8 h. ago Dave Ball was not some bloke in the background of Soft Cell – he drove their startling, subversive sound

Far more than a mute foil to Marc Almond, Ball brought his love of northern soul and strange electronics to bear on some of Britain’s most uncompromising pop• News: Dave Ball, synth-pop hitmaker as one half of Soft Cell, dies aged 66By common consent, Soft Cell’s first Top of the Pops appearance, on 13 August 1981, ranks among the show’s most striking performances. It was impactful enough to send their single Tainted Love first into the Top Ten, then to No 1 – it ultimately became the second biggest-selling single of the year – and to provoke a number of complaints. The latter were caused by the duo’s frontman, Marc Almond, clad in eyeliner and jewellery, delivering his vocal with a weird combination of intense passion, high camp and occasional knowing looks to camera: he was clearly a gay man, but a gay man who declined to conform to the pantomime stereotype that still prevailed on British TV, a decision that first upset his own record company boss – who collared Almond backstage a...

Politics

10 h. ago Soft Cell star Dave Ball dead aged 66 as bandmates pay tribute

The tragedy comes days after he and bandmate Marc Almond completed what is now the final Soft Cell album.

Events

11 h. ago Soft Cell’s Dave Ball dies aged 66: Marc Almond pays emotional tribute to ‘brilliant musical genius’

‘It is hard to write this, let alone process it, as Dave was in such a great place emotionally’ - Marc Almond

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11 h. ago Soft Cell star Dave Ball dies aged 66 just days after finishing final album with band

The electronic musician died on Wednesday, just days after completing the final Soft Cell album, with bandmate Marc Almond describing him as a 'brilliant musical genius'.

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11 h. ago ‘Wonderfully brilliant musical genius’ Soft Cell’s Dave Ball dies aged 66

Ball’s death was confirmed by the band on Thursday.

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11 h. ago Dave Ball dead: Soft Cell star famed for hit Tainted Love dies after completing album

Soft Cell star Dave Ball has died at the age of 66, the band has confirmed. The electronic musician died on Wednesday days after completing the band's final album

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11 h. ago Dave Ball dead aged 66: Soft Cell star behind iconic hit Tainted Love dies in his sleep as bandmate pays tribute

ICONIC musician Dave Ball has died aged 66. The synth player and producer was best known as one half of popular 80s band Soft Cell. Representatives for the musician said he “passed away peacefully in his sleep at his London home on Wednesday”. Dave's cause of death has not yet been given. His partner in...

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11 h. ago Soft Cell member Dave Ball dies aged 66 days after completing final album

Soft Cell band member Marc Almond has paid tribute to Dave Ball, who has died at the age of 66 just days after they finished their final album

Events

31 h. ago Liverpool Women kit manager Jonathan Humble dies as club pay emotional tribute

Liverpool Women have released a statement announcing that their first-team kit manager Jonathan Humble has sadly passed away after being taken ill on Sunday evening

Society

33 h. ago Tom Parker's bandmate admits 'hardest part' of star's death after cancer battle

EXCLUSIVE: The Wanted singer Siva Kaneswaran spoke to Daily Star about his best friend and former bandmate Tom Parker's glioblastoma diagnosis and death aged just 33-years-old

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38 h. ago The Voice star dies aged 56 after health battle as fans pay tribute

Singer and guitarist Virginia Lillye, who was a contestant on The Voice Australia in 2020, has died at the age of 56 after a two-year battle with advanced ovarian cancer

Events

40 h. ago Manchester City fan, 35, found dead in Spain hours before Villarreal match as devastated family pay tribute

Guy Bradshaw was found dead in Benidorm just hours before City's Champions League match against Villarreal

Sport

41 h. ago Limp Bizkit Sam Rivers' new death update issued after sudden loss aged just 48

Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers died on Saturday 18 October and his heartbroken bandmates, along with his fans, flocked to pay tribute to the musician after the sad news broke

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66 h. ago Movie legend dies working on final film as death branded 'huge loss for cinema'

A cinema icon has died after battling a long illness while working on what would have been his last film as distraught fans pay tribute to the "comedy genius" after their "irreparable loss"

Events

3 d. ago England legend Stuart Pearce’s 'beautiful' son Harley, 21, killed in tractor crash as family pay tribute

Former England football international’s son is believed to have lost control of a farm vehicle on a country road

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3 d. ago Harley Pearce death: Son of England legend Stuart Pearce killed in tractor crash

Pearce family pay tribute to cherished ‘son and devoted brother’ after fatal collision

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3 d. ago New York Yankees pay tribute to Jesus Montero after MLB star dies in motorcycle crash aged 35

Jesús Montero died from severe injuries from a motorcycle crash

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3 d. ago New York Yankees pay tribute to former youth star who died after motorcycle crash aged 35

Jesús Montero died after suffering severe injuries from a motorbike accident

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3 d. ago Kelly Osbourne issues devastating tribute as family suffer loss after Ozzy's death

Sharon Osbourne revealed her family have been hit with another heartbreaking death just weeks after her rock star husband Ozzy Osbourne died as the family pay tributes

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4 d. ago Sharon Osbourne suffers another devastating loss as her beloved dog Elvis passes away just weeks after the tragic death of husband Ozzy

The Black Sabbath legend died of heart failure at his Buckinghamshire home on July 22 aged 76, a fortnight after performing a farewell concert with his bandmates at Birmingham 's Villa Park.

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