Dave Ball, the synth player and producer who found huge success as one half of Soft Cell, has died aged 66. His representatives confirmed he “passed away peacefully in his sleep at his London home on Wednesday”. No cause of death was given.
His musical partner Marc Almond paid tribute, describing Ball as a “wonderfully brilliant musical genius” and adding: “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.”
Born in Chester in 1959 and adopted, Ball grew up in Blackpool, where he was influenced by the town’s “showbizzy” side and his father’s engineering background. After his father died of cancer, Ball used inherited money to buy a guitar, later trading it for a synthesiser. He studied art at Leeds Polytechnic, where he met Almond, and the duo formed Soft Cell in 1979.
Their 1981 cover of Tainted Love became a global hit, reaching No 1 in the UK and 16 other countries. The duo enjoyed five consecutive UK Top 10 hits and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret went platinum. They split amicably in 1984, with Ball later citing drug addiction as a factor.
After Soft Cell, Ball collaborated with Genesis P-Orridge and later formed the Grid with Richard Norris, achieving further chart success with tracks like Swamp Thing. Norris paid tribute, saying: “Being in a duo with someone is different from being in a band: the bond is very tight. That’s how it was.”
