Soft Cell

Soft Cell formed in 1979 when electronic musician Dave Ball and vocalist Marc Almond met while studying fine art at Leeds Polytechnic. The pair started out recording on a 2-track TEAC tape machine in Ball's student bedroom. Their song "Bedsitter" was inspired by Almond and Ball's experiences living in modest studio apartments during this time.

The name "Soft Cell" came partly from a chapter in John Brunner's 1968 sci-fi novel Stand on Zanzibar and partly as a play on the advertising term "soft sell." The double meaning - part science fiction, part pop commentary - fit the duo's mixture of irony, futurism, and sensuality.

Their 1981 debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, took its name from a neon sign in London's Soho and drew inspiration from the nightlife of both Soho and New York City. Sleazy, stylish, and satirical, the record produced the monster hit "Tainted Love." It became Britain's best-selling single of 1981, spending a then-record 65 weeks on the US charts and influencing generations of electronic artists to come.