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,

Soft Cell star Dave Ball, a pioneer of the synth-pop sound that came to define the 1980s, has died aged 66, the band has confirmed.

Marc Almond, Mr. Ball’s musical partner in Soft Cell, announced his death on Thursday.