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Almond’s artistic journey led him to Leeds Polytechnic, where he met David Ball, a fellow student from Blackpool. Their bond formed over shared tastes in music, spanning pop, rock, Northern soul, and emerging electronic and disco sounds. It was the groundbreaking punk movement that inspired both young musicians, prompting them to pursue art as a channel for their voices without needing extensive technical proficiency.
Their creative partnership began in earnest when Almond asked Ball to help score his performance art with music, leading to the duo’s first recording, “The Girl with the Patent Leather Face.” This early collaboration marked the start of a unique synthesis of art and music that characterized Soft Cell.