Dave Ball, the man who helped shape 1980s synth-pop, is dead at age 66. The English musician, cofounder of pop duo Soft Cell best known for their 1981 best-selling single Tainted Love, passed

Soft Cell was renowned for its 1981 cover of “Tainted Love,” a massive hit that brought electronic music to a mainstream audience and topped the charts in 17 countries, Parade reports. In the U.S., the single reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and set a record at the time for its 43-week stay on the chart.

Ball’s death came after Soft Cell played for more than 20,000 fans while headlining Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames in August, according to a statement on the band’s website.