Dave Ball (Soft Cell) dies aged 66, a legend is no more

Electronic musician Dave Ball, co-founder of Soft Cell and later The Grid, died in his sleep at his home in London on 22 October 2025. He was 66. Ball is survived by close family, including four children.

In a reaction Marc Almond (Soft Cell) says that Ball was a “wonderfully brilliant musical genius”. The duo recently completed a new studio album, “Danceteria,” slated for spring 2026 via Republic of Music. Final mixes were completed days before Ball’s passing.

About Dave Ball

David James Ball was born on 3 May 1959 in Chester; and raised in Blackpool. He met Marc Almond while studying at the Fine art at Leeds Polytechnic.

Soft Cell formed at Leeds Polytechnic in 1979. The duo’s debut album “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret” (1981) became a UK platinum set. The single “Tainted Love” topped the UK chart and reached No. 1 in multiple territories. 1982 offered “The Art of Falling Apart” followed by 1984’s “This Last Night in Sodom.” The duo reunited for “Cruelty Without Beauty” (2002), and later for “Happiness Not Included” (2022) amid renewed touring, culminating in the newly completed “Danceteria.” Ball’s final performance with the band took place in August 2025, headlining Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames.

After the duo’s initial split, Ball co-founded The Grid with Richard Norris, achieving a 1994 UK Top 3 hit with “Swamp Thing.” He also produced, co-wrote or remixed for artists including Kylie Minogue, David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure.

A 6-CD super-deluxe reissue of “The Art of Falling Apart” is scheduled for 31 October 2025 (UMR/Mercury), alongside the “Martin” EP via Republic of Music.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

side-line.com

Since you’re here …

… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.

If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The donations are safely powered by Paypal.

• donate monthly
• donate once only

Select a Donation Option (USD)

$5 $10 $15 Other

Enter Donation Amount (USD)