The talented musician, a key member of the groundbreaking 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.
He subsequently formed the pioneering electronic act The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.
Ball died peacefully in his rest at his residence in London on October 22, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.
Recent Health Challenges
During that performance, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of ill-health.
"I ended up damage myself significantly," he stated in 2023. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my wrist."
After catching pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was placed in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for seven months.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the summer, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.
"He was concentrated and very pleased with the latest project that we actually completed only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a heartfelt message.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was all set to be such an positive time for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard 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 body of work.
"Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "endless laughter" and "steadfast support".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from being in a group, the connection is very tight," he added.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."
Formative Years
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in 1959, Ball was put up for adoption when he was a year and a half old.
He was raised in the seaside town with his new family his caregivers, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his younger sister his sister, who was also adopted.
He encountered Almond at an art college in the late 70s, where they were both studying fine arts. Inspired by a shared love of a music genre, they established Soft Cell the same year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant performer, all glitter and eye-liner; but they attained a unique musical alchemy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after viewing the band Kraftwerk perform on a television program a popular series, and began to combine moody electronic sounds to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of 1981, selling 21 million units globally. Together with successful tracks by other artists, contemporary bands and electronic acts, it helped paved the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.
The track was also featured on their full-length debut, 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 the second position in 1982.
Career Highlights
Fame had its upsides. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and exploring, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago shared with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the boredom" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I know that's a cliché, but it's a truism for a valid cause, because it applies for so many musicians."
Amidst the party-filled existence, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out another album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to concentrate on individual endeavors.
Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, featuring the top 10 hit 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 came back together in 2001, releasing the Top 40 record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further hiatus, they returned in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the large venue on 30 September, that year.
However, they stayed active, creating their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently described the band's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they frequented while recording their initial records.
He added that his period in hospital had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a music magazine.
"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my head from that time.
"In parallel, it's about the experiences me and Marc had in the 1980s."
The last versions were completed only a short time before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in Spring 2026.
