This is lizzard

Contest + New Videos!

2012-02-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

February Give-Away!
This month, This is lizzard dedicates 'Won't Give Up' to War Child, an organization that helps change the lives of children all over the world. Dutch Radio 538 has started a musical campaign in collaboration with War Child that we support 100%!

Congratulations to Drew Jex, the winner of the most inspirational dedication to Terry Fox, Canadian humanitarian, athlete and cancer research activist who truly did not know the meaning of giving up.
Congratulations Drew! You receive our debut album 'Won't Give Up' and a personalized video performance of your favorite This is lizzard song!

A picture says a thousand words - so a video must say a zillion!

We're in the process of video-izing all our songs on our YouTube channel - go ahead and have a look! And let us know what you think, we'd love to hear from you!

Live & Kicking
March 3, 9pm in 't Paardcafé in The Hague, NL
Catch This is lizzard, live & intimate. Free admission.
More info here.

March 11, time t.b.a
Liz sings live for the Radio 538 for War Child TalentStage in Den Bosch, NL
More info here

March 31, time t.b.a Labtones Live, in Merz, Dordrecht, NL

Because We Love You...

2012-01-31T03:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a Valentine's Day gift for you!
Download FREE the lullaby for lovers, 'Wake Up and Dream' from our EP The Orcas Sessions! This romantic duet is just the song to surprise the one you love on February 14th. Enjoy!

February Give-Away!
Every month, we dedicate the title track of our debut album 'Won't Give Up' to an especially inspiring person or organization that teaches us the meaning of never giving up when it comes to making dreams come true and changing the world.
Now, we are asking YOU: Who would you dedicate 'Won't Give Up' to?
Who or what inspires you to never give up reaching for the stars and achieving goals?
Tell us who teaches you to never give up and why, and you could win a personalized video performance of your favorite This is lizzard song!
Come on, let's inspire each other!! You can send us an e-mail, or tell us on our Facebook page.
The winner will be announced on February 29th.

This month, This is lizzard dedicates 'Won't Give Up' to War Child, an organization that helps change the lives of children all over the world. Dutch Radio 538 has started a musical campaign in collaboration with War Child that we support 100%!

Help This is lizzard Reach the World!

Our Sponsume campaign to reach thousands of new listeners with our music will be closing in a few weeks, so if you want to be instrumental in helping us reach the world, go have a look at our project now! In exchange for a donation, you will receive free music, video performances and more, not to mention our eternal gratitude and credit here on the site!

Thanks so much for your support and love! You rock!
Lizanne & Roland
This is lizzard

366 Days

2012-01-24T00:38:00.000-08:00

We all get a gift in 2012 - an extra day. That's right, folks, it's a leap year this year, which not only means anyone who was born on February 29th actually gets to celebrate their birthday, it also means we all get one whole extra day to fulfill our dreams!

Help This is lizzard Reach the World

Our dream this year is to reach lots and lots and LOTS of new listeners with our music. Making music is the best thing ever, but knowing other people are hearing it and enjoying it is even better.
But reaching new listeners costs money, which is why we started a project on Sponsume last month to raise funds for a promotion campaign called Help This is lizzard Reach the World! You can read all about the project here and by donating money, you're not only being instrumental in helping our music reach thousands of new listeners, you'll also be rewarded!

For any donation made, you'll receive anything from MP3 downloads to signed copies of the album(s) to a personalized video performance by This is lizzard! The project will run through February 2012 and your support would be greatly, hugely, massively appreciated!

Two Voices - One Message
We about to embark on a very exciting project in collaboration with singer/songwriter Inge and her band - a mini-tour entitled 'Two Voices - One Message', the message being whatever the listener chooses to interpret!
Inge and I met on Facebook, and we realized we had more in common than we thought - we both live in Zeeland, the south of Holland, we both have a new CD out and we both live for music! Both Inge and I sing (in English) about a lot of the same themes, but in our own unique and original way.

Dates & venues t.b.a - watch this space or head to our Facebook page for the latest news!

Here's to YOU!

2012-01-01T03:30:00.000-08:00

It's the first day of 2012, and I haven't made a single resolution. Thing is, I don't believe in resolutions, because they imply you've been doing something wrong all year long.
I believe in dreams, and never giving up in achieving them.

And, I love the fact that I'm not alone. I've met so many inspiring musicians this past year who have reminded me why I love making music so much. So this month, the very first month of 2012, we are dedicating the title track of our debut album 'Won't Give Up' to the independent musician.

