With their wayward yet wildly catchy synthpop, Soft Cell crafted one of the most thrilling sounds of the 80s. Hits like Tainted Love and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye have stood the test of time, but the band faded from the spotlight after their initial success. Now, as they prepare to release an expanded version of their 2022 Top 10 album Happiness Not Included and kick off a new tour, Marc Almond and Dave Ball will answer your questions – post them in the comments below.
After growing up in separate northern seaside towns, the pair first met as students at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977, when Almond asked Ball to soundtrack his provocative performance art. After a string of experimental covers and local shows, the duo put together their debut EP Mutant Moments at the turn of the decade, using a simple two-track recorder. But it was the release of their sleazy revamp of Gloria Jones’s Tainted Love in 1981 that propelled Soft Cell from underground misfits to mainstream success. The track became the biggest single of the year in the UK and its 43 consecutive weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart set a new record.
The band refused to conform to popular taste, though: their debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which became a platinum bestseller, channelled the dark and agitated sounds of Throbbing Gristle and Suicide and explored explicit themes such as pornographic films and BDSM. Meanwhile, their outlandish performances, including a Top of the Pops appearance with Almond’s drug dealer and a banned music video for Sex Dwarf, sparked controversy.
After splitting in 1984, the duo reformed briefly in 2001 and released their fourth album Cruelty Without Beauty the following year, then disbanded again. Almond and Ball continued to pursue other musical endeavours until a 2018 reunion concert in London billed as their last ever live UK performance. Happiness Not Included was Soft Cell’s new album in two decades, and Marc Almond and Dave Ball are kicking off a tour next month with shows and festival appearances around the UK and in Europe.
Ahead of their return, Soft Cell will answer your questions. Maybe you’re curious about the band’s short but lively stint in the 80s, from their encounters in Leeds during its post-punk heyday to the time they met Andy Warhol in New York? Or maybe you want to know more about the new record: how does it feel to release music after so long, and what was it like making an album remotely during the pandemic?
Post your questions in the comments below by midday on Monday 1 May. Soft Cell’s answers will be published online and in our Film & Music section on Friday 5 May.
• This article was amended to correct an error: their new album release is an expanded version of Happiness Not Included.
