The talented musician, one half of the pioneering 1980s synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Together with singer Marc Almond, the duo achieved a worldwide hit with their version of Gloria Jones' Tainted Love in the mid-80s, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of electronic music.
He later founded the innovative techno group The Grid, who secured chart success with their 1994 single Swamp Thing.
Ball died calmly in his rest at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind Festival in the Thames-side town.
Health Struggles
At that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, following a period of ill-health.
"I ended up damage myself significantly," he stated in a recent interview. "I fractured spinal bones in my back and cracked about multiple ribs and fractured my arm."
Following catching a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in the hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "high spirits mentally" over the warmer months, as he was developing a fresh record with Almond, called Danceteria, which is set for release in the coming year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the new album that we actually completed only a short time ago," stated the singer in a heartfelt message.
"It's so sad as next year was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he listened to the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his collaborator as "an exceptionally talented creative mastermind", adding: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm very proud of our body of work.
"Thank you Dave for being an significant part of my existence and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without you."
His Grid bandmate from The Grid, shared his condolences, remembering Ball's "endless laughter" and "unwavering friendship".
"Being in a partnership with someone is distinct from being in a band, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That was the case with us. We experienced so many remarkable, incredible, memorable moments together. Thank you, Dave."
Formative Years
Brought into the world into a one-parent family in Chester in the late 50s, Ball was given up for adoption when he was 18 months of age.
He grew up in Blackpool with adoptive parents his caregivers, who altered his first name from his birth name to his adopted name, alongside his sibling Susan, who was also adopted.
He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, where they were both learning art. Fuelled by a mutual passion of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and quickly recorded an extended play.
Creative Collaboration
The pair were an unusual combination: Ball was the reserved technician, bent over his synthesizer, while Almond was a charismatic performer, all sparkle and makeup; but they achieved a unique musical alchemy.
Ball had developed a fascination with synthesizers after watching the band Kraftwerk perform on BBC program a popular series, and started to marry dark electronica to the catchy tunes Almond was writing.
Their signature song became the UK's second most popular single of the early 80s, selling 21 million copies worldwide. Alongside successful tracks by Gary Numan, Human League and Ultravox, it helped cleared the way for the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.
The track was also featured on their full-length debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which produced two additional top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They followed the record up with the separate release, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.
Professional Journey
Fame had its benefits. "I enjoyed being able to afford my initial property, having money and exploring, which might seem like a Miss World," Ball recently told with a music magazine.
But it also caused problems. "Newfound wealth allowed we could afford newfound drugs to alleviate 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 works for so many musicians."
Amidst the party-filled existence, the duo were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a follow-up classic album - the wayward, tense and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They released one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the group to focus on other projects.
Almond went on to have a prosperous individual path, including 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 collaboration.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell came back together in the early 2000s, releasing the charting record Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further hiatus, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the original singles Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before staging what was supposed to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, 2018.
However, they remained together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic Covid lockdown.
Ball lately described the band's new album as a tribute to the NYC nightlife they frequented while making their initial records.
He noted that his period in medical care had shaped the group's music.
"I experienced unusual memories when I was coming and going of hospital because I was on pain medication," he told a music magazine.
"Our latest tracks are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.
"Simultaneously, it's about the experiences we had in the 1980s."
The last versions were finished only days before Ball died. It is scheduled for release in the spring of 2026.
