On Wednesday (10.22,) Dave Ball, half of the 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his London home. He was only 66-years old.
Taking to Soft Cell’s official website about his bandmate, Marc Almond led the tributes to the electronic music pioneer, calling him a “wonderfully brilliant musical genius” and “the heart and soul of Soft Cell”.
In a protracted statement, the 68-year-old confirmed that they just finished their next album, Danceteria, a few days before Ball’s death, adding:
“He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago. It’s so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work.”
Expressing his sadness about not reaching the 50th anniversary of their partnership, Almond stated:
“He will always be loved by the Soft Cell fans who love his music and his music and memory will live on. At any given moment, someone somewhere in the world will be getting pleasure from a Soft Cell song.” “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 you.”
Ball formed Soft Cell with singer Almond in 1979, and two years later, they released their debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, featuring ‘Tainted Love,’ their most memorable hit that was Britain’s best-selling single of 1981. The duo released four more full lengths between 1983 and 2022.
In addition to Soft Cell, Ball also founded the electronic duo The Grid alongside Richard Norris, and worked with the likes of David Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure as a songwriter and producer.
Soft Cell’s upcoming LP Danceteria, is slated for a spring 2026 release, and Ball is survived by his close family, including his four children.
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Paul Cox; Distributed by Sire Records – Public Domain