NYLON - June 2008 - (Page 94) THE GIRLS CAN’T HELP IT FROM THE SUPREMES TO L7 TO WILSON PHILLIPS, THE TRADITION OF THE GIRL GROUP IS BOTH LONG AND VARIED. MEET FOUR OF OUR FAVORITES. THE SHANGRI-LAS Teen angst and music have long had a symbiotic relationship. And in the ’60s there was no band that did melodrama quite like the Shangri-Las. The band’s two sets of sisters––Betty and Mary Weiss, and twins Margie and Mary-Ann Ganser––met in high school in Queens, New York. After discovering a shared love of music, the foursome began to perform locally, which led to a record contract—Mary was 15, Betty, 17, and the twins 16. Dubbing themselves the Shangri-Las, the teens found immediate fame with their first single “Remember (Walking in the Sand).” But it was the Shangri-Las’ deadly love song “Leader of the Pack,” complete with the sound of actual motorcycle revving, that secured their success. Their tough-girl image—from the risqué clothing to their sassy way of talking— resonated with countless moody teens. So much so that Revlon made them the faces of their Natural Wonders campaign, and they were even asked to record public service announcements about dating. The Shangri-Las–– though there were four official members, Betty wasn’t interested in touring or promotion so they became known as a trio––went on to record a string of memorably melancholy hits like “Out in the Streets,” “He Cried,” and “The Train from Kansas City,” and tour with a diverse group of artists from James Brown to Dusty Springfield to the Zombies. But their reign was shortlived––the Shangri-Las broke up in 1968, and were buried in litigation for decades afterwards. As Mary Weiss told New York magazine last year on the occasion of the release of her first solo album: “My mother kind of signed my life away when I was 14. Thirty years of litigation… the litigation was much thicker than the music. I couldn’t go near another record label for 10 years.” It may have been a sad end to one of the most dynamic girl groups of the decade, but the Shangri-Las’ musical inspiration lives on––the Horrors angri-Las’ and Amy Winehouse have cited them as influences. e LOVELY BY SARAH JESSICA PARKER EAU DE TOILETTE The Shangri-Las, much like SJP’s Lovely perfume, were pretty, but with an edge. $65 FOR 3.4 OZ, AT DEPARTMENT STORES. LAUREN HUTTON FIRST KISS LIP AND CHEEK STAIN IN LARRY The Shangri-Las had a lot to say about first kisses. $24, LAURENHUTTON.COM. LUSH SKIN’S SHANGRI-LA MOISTURIZER A few dabs of this velvety moisturizer on the skin does feel like paradise. $47, LUSH.COM. REVLON FANTASY LENGTHS LASHES IN FLIRTY Nothing is quite so alluring as a pair of long, feathery lashes. $5.99, AT DRUGSTORES. MAYBELLINE NEW YORK DREAM MATTE POWDER IN IVORY For a complexion that’s positively dreamy. $7.99, AT DRUGSTORES. SUNSILK HOLD ME FOREVER SERIOUS HOLD HAIRSPRAY No matter how down their lyrics were, their hair never fell flat. $4, AT DRUGSTORES. myspace.com : maryweiss / The Shangri-Las may be long gone, but Mary Weiss should not be forgotten. still lifes: jonathon kambouris. shangri-las: dezo hoffman/ rex usa, courtesy everett collection. fanny: michael putland 1972/ retna ltd. http://LUSH.COM http://myspace.com/maryweiss http://LAURENHUTTON.COM
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