David Ball, of ‘Tainted Love’ Hitmakers Soft Cell, Dies at 66

[TootsieFootsie]

David Ball, of ‘Tainted Love’ Hitmakers Soft Cell, Dies at 66

David Ball, half of the synth-pop duo Soft Cell, who enjoyed a massive and enduring 1980s hit with their cover of 'Tainted Love,' has died.

au.variety.com

David Ball, of ‘Tainted Love’ Hitmakers Soft Cell, Dies at 66


Dave Ball, the instrumentalist in the synth-pop duo Soft Cell, who enjoyed a massive worldwide hit with their 1981 cover of Gloria Jones’ song “Tainted Love,” has died, according to the BBC. No specific cause of death was cited, although he suffered serious health complications after a back injury; he was 66.

While fronted by flamboyant singer Marc Almond, Ball — pictured above, left, in the early 1980s — created virtually all of the duo’s music, which included hits with original songs like “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” and “Bedsitter” and their debut album, “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.” Soft Cell were among the first widely popular synth-pop groups, creating music nearly entirely with electronics — a relative rarity in the early ‘80s that, powered by the rise of MTV, quickly became common.