Manic Panic Bio

MANIC PANIC® Bio - Hair Colour Extreamists
since 1977

TISH & SNOOKY BIOGRAPHY
[as written on ManicPanic.com]

In 1977 native New Yorkers Tish & Snooky Bellomo opened America's first Punk Rock boutique on St. Mark's Place. Singers in the original Blondie line up, the sisters have been bringing the punk look and lifestyle to the masses for over 25 years. Their brand Manic Panic® has survived NYC's skyrocketing commercial rent increases, dramatic economic turns, and constant attempts at knock-offs by the Goliaths of the beauty industry. The resilient sisters refuse to give up their market share to corporate copycats. Manic Panic® (still privately owned and managed by the two sisters,) has grown into a multi-million dollar international hair color and cosmetics company. Although their little store in the East village is gone, the original spirit in which it was founded lives on. "We don't just sell it, we LIVE it!" say the sisters.

Manic Panic® was the world's first alternative cosmetic brand, with colors and products that reflect Tish & Snooky's rock 'n roll roots. They were the first to give their products outrageous color names. Now everyone is doing it. But how many other CEO's sing in Rock 'n Roll bands and actually WEAR the products they produce? Their loyal customers (including everyone from celebrities to kids from Topeka to Tokyo,) know the difference. Despite the demands of running their business, Tish & Snooky still find the time to perform. (Catch them in the popular "Beat Goes On" shows at the "Bottom Line".)

They have been animal lovers and have done animal rescue work all their lives. In celebration of 25 years of counter-culture cosmetics and hair color, they organized a benefit concert and auction honoring the Rescue dogs of 911, and benefiting the Suffolk County SPCA (the group that organized the Canine Search and Rescue operation at Ground Zero). The incredibly successful event was made possible with the help of friends and customers such as Debbie Harry, Alice Cooper, The B-52's, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Steven Tyler, Talking Heads, The Heart sisters, Cindy Adams, Wynonna Judd, Ace Frehley (Kiss), Iggy Pop, Bernadette Peters, Denis Leary, members of Danzig, The Dictators, The Go-Gos, Joan Jett, Matt Dillon,

Nicole Miller, Rue McClanahan, Todd Oldham, Valerie Harper, members of Blue Oyster Cult, members of the Bongos, Annie Golden, members of Patti Smith Band, and the Star Spangles.

Tish and Snooky hope to spend the next 25 years continuing to do what they love best: creating cool 'alternative' beauty products, rescuing animals, and rock 'n rolling.

Tish and Snooky behind the cosmetics counter at the original MANIC PANIC boutique on St. Mark's Place, 1977 from the book "How To
Look Like An East Villager".

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