Shama Lou: The Hollywood Partner in Crime
Shama Lou, was the soul beneath the glitter, the steady heart in a world that throbbed inside sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
Where others chased fame, Shama chased truth—in music, in connection, in the smoky, dim-lit rooms where bands bled themselves out night after night.
Shama Lou wasn’t just part of the scene. She was Tina's compass.
Why I Moved to Hollywood — by Shama Lou
"I moved to Hollywood, California, from El Paso, Texas, in 1984 to do one thing: rock star hair. I’d been a hair stylist since 1977. I was already a rocker, and I knew exactly where I belonged.
Friends had been telling me for years, “You should move to L.A.” When I finally did, it was pure luck—and perfect timing. I landed in Hollywood right in the middle of the Big Hair explosion.
I found a tiny salon on Sunset Boulevard. It wasn’t busy, and they weren't hiring, but I made them an offer: I’d only see clients I brought in myself for the first few months and wouldn’t touch any walk-ins. They said yes.
The real draw was the location—right on Sunset, between the Roxy and the Whisky a Go Go. At night, the entire north side of Sunset turned into a parade of rockers—music, leather, teased hair, eyeliner—spilling off the sidewalks and into the streets, especially the Rainbow parking lot.
The most common pickup line on the Sunset Strip?
“Wanna ride in a limo?”
Shama Lou on Tinatina
“The first thing I noticed about Tina was her cool vibe.”
"Girls usually arrived running from something. Loud. Perfumed and hungry, but Tina came in watching, listening, and unrushed. She already knew who she was — she just hadn’t collected the proof yet.
I watched her learn the difference between attention and power. That’s when a girl becomes dangerous — in the right way.
What impressed me most was her restraint. She learned when to walk out. When silence was smarter than honesty. Letting rocker boys underestimate her costs less than correcting them.
Hollywood could look all it wanted, but it no longer defined her. And that’s the difference between someone who belongs to a scene —and someone a scene will never forget."
— Shama Lou Lewis
TinaTina on Shama Lou
“Shama caught my eye instantly”
