One half of the duo Soft Cell, known for their cover of “Tainted Love,” has died.
David Ball was 66 years old.
His family said he died peacefully in his sleep at his London home on Oct. 22, the BBC reported.
No official cause of death was released, but Variety reported he had serious health complications after a back injury. He had performed from a wheelchair because of the injury, but had mostly recovered and recently finished the album “Danceteria” which will be released next year.
Ball was the instrumentalist and backup to flamboyant frontman Marc Almond. But Ball was credited for penning original songs “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” and “Bedsitter.”
But their biggest hit, “Tainted Love,” which was a medley with the Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go?” was one of the biggest hits of the 1980s, according to Variety.
Soft Cell was together until 1984, but they reunited for albums in 2001 and 2018.
Almond posted a tribute on Instagram.
“I wish he could have stayed on to celebrate 50 years in a couple of years time. He will always be loved by fans who loved his music. It’s a cliche to say but it lives on and somewhere at any given time around the world someone listens to, plays, dances, and get’s pleasure from a Soft Cell song - even if it’s just that particular two and half minute epic,” it read in part.
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