Diamanda Galás
Diamanda Galás (born August 29, 1955) is a Greek-American avant-garde performan… Read Full Bio ↴Diamanda Galás (born August 29, 1955) is a Greek-American avant-garde performance artist, vocalist, and composer. Galás was born and raised in San Diego, California, USA.
Galás is known for being a fiercely confrontational avant-garde performer and is noted for her wailing, four-octave vocal range. Galás was the daughter of Greek Orthodox parents and her singing was roundly discouraged, although her prowess as a classical pianist was nurtured; ultimately, her strict upbringing resulted in a reckless, drug-fueled youth prior to her entrance into the University of California's music and visual arts program. Galás made her performing debut in 1979 at France's Festival d'Avignon, which led to an invitation to assume the lead role in composer Vinko Globokar's politically charged opera Un Jour Comme un Autre. In subsequent solo performance art pieces like Wild Women with Steak Knives and Tragouthia Apo to Aima Exon Fonos, Galás further honed her unique, shattering vocal style, inspired by the Schrei ("shriek") opera of German expressionism (a form employing a system of four microphones and a series of echoes and delays).
She worked with many avant-garde composers including Phillip Glass, Terry Riley, John Zorn, Iannis Xenakis and Vinko Globokar. She made her performance debut at the Festival d'Avignon in France as the lead in Globokar's opera, Un Jour Comme Une Autre which deals with the death by torture of a Turkish woman. The work was sponsored by Amnesty International. She also contributed her voice to Francis Ford Coppola's film Dracula (1992) and appeared on the film's soundtrack.
Her work first garnered widespread attention with the controversial 1991 live recording of the album "Plague Mass" in the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York. With it, Galás attacked the Catholic Church for its indifference to AIDS using biblical texts. In the words of Terrorizor Magazine, "The church was made to burn with sound, not fire." Plague Mass was a live rendition of excerpts from her same-titled trilogy which began as a response/homage/indictment to the multitudinous effects of AIDS upon the silent class - of which her brother was a member. During the period of these recordings, Galás had "We are all HIV+" tattooed upon her knuckles; an artistic expression of disillusionment and disgust with the ignorance and apathy surrounding the AIDS epidemic. Her brother, who died during the trilogy's final production, reportedly appreciated her efforts.
Susan McClary (1991) writes that Galás, "heralds a new moment in the history of musical representation," after describing her thus: "Galás emerged within the post-modern performance art scene in the seventies...protesting...the treatment of victims of the junta, attitudes towards victims of AIDS...Her pieces are constructed from the ululation of traditional Mediterranean keening...whispers, shrieks, and moans."
In 1994, Galás collaborated with Led Zeppelin bass guitarist John Paul Jones. The resultant record, "The Sporting Life", while containing much of Galás's trademark vocal gymnastics, is probably the closest she has ever come to rock music.
Galás also performs as a blues artist interpreting a wide range of songs into her unique piano and vocal styles. This aspect of her work is perhaps best represented by her 1992 album, "The Singer" where she covered the likes of Willie Dixon, Roy Acuff, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins while accompaning herself on piano. For that album, she also recorded several traditional songs as well as the rarely heard Desmond Carter-penned version of Gloomy Sunday. Many of her selections both within and outside of blues repertoire have sometimes been categorized as 'homicidal love songs'. She also focuses on the death penalty. One program of songs, "Frenzy", has been dedicated to Aileen Wuornos and features the work of Phil Ochs and Hank Williams Sr.
Her latest song cycle is an interpretation of songs by Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich.
Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/songsofexile
Galás is known for being a fiercely confrontational avant-garde performer and is noted for her wailing, four-octave vocal range. Galás was the daughter of Greek Orthodox parents and her singing was roundly discouraged, although her prowess as a classical pianist was nurtured; ultimately, her strict upbringing resulted in a reckless, drug-fueled youth prior to her entrance into the University of California's music and visual arts program. Galás made her performing debut in 1979 at France's Festival d'Avignon, which led to an invitation to assume the lead role in composer Vinko Globokar's politically charged opera Un Jour Comme un Autre. In subsequent solo performance art pieces like Wild Women with Steak Knives and Tragouthia Apo to Aima Exon Fonos, Galás further honed her unique, shattering vocal style, inspired by the Schrei ("shriek") opera of German expressionism (a form employing a system of four microphones and a series of echoes and delays).
