Soft Cell’s Dave Ball dies

Dave Ball, one half of synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.

Soft Cell were massively influential and their 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret flung Dave and Marc Almond into the spotlight thanks to three top 5 singles in the UK including the number one ‘Tainted Love’ (which was also a top 10 hit in the US). After three albums the pair amicably ended Soft Cell in 1984 although, as we know, there were plenty of reunions and two further studio albums (2002’s Cruelty Without Beauty and 2022’s *Happiness Not Included).

In the late ’80s Ball formed a few short-lived bands, but it was electronic dance group The Grid (with Richard Norris) where he found real success outside Soft Cell, with ‘Swamp Thing’, from third album Evolver hitting No 3 in the UK charts. The Grid also did lots of remix work.

Only two months ago, Soft Cell played a headline show to 20,000 fans at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames and a new album was “literally completed only a few days ago” according to Marc Almond, who in paying tribute to Dave called him “a wonderfully brilliant musical genius” 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.”

RIP Dave Ball. Leave your tributes in the comments section.