The talented musician, a key member of the innovative 1980s electronic music duo Soft Cell, has died at the age of 66.
Alongside vocalist Marc Almond, the pair scored a global success with their cover of Gloria Jones' the classic track Tainted Love in 1984, and their first record Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is considered a seminal work of synth-pop.
He later formed the pioneering techno group The Grid, who achieved popular acclaim with 1994's the hit Swamp Thing.
Ball passed away calmly in his sleep at his home in London on Wednesday 22 October, just weeks after playing a headline show with Soft Cell at the Rewind music event in the Thames-side town.
Recent Health Challenges
At that show, Ball appeared in a wheelchair, as he had for the last two years, after a spate of health issues.
"I managed to injure myself quite a bit," he stated in a recent interview. "I broke lower vertebrae in my back and cracked about five ribs and fractured my arm."
After catching a lung infection and developing blood poisoning, he was put in an medically-induced sleep and stayed in hospital for half a year.
Nevertheless, he had been in "a great place emotionally" during the warmer months, as he was developing a new album with Almond, titled Danceteria, which is scheduled for publication next year.
"He was concentrated and so happy with the latest project that we actually finished only a few days ago," said the vocalist in a tribute.
"It's truly heartbreaking as next year was completely planned to be such an uplifting time for him, and I find comfort from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a masterpiece."
Heartfelt Messages
Almond referred to his collaborator as "a wonderfully brilliant musical genius", stating: "He was the core essence of Soft Cell and I'm extremely pleased of our body of work.
"Many thanks Dave for being an immense aspect of my existence and for the music you created with me. I wouldn't be where I am without your influence."
Richard Norris from The Grid, also paid tribute, recalling Ball's "constant humor" and "unwavering friendship".
"Being in a partnership with someone is different from joining a group, the bond is very tight," he added.
"That's how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, incredible, life-affirming experiences together. Many thanks, Dave."
Formative Years
Born into a one-parent family in the city of Chester in the late 50s, Ball was put up for adoption when he was 18 months old.
He grew up in Blackpool with his new family Donald and Brenda Ball, who altered his first name from his birth name to David, together with his sibling his sister, who was also adopted.
He encountered Almond at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 70s, where they were both studying art. Inspired by a shared love of Northern Soul, they formed Soft Cell the very year, and promptly recorded an EP.
Musical Partnership
The duo were an unusual pairing: Ball was the quiet musician, hunched over his synthesizer, while Almond was a flamboyant showman, all sparkle and makeup; but they attained a unique creative synergy.
Ball had developed a fascination with electronic instruments after watching Kraftwerk appear on BBC science show a popular series, and began to combine dark electronica to the soaring melodies Almond was composing.
Their signature song became the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling song of the early 80s, shifting millions of units globally. Alongside hits by other artists, Human League and electronic acts, it helped cleared the path for the electronic music style of the 80s.
The song was also included on their first album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which spawned two further top five hits: Bedsitter and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
They continued the album up with the stand-alone single, Torch, which peaked at the second position in the following year.
Career Highlights
Fame had its benefits. "I loved being able to afford my first home, having money and exploring, which makes me sound like a Miss World," Ball not long ago shared with a publication.
But it also presented challenges. "Newfound wealth meant we could purchase substances to alleviate the monotony" of press appearances and television shows, Ball explained.
"I know that's a common saying, but it's a cliché for a valid cause, because it applies for so many bands."
Amidst the hedonistic lifestyle, the pair were also growing distant, but they succeeded to create a second memorable record - the wayward, edgy and aptly-titled The Art Of Falling Apart.
They put out one more album, their 1984 release This Last Night In Sodom, before dissolving the band to focus on other projects.
Almond proceeded to have a successful solo career, including the chart-topping single Something's Got A Hold Of My Heart; while Ball formed The Grid, who combined acid house with ambient pop over a long-lasting collaboration.
Reunions and Final Projects
Soft Cell reunited in the early 2000s, releasing the charting album Cruelty Without Beauty.
Following a further break, they reappeared in recent years, releasing the new tracks Northern Lights and Guilty (Cos I Say You Are) before performing what was intended to be a farewell show at the large venue on September 30, that year.
However, they stayed together, recording their latest project, Happiness Not Included, during the pandemic restrictions.
Ball lately characterized the band's upcoming release as a homage to the NYC nightlife they frequented while recording their initial records.
He noted that his time in hospital had shaped the band's sound.
"I experienced strange recollections when I was coming and going of the hospital because I was on morphine," he told a music magazine.
"The new songs are a digital reflection of the noises in my mind from that time.
"In parallel, it's about the times we had in the 80s."
The final mixes were completed only days before Ball passed away. It is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2026.
