
Yet, they stayed active, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball lately described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they visited while making their first two albums.
He added that his period in medical care had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a publication.
"The new songs are a electronic representation of the sounds in my mind from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences me and Marc got up to in the 80s."
The last versions were finished only days before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in the spring of 2026.
