Almond Expects to Recover
Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond, who suffered life-threatening head injuries in an October 17th motorcycle accident in London, now believes he will make a full recovery.
“Marc has asked us to pass on his thanks for all the good wishes he has received from his fans,” reads a statement posted on his official site. “He is overwhelmed by the amount of support shown and says it has been a big help. He is recovering slowly in hospital but is confident he will get back to full health eventually.”
British synth-pop pioneers Soft Cell formed in 1980 in Leeds, England, by art students Almond and Dave Ball, who had previously collaborated on music for theatrical productions. They scored a Top Ten U.S. hit in 1981 with their provocative cover of the Sixties soul song “Tainted Love” (originally recorded by Gloria Jones). By 1984, however, the short-lived duo had broken up, with Almond immediately plunging into solo work with various electronica projects.
As a solo artist, Almond has embraced genres from disco to goth, drawing from influences as diverse and avant-garde as radical theorist Georges Bataille, the French cabaret of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel, and street-wise rock of Lou Reed. (Almond recorded a 1988 duet with Nico.)
Soft Cell reunited in 2002, touring to back their greatest-hits compilation, The Very Best of Soft Cell.