The talented musician, a key member of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has passed away at the age of 66.
Together with vocalist Marc Almond, the duo scored a worldwide hit with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a classic of electronic music.
He later founded the pioneering techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his sleep at his home in London on October 22, just weeks after playing a featured performance with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.
Recent Health Challenges
At that show, Ball performed in a mobility chair, as he had for the last two years, following a spate of health issues.
"I ended up damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke spinal bones in my spine and cracked about multiple ribs and broke my arm."
Following contracting pneumonia and suffering from blood poisoning, he was placed in an induced coma and stayed in hospital for half a year.
However, he had been in "high spirits emotionally" over the warmer months, as he worked on a fresh record with Almond, titled the upcoming Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.
"He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago," stated the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an positive year for him, and I find comfort from the knowledge that he heard the completed album and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.
"Many thanks Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I couldn't be where I am without you."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Forming a partnership with someone is different from joining a group, the bond is incredibly close," he continued.
"That's how it was with us. We experienced so many remarkable, extraordinary, memorable moments as a team. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.
He grew up in the seaside town with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his given name from Paul to his adopted name, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.
He met Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both studying art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an extended play.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an distinctive combination: Ball was the reserved musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and eye-liner; but they achieved a rare creative synergy.
Ball had developed a interest with synthesizers after viewing Kraftwerk perform on a television science show a popular series, and started to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of 1981, shifting 21 million copies globally. Alongside hits by other artists, contemporary bands and Ultravox, it contributed to cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 1980s.
The song was also included on their first album, their initial LP, which spawned two additional high-charting singles: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the album up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in 1982.
Professional Journey
Success had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to purchase my initial property, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently shared with a music magazine.
But it also presented problems. "Sudden riches allowed we could purchase substances to relieve the monotony" of media interviews and TV performances, Ball said.
"I realize that's a common saying, but it's a truism 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 create a second memorable record - the unconventional, tense and fittingly named The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more LP, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to concentrate on individual endeavors.
Almond proceeded to have a successful individual path, featuring the top 10 hit Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball created The Grid, who mixed dance music with ambient pop over a long-lasting partnership.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, producing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
After another hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, issuing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was intended to be a final performance at the O2 Arena on 30 September, 2018.
However, they stayed together, recording their fifth album, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball recently described the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.
He noted that his time in medical care had influenced the group's music.
"I had unusual memories when I was in and out of the hospital because I was on morphine," he explained to a publication.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the sounds in my mind from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we got up to in the 80s."
The last versions were finished only a short time before Ball passed away. It is due for release in the spring of 2026.
