Dave Ball obit

Soft Cell’s Dave Ball dead at 66

 

He was not on the list.

Dave Ball, one half of the electro-pop duo Soft Cell, has died aged 66.

Ball passed away in his sleep at his home in London on October 22nd. His final performance with Soft Cell took place in August when they headlined Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

Ball formed Soft Cell with Marc Almond when they were both art students at Leeds Polytechnic in 1979, stamping their mark on the charts two years later with their synth-pop masterpiece debut, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

They first split in 1984 and didn’t get back together until 2000, but parted ways again five years later. In 2018, they announced one final show at London’s O2 Arena, which was intended to be their last hurrah, but Soft Cell couldn’t stop.

The duo recently finished work in recent days on their sixth album, Danceteria, which will arrive next year.

In a statement seen by Far Out, Marc Almond said of his bandmate’s passing: “It is hard to write this, let alone process it, as Dave was in such a great place emotionally. He was focused and so happy with the new album that we literally completed only a few days ago. It’s so sad as 2026 was all set to be such an uplifting year for him, and I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record and felt that it was a great piece of work.”

Almond also shared, “Dave’s music is better than ever. His tunes and hooks are still unmistakably Soft Cell, yet he always took it to the next level too.”

Almond then went on to describe Ball as “a wonderfully brilliant musical genius”, before describing the pair of them as “obnoxious and difficult, two belligerent art students who wanted to do things our way, even if it was the wrong way”.

The singer then said the duo were “chalk-and-cheese”, adding, “Maybe that’s why the chemistry between us worked so well”.

Almond continued, “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.”

Almond also confirmed their next album, which will now be the final Soft Cell record, “takes us back to New York City in the early 1980s where a good many of our musical ideas were formed”. The vocalist elaborated, “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.”

Ball’s death is also tinged with sadness for Almond due to the milestone that Soft Cell were on the brink of achieving, adding, “I just wish that Dave could have stayed on long enough to celebrate our 50 years together in a couple of years’ time.”

Almond powerfully concluded, “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.”

Outside of Soft Cell, Ball was also a member of The Grid, which he founded in 1988 alongside Richard Norris. In a statement, Norris shared, “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.”

Soft Cell are still set to release a super deluxe edition of their classic album, 1983’s The Art Of Falling Apart, on October 31st despite Ball’s passing.

Ball is survived by his close family and four children, who have asked for privacy during this difficult time.