The band was formed in early 1981 from the Ladies Auxiliary of the Lower East Side, a performance art group that had its beginnings at Club 57.

Pulsallama emerged from the downtown scene of New York City's Lower East Side in the early 1980s at Club 57, a cabaret and event space situated in the basement of the Holy Cross Polish National Church.

Club manager Ann Magnuson and other women from the East Village had formed a performance art group called the Ladies Auxiliary of the Lower East Side,[2] a twisted version of a women's club that hosted theme nights at the venue, including a debutante ball, a Stay Free Mini Prom, Ladies Wrestling, and Reggae Miniature Golf.

[3] Pulsallama first performed as a 17-piece pagan percussion ensemble in April 1981, during a Rites of Spring Fertility Bacchanal hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary.

They went on to perform at parties and played a show at a rock club that was positively reviewed by New York Rocker magazine[2] and SoHo Weekly News.

[3] Pulsallama lost several members in the months following their debut, including Charlotte Slivka, Diana Lillig, and Katy K. Following the release of the single, Andé Whyland, Dany Johnson, and Ann Magnuson also left the group.

They were noticed by guitarist Mick Jones of The Clash, who arranged for Pulsallama to open for the British band in 1982 during the United States leg of their upcoming Combat Rock tour.

Frustration with their booking agents and management led the group to disband and Pulsallama put on their final show in July 1983.

"[1] Pulsallama's song "The Devil Lives in my Husband's Body" was called a "post-new wave social satire"[17] and an "art-damaged ode to suburban disturbance.

"[18] The narrative, describing a husband with Tourette's syndrome who howls and barks nightly in his basement,[19] satirized a story from True Romance magazine.

[5] Danny Brown's song "Dance in the Water" from the 2016 album Atrocity Exhibition contains elements from Pulsallama's "Ungawa Part II (Way Out Guyana)".