Soft Cell’s Dave Ball dies at 66 in London
Dave Ball, the electronic music pioneer who formed synthpop duo Soft Cell with Marc Almond, died peacefully at his London home on Wednesday at age 66. The pair met at Leeds Polytechnic in 1978 and achieved global success with their 1981 cover of Tainted Love, which topped charts across Europe and reached the American top 10. Their debut album, Non Stop Erotic Cabaret, established them as dark synthpop innovators before they split in 1984.
Ball pursued various projects after the breakup and reunited with Almond in 2001 for three more albums. The musicians completed their final record, Danceteria, just days before Ball’s death, following years of declining health. Almond praised his partner’s musical genius and said audiences worldwide continue enjoying their songs nearly 50 years after they began collaborating as art students.
