diamanda galas

[ANGELINE@MARY.FORDHAM.EDU]

Hey all--
	I haven't been following things too closely lately, life and that, 
y'know?, so I won't go into a major discourse over this censorship thing 
(anyway Vickie and Ben seem to be quite eloquently expressing their sides
of the coin)although I'd just like to point out two simple reminders: labeling
that is intended to warn someone that a product of artistic content is 
full of poetntially questionable material is censorship...it marks an 
independent object with a symbol (yellow star...pink triangle...) of a 
perjorative nature that assumes the existence of a dominant set of values
to which most people do (read:  should) subscribe.  Secondly, these
labeled records are becoming illegal to sell to "minors," and from there,
it does not take much for teachers and religious leaders to denounce them.
Don't forget that a man from Florida is currently an outlaw for selling
a record.  So much for the "free" market, eh? And as for supply and demand,
that hasn't worked since Adam Smith.  Lots of people want althernative 
records, yet in many places they are impossible to come by.  Don't forget
that only a couple of years ago Rolling Stone was dropped from a major
midwestern department store chain...this is a major magazine that many people
want, but the store dropped it anyway.  Pleasing the consumer is not of 
paramount concern to a store owner when he/she is faced with a moral majority
smear campaign or possible lawsuit.
	Anyway, as for DG...she is rather goth and not to be taken lightly.  SHe
has a four-octave range and gives new meaning to the phrase "vocal dynamics."
The Plague Mass refers to the AIDS epidemic.  Her brother (the writer Phillip
Galas) died from AIDS and Diamanda has pledged to keep working on her plague
mass until the crisis is over.  She is also a member of ACT-UP, and was one
of the arrested activists who stormed St Patrick's Cathedral two years ago.
If possible, I recommend seeing her live before getting an album.  SHe
puts on a powerful show, and that way you'll see if her music is something
you deem enjoyable listening.  Closest comparisons I can come up with are
Nick Cave or Lydia Lunch at their darkest.
                                                 --John