WTF?! Wednesdays: Diamanda Galas – Plague Mass (1991)

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The sad story of the first wave of AIDS-related deaths is certainly well-documented. In Randy Shilts’ And The Band Played On, the callous disregard for human suffering is most difficult to take.

It was a time when some of us felt like we really didn’t know that was going on. Or maybe we didn’t even care. Galas takes on that whole time with a powerful, nearly unhinged vocal performance.

I owned a copy of this for quite some time after the initial release, purchased on the strength of many recommendations from the John Zorn mailing list. To be honest, I really didn’t know what to think. Galas lets the pain and agony out with full force.

A while later, I saw the documentary Silverlake Life: The View From Here. Galas’ howls seemed minimal in comparison.


Mark Saleski