She worked with many avant-garde composers including Phillip Glass, Terry Riley, John Zorn, Iannis Xenakis and Vinko Globokar. She made her performance debut at the Festival d'Avignon in France as the lead in Globokar's opera, Un Jour Comme Une Autre which deals with the death by torture of a Turkish woman. The work was sponsored by Amnesty International. She also contributed her voice to Francis Ford Coppola's film Dracula (1992) and appeared on the film's soundtrack.
Her work first garnered widespread attention with the controversial 1991 live recording of the album "Plague Mass" in the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York. With it, Galás attacked the Catholic Church for its indifference to AIDS using biblical texts. In the words of Terrorizor Magazine, "The church was made to burn with sound, not fire." Plague Mass was a live rendition of excerpts from her same-titled trilogy which began as a response/homage/indictment to the multitudinous effects of AIDS upon the silent class - of which her brother was a member. During the period of these recordings, Galás had "We are all HIV+" tattooed upon her knuckles; an artistic expression of disillusionment and disgust with the ignorance and apathy surrounding the AIDS epidemic. Her brother, who died during the trilogy's final production, reportedly appreciated her efforts.
Susan McClary (1991) writes that Galás, "heralds a new moment in the history of musical representation," after describing her thus: "Galás emerged within the post-modern performance art scene in the seventies...protesting...the treatment of victims of the junta, attitudes towards victims of AIDS...Her pieces are constructed from the ululation of traditional Mediterranean keening...whispers, shrieks, and moans."
In 1994, Galás collaborated with Led Zeppelin bass guitarist John Paul Jones. The resultant record, "The Sporting Life", while containing much of Galás's trademark vocal gymnastics, is probably the closest she has ever come to rock music.
Galás also performs as a blues artist interpreting a wide range of songs into her unique piano and vocal styles. This aspect of her work is perhaps best represented by her 1992 album, "The Singer" where she covered the likes of Willie Dixon, Roy Acuff, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins while accompaning herself on piano. For that album, she also recorded several traditional songs as well as the rarely heard Desmond Carter-penned version of Gloomy Sunday. Many of her selections both within and outside of blues repertoire have sometimes been categorized as 'homicidal love songs'. She also focuses on the death penalty. One program of songs, "Frenzy", has been dedicated to Aileen Wuornos and features the work of Phil Ochs and Hank Williams Sr.
Her latest song cycle is an interpretation of songs by Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich.
Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/songsofexile
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Diamanda Galás Lyrics
03. My world is empty without you My world is empty without you, babe My world is empty…
08. si la muerte Si la muerte viene y pregunta por mi Haga el favor De…
12-gloomy sunday Sadly one Sunday I waited and waited With flowers in my ar…
25 Minutes to Go 25 MINUTES TO GO (Johnny Cash) Well they're building a g…
8 Men and 4 Women (Eight men, four women Lord, that's the jury of love) I…
Abel et Cain Race d'Abel, dors, bois et mange; Dieu te sourit complaisam…
Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down There ain't no grave Can hold my body down There ain't no…
All the Way It′s no good unless he loves you all the way Happy…
Anoixe Το παράθυρο κλεισμένο, σφαλισμένο, σκοτεινό, για ποιο λόγο δ…
Artémis And she is still the only one, or is this…
Artimis By Gerard Nerval The Thirteenth returns... Once more she is…
At the Dark End of the Street At the dark end of the street That's where we always…
Autumn Leaves The falling leaves Drift by the window The autumn leaves …
Baby's Insane Arms covered in blood, the war has begun Hide the…
