He was the producer and man on the synths who was responsible for “Tainted Love”, among other things.
One part of Soft Cell passed away. Dave Ball was 66 years old. His management announced this without naming the exact cause of death.
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The official statement, which is available to The Guardian, among others, states that Dave Ball “died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday at his home in London.”
Marc Almond says goodbye to Dave Ball
His Soft Cell colleague Marc Almond also commented on the death. He said: “He was a wonderfully brilliant musical genius…Thank you, Dave, for being such an important part of my life and for giving me your music. Without you I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
The breakthrough thanks to the cover song
At the end of the 70s, Marc Almond and Dave Ball founded Soft Cell together in Leeds. They released “Tainted Love” back in 1981. The coup: “Tainted Love” was a cover and originally a song by US soul singer Gloria Jones. But for her the track never became a chart success, whereas – sung by Almond – it developed into an international hit. It reached first place in the UK, but the duo also secured the top of the charts in 16 other countries.
According to “The Guardian”, the two Brits were surprised by the success of their cover piece: “We lived in a shabby little council flat in Leeds and flew around in the Concorde,” said David Ball once.
Other singles that became hits worldwide were to follow. Among them: “Bedsitter”, “Say Hello” and “Wave Goodbye”.
Her last studio album was released in May 2022: “Happiness Not Included” – her first record in 20 years.