The talented musician, one half of the innovative 1980s electronic music band Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the pair achieved a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record their initial full-length release is regarded as a classic of electronic music.
He subsequently formed the innovative electronic act 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, only a short time after performing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in Henley-on-Thames.
Health Struggles
During that show, Ball appeared in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, after a period of ill-health.
"I ended up injure myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and fractured about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."
Following contracting pneumonia and suffering from sepsis, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place mentally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming 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 so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the completed album and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond described his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.
"Many thanks Dave for being an significant aspect of my life and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without your influence."
Richard Norris from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the connection is incredibly close," he added.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many extraordinary, incredible, life-affirming experiences as a team. Many thanks, Dave."
Early Life
Born into a single-parent household in the city of Chester in 1959, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months old.
He was raised in the seaside town with adoptive parents his caregivers, who changed his given name from his birth name to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at an art college in 1977, where they were both studying fine arts. Fuelled by a shared love of a music genre, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly produced an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The duo were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved technician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique creative synergy.
Ball had cultivated a interest with electronic instruments after viewing the band Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second biggest-selling single of 1981, selling millions of units worldwide. Together with hits by other artists, Human League and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the way for the electronic music style of the 1980s.
The song was also featured on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two further top five singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at number two in the following year.
Professional Journey
Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having financial security and travelling, which might seem like a beauty queen," Ball not long ago told with a publication.
But it also caused problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and TV performances, Ball explained.
"I know that's a cliché, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."
During the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they managed to produce a follow-up classic album - the wayward, edgy 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 other projects.
Almond went on to have a prosperous solo career, including the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who mixed acid house with melodic sounds over a enduring collaboration.
Later Work and Comebacks
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the Top 40 album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further hiatus, they returned in 2018, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was supposed to be a farewell show at the O2 Arena on September 30, 2018.
Yet, they remained together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the 2020 Covid lockdown.
Ball recently characterized the band's upcoming release as a homage to the New York club scene they visited while making their initial records.
He noted that his period in hospital had shaped the band's sound.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a publication.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the times we had in the 80s."
The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for launch in Spring 2026.
