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“We have a long list of people that helped us get here - and some of them are performers, and some of them are actually girls. So TISH AND SNOOKY…wherever you may be, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
- DEBBIE HARRY, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Blondie Induction Speech
Tish and Snooky’s authentic style resounds with the sounds of rock ’n’ roll. These sisters began their career performing in some of the legendary, ground-breaking New York Underground shows that celebrated gay culture and spawned the glam movement.
The looks they created for their stage performances were flamboyant and hand-sewn. It’s no wonder they caught the eye of Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, who asked them to join their band ‘BLONDIE” - the sisters joining Debbie on vocals forming a three-girl frontline as BLONDIE and The Bonzai Babies
During the heyday of the CBGB’s scene, Tish and Snooky joined their friend Russell Wolinski's punk band, The Sic F*cks, adding their own special touch of “gritty glamour" to the group, and pushing their looks and performance to the extreme. Their edgy costumes now have been lauded by historians, even displayed in museums! And, yes, they were all handmade (by them). This wild band is featured in the horror film, Alone In The Dark (‘82), now a cult classic.
The sisters sang and danced their way through the 80’s, gracing the most popular of Manhattan’s club stages. They performed and recorded with RuPaul. They rocked out in bands like the Fabulous Pop Tarts with Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey who today are the CEOs of World of Wonder Productions, considered pioneers in LGBTQ programming.
During the day they managed their shop MANIC PANIC, the first punk boutique in America, and the slightly controversial two-word phrase became not just a store but a brand synonymous with all things punk rock. The sisters are responsible for stylings of one of the most exciting movements in history.
Before punk, in the heyday of glam
PALM CASINO REVUE - BOWERY LANE THEATRE NYC 1974. Before punk, at the transition from the Glam movement, Tish & Snooky performed in this famous extravaganza with its flamboyant cast of hippies, drag queens, and gender-benders decked out in sparkle and fabulosity. The Cast included members of the legendary Cockettes and guest spots by members of the infamous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.
Smokin' sisters front and center stage
Cast members included the legendary Cockettes
La Tish!
We were in a band called Blondie
“This was the first real downtown band we were ever in, so it was a big deal for us,” Tish says. “The punk scene at the time was a really small, insular community. Back then everyone knew each other, so we’d be each other’s audiences, fans, and critics.
While managing the New York Dolls, Malcolm McLaren came to one of our gigs, and after the show we all went to the 210 Club, Harold Black’s after-hours joint. Malcolm insisted that Blondie was a rotten name and that we’d never make it. He said ‘Sex is a way better name for a band.’ He went on to manage the Sex Pistols, and Blondie went on to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” - (excerpt from “Living In Color”)
We salute you, Bonzai Babies Tish, Debbie Harry, and Snooky. In this video clip, Debbie thanks Tish and Snooky at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Blondie Induction Speech.
Downtown 81
"Downtown 81" is a feature film starring the legendary American artist Jean Michel Basquiat, which vividly depicts the explosive downtown New York art and music scene of the time. In the movie, Basquiat strolls down St. Mark’s Place stopping at the Manic Panic shop to give a kiss to Tish while Snooky waves from the window.
“Its bygone-ness still abuzz with creativity and movement, "Downtown 81" is a celluloid scrapbook that we can all be thankful for in helping capture the rumble before takeoff.” - Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
“The Fabulous Pop Tarts” with Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey
Cooling off after a hot night on the Hollywood Punk scene with Stiv Bators from the band The Dead Boys
Tish and Snooky performing as “The New Jersey Nightingales” with pal and frequent visitor to MANIC PANIC shop, Joey Ramone.
Cosmopolitan magazine dubbed them “Celebutantes”
“LOVE SNOOKY & TISH! They sang backup vocals on the
original demo for “You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll”!
- DEE SNIDER, Twisted Sister
Snooky and Tish on stage at CBGB - photo by ROBERTA BAYLEY
Tish and Snooky in the iconic PUNK MAGAZINE MUTANT MONSTER BEACH PARTY issue pictured here with “lifeguard” PAUL ZONE. A long list of players include JOEY RAMONE and DEBORAH HARRY. Produced and directed by JOHN HOLMSTROM,. Director of photography ROBERTA BAYLEY
“Best asses in New York City”
- JOHN BELUSHI, The Blues Brothers, Saturday Night Live
Styling the most exciting movements in history
Inside the MANIC PANIC shop: Tish decked out in her original designs (note the 44 Cailber Killer / Son of Sam tee shirt)
Sylvain Sylvain wearing a shirt made by Tish for his band after the New York Dolls, The Criminals.
STIV BATORS wearing one of Tish’s infamous “Free Son of Sam” tee shirts with JOHNNY THUNDERS
Everyone, including Meryl Streep, Paul Simon, Tony Curtis, Bill Murray, the Blues Brothers (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd), Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Fisher, Caroline Kennedy, and Annie Lennox, frequented the MANIC PANIC shop during the ’80s. - (excerpt from Living In Color)
Attending a MANIC PANIC fashion show in the ‘80’s: LENNY KAYE (Patti Smith Band), Snooky, guitarist and composer ADAM ROTH, drummer CHARLY ROTH, Tish.