Birds of Death Comes the night comes the cold comes the face of the one …
Birds of Death (live) Comes the night comes the cold comes the face of the one I…
Burning Hell Everybody talk about it Burning hell Ain't no heaven, I kn…
Burning Hell (Live 2002) Hey Everybody talk about it Burning hell Ain't no heaven, no…
Consecration hoc est signum sangre meum hoc est signum corpus meum hoc …
Cris D'aveugle Text by Tristan Corbiere (1873) L′oeil tué n'est pas mort U…
Dancing in the Dark Dancing in the dark 'til the tune ends We're dancing in…
Dead Cat on the Line You Chicago women run hand in hand You run around with…
Death Letter (Eddie James "Son" House, Jr.) I got a letter this mornin…
Deliver Me From Mine Enemies When any man hath an issue out of his flesh, …
Double-Barrel Prayer The dogs have come today the dogs have come to stay It's…
Down So Low When you went away I cried Cried for so long And I…
Epístola a los Transeúntes I resume my day of a rabbit, my night of an…
Free Among the Dead Sono la prova, I am the token, Soy la muestra, …
Frenzy Dig this crazy mood I'm in, Listen to my heart as…
Gloomy Sunday Sadly one Sunday I waited and waited With flowers in my arms…
Heaven Have Mercy No more smiles no more tears No more prayers no more…
I I put a spell on you because you're mine You better…
I'm Gonna Live the Life I’M GONNA LIVE THE LIFE (Nina Hagen) I'm going to live t…
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry Hear that lonesome whirpoorwill, He sounds too blue to fly.…
Insane Asylum I went out to the insane asylum And I saw my…
Iron Lady Have you seen the iron lady's charms? Legs of steel, leather…
Judgement Day (To the saints of New York City, both living and…
l'heautontimioroumenos Je te frapperai sans colère Et sans haine, comme un boucher,…
L'heautontimoroumenos By Charles Baudelaire No rage, no rancor: I shall beat you A…
Let The devil has designed my death And is waiting to be…
Let's Not Chat About Despair You, who speak of crowd control, of karma or the punishment…
Long Black Veil Ten years ago on a cool dark night There was someone…
Malediction The arms that you cut off that Sunday night of the…
My Love Will Never Die You've done me wrong for a long, long time. And all…
My World Is Empty Without You My world is empty without you, babe My world is empty…
O Death O, Death O, Death Won't you spare me over til another year…
Orders From the Dead The world is going up in flames The world is going…
Panoptikon I have become a stranger to my own needs Amd desires I…
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean Well, there's one kind of favor I'll ask of you Well,…
Sex Is Violent Everybody's so full of shit (everybody, everybody everybody)…
Si La Muerte Si la muerte viene y pregunta por mi Haga el favor De…
Si La Muetre Si la muerte viene y pregunta por mi Haga el favor De…
Skotoseme Skotoseme Skotoseme Skotoseme Skotoseme Skotoseme Skotoseme …
Sono L'Antichristo Sono la prova Sono la salva Sono la carne macellata. Sono l…
sunday gloomy Sadly one Sunday I waited and waited With flowers in my ar…
Supplica a Mia Madre SUPPLICA A MIA MADRE (Poem by Pier Paolo Pasolini) È dif…
Swing Low Sweet Chariot Swing low (Extended vocals) Sweet chariot (Extended vocals) …
The Black Cat The Black Cat For the most wild, yet most homely narrativ…
The Lord Is My Shepherd "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in…
The Thrill Is Gone The thrill is gone The thrill is gone away The thrill is…
There Are No More Tickets to the Funeral Were you a witness? Were you a witness? And on that holy…
This Is the Law of the Plague (Excerpts from the Hebrew Old Testament, books of Leviticus …
Vena Cava 2 Porgi, amor, Qualche ristoro Al mio duolo, a'miei sospir! O …
Vena Cava 3 Amazing grace, How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like…
Vena Cava 8 VENA CAVA 8: I MISS YOU, IT′S BEEN SO LONG I…
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord Oh were you…
You Must Be Certain of the Devil Welcome welcome welcome welcome to the Holy Day brother br…