Dave Vanian performing live with The Damned in 2006

David Vanian (born David Letts, 12 October 1956, in Hemel Hempstead, England) is a punk rock musician famous for being the lead singer of the punk band, The Damned. The band formed in 1976 in London. They are notable for being the first of the British punk bands to release a single; put out an album; and tour the United States. Image File history File links DaveVanian. ... Image File history File links DaveVanian. ... This article is about the music group. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire, England with a population of 81,143 at the 2001 Census. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... This article is about the music group. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ...

Letts changed his name to Dave Vanian when he became a musician, having previously worked as a gravedigger. It is rumoured that when Captain Sensible asked whether Vanian could sing, Vanian responded "yes" but had never sung a note in his life. Look up Gravedigger in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Captain Sensible, performing live with The Damned in 2006. ...

He is famous for bringing the gothic image to pop culture world, due to his wearing its apparel both onstage and off, although he does not personally make note of this. Indeed, his initial look was based on movie vampires: hence the stage name Vanian, which is supposed to suggest "Transylvanian". Notorious also for keeping his personal life out of the limelight, even opting out of any input towards The Damned bio-book The Light At The End Of The Tunnel by Carol Clerk, he also leads the rockabilly band David Vanian & the Phantom Chords. He is known to be interested in renaissance art, film noir and horror movies, which he speaks of as well as sings. This article is about the late 20th / early 21st century subculture. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ... This article is about the music group. ... Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early-1950s. ... Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords (a. ... Renaissance Classicism was a form of art that removed extraneous detail and showed the world as it was. ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. ...

It has been alleged that Johnny Depp's image from the film Sweeney Todd is taken directly from Dave Vanian's well documented Phantasmagoria photo. This is however unsubstantiated and, according to Dreamworks Pictures, coincidental. Depp has attributed the white streak in his hair to Sweeney’s “torment,” a pigmentation that his own nephew shares. Additionally, Dave's shock of hair is gray while Sweeney's is white, as seen here: David Vanian is and has always been the core of the seminal alternative punk band; The Damned. ... Phantasmagoria has many meanings. ...

Theatrical release poster for the Tim Burton film

Dave Vanian

He married Patricia Morrison in 1996, the same year she joined The Damned, and lives on the English coast. On February 9, 2004 Morrison gave birth to Emily Vanian at 8:20 p.m. weighing 8 pounds 4 ounces. Currently, Vanian hosts Dave Vanian's Dark Screen on the UK-based goth television channel Rockworld TV, where viewers get to send in their own self-made horror films in the hope of winning prizes. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 405 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (973 × 1440 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 405 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (973 × 1440 pixel, file size: 1. ... Timothy Tim William Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated American film director, writer and designer notable for the quirky and gothic atmosphere of his films. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... David Vanian is and has always been the core of the seminal alternative punk band; The Damned. ... Patricia Morrison (born January 14, 1962 in Los Angeles) is an American bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. ... This article is about the music group. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rockworld TV is a British television channel featuring rock music, and aiming to highlight underground lifestyles and artists. ...

External links

• The Damned (official site): Dave Vanian section
• Interview (while touring with the Phantom Chords), November 1993