ANDY WARHOL wearing one of Tish’s original punk tee shirt designs sold at MANIC PANIC (from Italian Vogue)
“….when she walked into the store…she spoke, and I realized it was CHER! I immediately jumped to attention and helped her find the makeup she wanted. I even sold her a Sic F*cks T-shirt and one of Tish’s original designed dresses!” - Snooky (excerpt from Living In Color)
Artist TAMARA GONZALES and friend modeled hand knitted sweaters by Snooky. Bassist and songwriter GYDA GASH modeled a killer dress made by Tish. BILLY JOE WHITE (Teenage Lust Band) makes the scene backstage at the fashion show.
Entertainers
Tish and Snooky appear on Glen O’Brien’s legendary cable show TV Party with Andy Shernoff. (can you spot Klaus Nomi sitting next to Snooky?)
RuPaul with Tish and Snooky 1986 performing Ru’s song “Starrbooty”. The girls also sang on the record.
Punk band in a Major Motion Picture
Sic F*cks preforming Chop up your mother. A scene from the 1982 Horror film Alone in the Dark starring Martin Landau and Jack Palance
LOL Moment: Years after making the movie the guitarist from the band saw Jack Palance on the street. He reminded him that he was one of the Sic F*cks in the movie. Jack Palance replied “we were all sick fucks in that movie!“
Alone In The Dark has become a cult classic!
Honored to be in a Gorgeous Work of Art!
We are so honored to be in Bill Mullen’s latest drawing, posted 1/30/22, dressed in our Sic F*cks punk band outfits in front of the original Manic Panic shop!
Surrounded by Bill’s beloved pets Tinky, Vampiro, and Morticia - we could not love this more!
His gallery of magic marker magic appears on his instagram page @billmullenink
#DearDiary,
Places I’d Rather Be.
Manic Panic
And I’d like to be there with Tish and Snooky Bellomo.
#TrueConfessions by #BillMullen
- Bill Mullen @billmulleninc
Featured in Museum Exhibits
photo: Alison Aguiar
In the exhibit, an iconic poster wall from CBGBs. (notice “SNOOKY” “TISH”)
The Museum of the City of New York
The Museum of the City Of New York, June 2021 - Going on right now!
New York, New Music 1980-1986 highlights diverse musical artists—from Run DMC to the Talking Heads, from Madonna to John Zorn—as a lens to explore the broader music and cultural scene, including the innovative media outlets, venues, record labels, fashion and visual arts centered in New York City in these years.
Footage of a performance by Tish and Snooky filmed by Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong @Gonighclubbing is included in the exhibit.
During the early 1980s, New York experienced a community-driven musical renaissance. The result was an era of creativity and genre-defying performance that stands as one of the most influential in musical and cultural history. A wide range of music, from punk to pop to hip-hop to salsa to jazz, mixed in a dynamic arts scene that stretched across clubs and bars, theaters, parks, and art spaces. Together, they provided fertile ground for a musical revolution—one that continues to influence pop culture to this day. Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of MTV, New York, New Music: 1980–1986 will highlight diverse musical artists—from Run DMC to the Talking Heads, from Madonna to John Zorn—as a lens to explore the broader music and cultural scene, including the innovative media outlets, venues, record labels, fashion and visual arts centered in New York City in these years.
photo: Alison Aguiar
Some iconic footage of a performance by Tish and Snooky filmed by Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong @Gonightclubbing is included in the exhibit.
Tish and Snooky watching one of the many videos of their Club 57 performances included the exhibit.
Also on display at the exhibit, the iconic Club 57 Playing Cards Set created by Susan Hannaford. The deck features important photographic work from the late 70s-early 80s in the East Village representing the original Club 57 Members of 1979. Inspired by Man Ray’s playing cards (1929-1932), it is Susan’s homage to Club 57, its original members and photographers of the time.
Club 57 at MoMa
MoMA Oct 2017-Apr 2018
Club 57: Film, Performance, and Art in the East Village, 1978–1983 was the first major exhibition to fully examine the scene-changing, interdisciplinary life of this seminal downtown New York alternative space.
Tish and Snooky performed regularly at the iconic performance space and were thus featured in the exhibit.
Lady Wrestling at Club 57: pictured Tom Scully, Tish and Snooky Bellomo 1980.
Photo by Harvey Wang.
Tish and Snooky - Ace of Clubs!
from the Club 57 Playing Cards
Punk Lust at the Museum of Sex
New York City’s Museum of Sex, November 2018 – November 2019
Punk Lust: Raw Provocation 1971-1985, a survey looking at the way Punk culture used the language of sexuality–both visually and lyrically–to transgress and defy, whether in the service of political provocation, raw desire, or just to break through the stifling gender norms and social expectations that punks refused to let define them.
The exhibit featured selections from Tish and Snooky’s original couture - their infamous Sic F*cks costumes plus photos from the original Manic Panic 1977 shop.
The Punk Lust exhibit at NYC’s Museum of Sex featured selections from Tish and Snooky’s original couture - their infamous Sic F*cks costumes!
Tish and Snooky are interviewed by Liz Black of PS Its Fashion about their contribution to punk history and what items they loaned to the exhibition: "Punk L.ust”.
On display were photos from the original Manic Panic shop in 1977, the first punk boutique in America. Top left photo is Stiv Bators from the Dead Boys and Anya Phillips in front of the store, by Roberta Bayley.
Outfit and accessories worn by Tish.
Outfit and accessories worn by Snooky. Note the Sic F*cks album cover and photos of Tish and Snooky on the wall, upper left.
Filmmaker Jim Jarmusch visits the exhibit
Here is an actual photo of them from 1979 - as you can see, they wore it well. Tish and Snooky after a show at the legendary Mudd Club, donned in their iconic stage wear that was featured in the exhibit.