David Vanian (born David Lett, 12 October 1956) is an English
rock musician, and lead singer of the
punk rock band
the Damned. Formed in 1976 in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, the Damned were the first British punk band to release a
single, release an album, have a record hit the UK charts, and tour the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
. With a fluid line-up since their founding, Vanian has been the only ever-present member. Vanian's
baritone singing voice, dark lyrics and
vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
-themed costumes, were a major influence on the
goth subculture.
Career
Born in
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is a ...
,
North East England
North East England is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. The region has three current administrative levels below the region level in the region; combined authority, unitary authori ...
, Vanian moved with his parents to
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500.
Developed after the Second World War as a n ...
,
Hertfordshire when he was a couple of months old. Vanian changed his name from Lett to Vanian in early life after a stint as a