Dave Ball, the synth-pop pioneer and one half of the influential duo Soft Cell, has died aged 66. The news was confirmed by his bandmate Marc Almond on social media, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the music world.
Ball,alongside Almond,achieved international fame in the early 1980s with a string of synth-pop hits,most notably “Tainted Love,” which became a global phenomenon and remains a defining track of the era. Soft Cell’s innovative blend of electronic sounds, new wave aesthetics, and Almond’s distinctive vocals helped shape the landscape of popular music and paved the way for countless artists.
Formed in Leeds in 1978, Soft Cell initially released independently before signing to Mute Records. Their debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cable, arrived in 1981, featuring “Tainted Love” and establishing their signature sound.The duo continued to release successful albums including joy, and This Last Night’s Dream, before disbanding in 1984. They briefly reformed in 2018, releasing two new songs and the album Happiness Not Included in 2022, which reached No 7 in the UK album chart, followed by Happiness Now Completed in 2024.
Almond shared a heartfelt tribute, stating: “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.”
Ball published his memoir, Electronic Boy: My Life in and Out of Soft Cell, in 2020. He faced serious health challenges in 2022, sustaining numerous fractures in a fall and afterward contracting pneumonia and sepsis, requiring seven months of hospital treatment including a period in an induced coma.
Despite his recent health struggles, Almond revealed that Ball had been “in such a great place emotionally” and had recently completed a new Soft Cell album, Danceteria, named after the famed New York nightclub they frequented during their peak.”He was focused and so happy with the new album that we completed only a few days ago,” Almond said. ”It’s so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him… Dave’s music is better than ever.”
Daniel Miller, founder of Mute records, also paid tribute, saying, “I was extremely impressed with Dave’s vision and his musicality … We have lost a true original.”
