Marc Almond pays tribute to his Soft Cell bandmate Dave Ball, who has died aged 66

Dave Ball, one half of pioneering synth-pop duo Soft Cell, has died at the age 66. He passed away peacefully in his sleep at his London home on Wednesday (October 22).

Ball’s combined love of electronica and Northern Soul fed into his creative relationship with Marc Almond, a fellow art student at Leeds Polytechnic, when they began performing as Soft Cell in the late 1970s. As their million-selling cover of Gloria Jones’ “Tainted Love” topped the UK charts in 1981, the duo seemed to complement one another perfectly: Ball the taciturn background presence, Almond the showy, kohl-eyed frontman.

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, the first of five studio albums together, set a blueprint for ’80s synth-pop that was soon followed by Yazoo, Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure.

When Soft Cell first split in 1984, Ball passed through a couple of short-lived bands before collaborating with Psychic TV, where he met Richard Norris. The pair formed electro-house act The Grid, issuing a series of albums and scoring a major hit with 1994’s delirious “Swamp Thing”.

Ball’s other work as producer and remixer involved projects for The Virgin Prunes, Kylie Minogue and David Bowie. Most recently he’d completed work on a new Soft Cell album, Danceteria, due out next spring.

“He was a wonderfully brilliant musical genius and the pair of us have been on a journey together for almost 50 years,” wrote Almond in tribute. “In the early days we were obnoxious and difficult, two belligerent art students who wanted to do things our way, even if it was the wrong way. We were naive and made mistakes, although we never really saw them as such. It was all just a part of the adventure. Dave and I were always a bit chalk-and-cheese, but maybe that’s why the chemistry between us worked so well.

“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. We laughed a lot, and shared a sense of humour, and a love of film, books and music. Dave had shelves full of books and an array of wonderful and surprising musical references. He was the heart and soul of Soft Cell and I’m very proud of our legacy.

“It’s fitting in many ways that our next (and now our last) album together is called ‘Danceteria’, as that theme takes us back to New York City in the early 1980s where a good many of our musical ideas were formed. That was a time and place that really shaped us. As well as being quintessentially British, we always felt that we were also an honorary American band. We’ve been invested in the Soft Cell myths and stories, and ‘Danceteria’ will now stand as an album that brings everything full circle for us. I just wish that Dave could have stayed on long enough to celebrate our 50 years together in a couple of years’ time. He will always be loved by the Soft Cell fans who love his music and his music and memory will live on. At any given moment, someone somewhere in the world will be getting pleasure from a Soft Cell song.

“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.”

Richard Norris, Ball’s partner in The Grid, added a tribute of his own: “Dave has been a huge part of my musical life for many years. Being in a duo with someone is different from being in a band: the bond is very tight. That’s how it was with us. We went through so many remarkable, extraordinary, life-affirming experiences together. Thank you, Dave. Thanks for the good times, the endless laughter, your unwavering friendship. Most of all, thank you for the music.”