David Ball (musician)

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For other people named David Ball, see David Ball.

David Ball (born on 3 May 1959 in Blackpool, Lancashire) is an English producer and electronic musician, who has played in groups such as Soft Cell and The Grid and collaborated with producers such as Ingo Vauk.

As a student of Leeds Polytechnic Fine Arts University (now Leeds Metropolitan University), Ball experimented heavily with drugs, as well as experimental electronic sounds and synthesizers, a burgeoning technology at the time which was just beginning to gain acceptance with artists such as Kraftwerk and The Human League. He met fellow student Marc Almond, who requested his assistance in developing music to complement his performance art pieces. The two cut a 4-track demo, entitled Mutant Moments, and were soon signed to the small Some Bizarre Records. Working alongside Almond, who by this time had taken on the role of lead singer and principal songwriter, Ball helped the band achieve success with their cover of the Gloria Jones's Tainted Love, which reached #1 in seventeen differrent countries and #8 in the U.S., where it stayed on the charts for 43 weeks, holding a then-Guinness World Record for the longest such stay and becoming the biggest-selling UK single of 1981.

Soft Cell remained major pop stars in the UK, releasing a string of singles which all reached the UK Top 5, although they ceased to be a commercial force in the US. Two more albums, largely arranged and scored by Ball, were released to critical success but commercial failure. The duo broke up in 1983, just before the release of their third album, aptly titled This Last Night In Sodom, citing increased tensions and personal problems.

After the demise of Soft Cell, Ball released a solo album, In Strict Tempo, which failed to generate commercial attention despite positive publicity. He then went on to produce electronic dance music records alongside producer Ingo Vauk and collaborator Richard Norris. Ball eventually teamed with Norris to form the techno group The Grid, which enjoyed success with the minor hit Swamp Thing.

Soft Cell reformed in 2003 and released a new album, Cruelty Without Beauty.