Dave Vanian (born David Lett, 12 October 1956, Hemel Hempstead, England) is a rock musician, famous for being the lead singer of the punk rock band The Damned. The band formed in 1976 in London and Vanian is the only ever-present member of the group. They were the first of the British punk bands to release a single, an album, have a record hit the UK charts, and tour the United States.