What ground breaking band was The Grid's Dave Ball a member of?

What groundbreaking band was The Grid's Dave Ball a member of? Dave Ball was a member of Soft Cell.

Ball formed Soft Cell with singer Marc Almond after the two met while studying at Leeds Polytechnic in the late 1970s. The English duo became an important force in synth-pop and new wave, pairing Almond's dramatic vocals with Ball's electronic programming and synthesizer work. Their breakthrough came in 1981 with “Tainted Love,” a dark electronic version of a song originally recorded by Gloria Jones.

“Tainted Love” became an international hit and helped bring synth-pop into the mainstream. Soft Cell also recorded well-known songs such as “Bedsitter,” “Torch,” and “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.” Although the duo initially split in 1984, Almond and Ball reunited for later tours and recordings.

After Soft Cell, Ball co-founded The Grid with Richard Norris in 1988. The Grid became known for electronic dance tracks including “Swamp Thing,” a UK Top 5 hit in 1994. The question can cause confusion because Ball was strongly associated with both acts, but Soft Cell was his earlier and more groundbreaking band. The Grid was his later electronic project, not the answer being sought.