Dave Ball passed away just two days after finishing work on Soft Cell‘s new album, Marc Almond has revealed.
The musician died at his London home on October 22, 2025, with Almond leading tributes, hailing Ball as “wonderfully brilliant musical genius” and “the heart and soul of Soft Cell”.
In a new interview on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X in support of the synth-pop duo’s forthcoming album, ‘Danceteria’ – due September 25 via Republic Of Music – the singer opened up on losing his bandmate.
“We just listened to the album through and we just finished it, and ticked it off and said we were both really happy with it,” he said. “Two days later, somebody came into the room and said, ‘I’ve got some really bad news for you, Dave has passed away’.”
Discussing the bittersweet release of the duo’s final work together, he quipped: “That was literally two days after we’d ticked off the album and said we were really happy with it. I thought this timing, you’ve left me holding the baby, thanks very much!”
Working on the album, he said, meant him and Ball “had more contact with each other than we had for quite a while”, and despite the late star experiencing multiple health setbacks, including breaking his back and using a motorised chair, Almond insisted he was hopeful of getting back on stage and performing again.
