SHELL

Marianne Nowottny and Donna Bailey performed, offstage more than on, as SHELL from 1996-2001. Their early home recordings are primitive and poignant blends of synth-punk and gothic girl-pop.

In October 1998, Abaton Book Company released a limited edition cassette of Shell's greatest hits, Shell meets the Invisible Man + Shell vs. NEU! , a kind of post-modern battle of the bands. Recorded with only the most basic equipment (handheld cassette players), Shell vs. Neu! still managed to grab the ear of writer/WFMU D.J. Kenneth Goldsmith, who admired "its strange...echoey vocals and keyboards {and its} mix of found sound and music." Shell performed live for the first time in January 1999, at TEAM Gallery in NYC, as part of an art/music/film festival curated by Steven Parrino. Their debut CD, Shell is Swell, was released to accolades the following year. Shell's latest (but far from last) record is a cherry-pink vinyl 7", Gimme Shell, issued in 2003.

GIMME SHELL

Abaton Book Company #008

Vinyl release by Marianne Nowottny and Donna Bailey, a 7" four-song ep with one by Donna in Spanish.
Cherry pink vinyl, wraparound graphic insert in plastic sleeve.

GIMME SHELL

Order now500 copies$5.00

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OTHER MUSIC NEWSLETTER

"Marianne Nowottny, teen queen of the glissando vocals, teams up with her best friend Donna Bailey for their second release. These spokeswomen for freaky girls everywhere give us a reminder that men do not understand women (and never will!). It's girl's night out, and throbs of distortion set the scene: spooooky. Minor chords march up and down: PJ Harvey and early Tom Waits are definite influences, but Nowottny's style is her own -- not even the late Marc Bolan could slide up to notes like this. If you love the first minute, you'll love the entire record.
Giancarlo Felippa "Other Music Newsletter" 5/24/2000

This is Shell

Lyrics

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