David Ball, electronic music pioneer and one-half of Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
The musician and producer, who also performed with acid house act The Grid, passed away at his home in London yesterday (Wednesday October 22). A cause of death is not yet known.
Ball last performed live as part of the synth-pop duo when they headlined Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames in August, following a run of dates across North America.
Marc Almond – Soft Cell frontman and Ball’s musical collaborator of 46 years – paid tribute to his late bandmate, describing him as a “wonderfully brilliant musical genius”. He also revealed that the pair had just finished work on a new record, ‘Danceteria’ – which will now be their “last album together”.
“It is hard to write this, let alone process it, as Dave was in such a great place emotionally. He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago,” Almond wrote.
“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. Dave’s music is better than ever. His tunes and hooks are still unmistakably Soft Cell, yet he always took it to the next level too. He was a wonderfully brilliant musical genius and the pair of us have been on a journey together for almost 50 years.
“In the early days we were obnoxious and difficult, two belligerent art students who wanted to do things our way, even if it was the wrong way. We were naive and made mistakes, although we never really saw them as such. It was all just a part of the adventure. Dave and I were always a bit chalk-and-cheese, but maybe that’s why the chemistry between us worked so well.
“Whenever we came back together after long periods apart there was always that warmth and chemistry. There was a deep mutual respect that gave our combined songwriting its unique power. We laughed a lot, and shared a sense of humour, and a love of film, books and music. Dave had shelves full of books and an array of wonderful and surprising musical references. He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I’m very proud of our legacy.”
He went on: “It’s fitting in many ways that our next (and now our last) album together is called ‘Danceteria’, as that theme takes us back to New York City in the early 1980s where a good many of our musical ideas were formed. That was a time and place that really shaped us. As well as being quintessentially British, we always felt that we were also an honorary American band.
“We’ve been invested in the Soft Cell myths and stories, and ‘Danceteria’ will now stand as an album that brings everything full circle for us. I just wish that Dave could have stayed on long enough to celebrate our 50 years together in a couple of years’ time.
“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.”
Almond concluded: “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.”
Formed in 1979, when Ball and singer Almond were both art students in Leeds, Soft Cell helped to define the sound of British music in the 1980s and beyond. Their 1981 debut album ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ changed the course of pop and paved the way for numerous synth-based duos, such as Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics, Yazoo and Erasure.
Their second single, ‘Tainted Love’, topped the charts in the UK and in 17 countries around the globe. It was also certified as Britain’s best-selling single of 1981 and made the Guinness Book Of Records, as the single that spent the longest time on the US Billboard chart.
Between 1982 and 2021, Soft Cell released four more studio albums – ‘The Art Of Falling Apart’, ‘This Last Night In Sodom’, ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’ and ‘*Happiness not included’ – plus what is considered as one of the first remix album, ‘Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing’.
The duo earned four more UK top 10 singles with ‘Bedsitter’, ‘Torch’, ‘What!’, and ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’, with Ball also helping to create extended, 12-inch mixes of the singles. He would often splice segments of tape together with razor blades, to give the band a decisive, club-friendly edge.
Born in Chester in 1959, Ball had moved from Blackpool to Leeds to study fine art. He first worked with Almond when he provided an electronic backdrop to a piece of the singer’s improvised performance art.
Away from Soft Cell, Ball was also one half of The Grid alongside esteemed musician and producer Richard Norris, with whom he enjoyed a string of chart successes in the ’90s, including the top three single and international hit ‘Swamp Thing’.
He also worked with major stars including David Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure, as well as some alternative artists such as Psychic TV and Gavin Friday.
In addition to Soft Cell’s forthcoming new album, Almond is still scheduled to release the group’s other planned projects, in tribute to Ball. These are a super deluxe reissue of 1983’s ‘The Art Of Falling Apart’, a 6CD boxset complete with new remixes and dubs by the late musician, and their ‘Martin’ EP.
The release date of the brand-new Soft Cell studio album, ‘Danceteria’, is yet to be announced.
Paying his respects, The Grid’s Richard Norris wrote: “Dave has been a huge part of my musical life for many years. Being in a duo with someone is different from being in a band: the bond is very tight. That’s how it was with us.
“We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, Dave. Thanks for the good times, the endless laughter, your unwavering friendship. Most of all, thank you for the music.”
Daniel Miller, founder and owner of Mute Records, said: “We have lost a true original. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to work with him and Marc all those years ago. My love and condolences to Marc, his family and to Chris.”
English (US) · 