Soft Cell Co-Founder Dave Ball Dies at 66

Dave Ball, co-founder and instrumental half of pioneering synth-pop duo Soft Cell, died peacefully in his sleep at his London home on Oct. 22 at age 66, the band announced. He had finished Soft Cell's sixth album, Danceteria, days before his death and made his final live appearance weeks earlier headlining the Rewind Festival. Marc Almond paid tribute, calling Ball a wonderfully brilliant musical genius and crediting him with shaping the duo's dark electronic sound that produced the global hit "Tainted Love" and the album Non‑Stop Erotic Cabaret. Ball had faced serious health problems in recent years — including a back injury that left him performing from a wheelchair and lengthy hospital treatment — though no official cause of death has been released. Beyond Soft Cell, he co‑founded The Grid, known for the 1994 hit "Swamp Thing," and colleagues and fans said his music and influence will endure worldwide.