Here's to the creative spirit who creates to survive, not to pay bills.

Here's to the inspirational individual who can't stop expressing him-or-herself, no matter what obstacles may lie in his-or-her path.

Here's to the determined artist who will never give up reaching for the stars.

Here's to you and all that you will create in 2012 and many more years to come!

Time to Reflect

2011-12-30T03:36:00.000-08:00

With only a couple more days left in 2011, I find myself reminiscing about how we started out, and what we've been through since we did. This is the time of year for reflection, and I want to share with you the whole This is lizzard story...

When I met Roland, I was blown away by his professionalism and experience. By the time our paths crossed, he'd already toured in theaters with his own formation, worked with some of the greatest artists in the Netherlands, won numerous awards, studied here and abroad under the best of the best. He was made to make music, and has had years of training doing just that. I, on the other hand, am completely self-taught. I've never had a singing lesson, but have developed my own techniques over the years to improve and control my voice. Singing has always been a very personal thing for me, something I kept to myself. It was Roland's belief in me and my voice that coaxed me out of the closet!

Back in the late 90's, at exactly this time of year, Roland and I made music for the very first time together with one very clear goal in mind: we wanted to score a hit. Big time. He had the music, I had the lyrics and the voice - nothing could stop us. We wrote lots of tunes, sent them to all the record labels (and there were way more than just three back then) with no luck. Our music, which was technically spot-on, lacked one essential ingredient: soul.

It took a catastrophe for us to realize what we were doing wrong. 9/11 affected us as it did most people - it forced us to turn inwards and look at who we were, and what we were doing. In order to cope with our emotions, we expressed ourselves with music. Music that came directly from heart and soul. We dropped the facade and 'lizzard' was born.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long before another disaster occurred. Just as we were well on our way to conquering the music scene back in 2003, I went and got hit by a car which brought everything came to a screeching halt. Roland spent the majority of his time perfecting his recording-studio techniques while I recovered in a wheelchair. Whoever said 'life is what happens when you're busy making other plans' hit the nail on the head. Times were tough, we were forced to prioritize and our music got pushed to the back burner for a long time. So long, in fact, we sort of forgot how to do it.

I guess we needed a reminder of why we ever started making music together in the first place. That reminder turned out to be a little slice of paradise on Earth called Orcas Island. From the very first moment we stepped on 'The Rock', it's been our home away from home and our geological muse, so to speak. We met Gene, the third member of the group, who completes our music in a way no other musician could. For us, Orcas is synonymous with making music, and the bulk of our new material was - and probably will be - written there.

Not long after we discovered the most motivational place on Earth, we found another source of inspiration, possibly even more powerful than any other: our children. We had our daughter Mia in 2006 and our son Bram in 2008, who teach us daily to live in the here and now, and to laugh. I mean really laugh. And to make music. Armed with perpetual sources of inspiration, love and skill, Roland and I re-introduced ourselves in 2011 as 'This is lizzard'. This year alone, we managed to record, produce and release two albums! Finally.

I'm not a black-and-white-minded kind of person, but I do think there are basically two types of musicians. There are those who make music with the purpose of scoring a hit, going viral, becoming rich and famous (even if it is for five minutes), and then there are those who make music because they simply can't not make music. We started out in that first category, but now I place myself and Roland firmly in the latter with all my heart and soul.

Sure, we'd like everyone in the world to hear our music (which is why we started our crowd-funding project on Sponsume), and yeah, we'd like to be able to pay our bills like any other struggling independent musician, but our ultimate goal lies in composing and executing the song. Just the song. When the song is done, so are we. On to the next.

There are so many reasons to write a song, and we've got a whole lot of songs brewing in us yet, just yearning to come out.

I can't wait to hear them.

So here's to the good things that have come from the years before us, and to the anticipation of the good things yet to come in the years ahead.

Wishing you love and music in 2012, from the bottoms of our hearts.
Lizanne and Roland
This is lizzard

p.s. The new EP 'The Orcas Sessions' is on sale till the end of the year on bandcamp - that's all 6 MP3s + artwork + lyrics + Christmas in Summertime video for only $2.99! Use the code 'tosmas' at checkout and enjoy!

Our Gift to You!

2011-12-22T10:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from This is lizzard!

As a special gift to you this holiday season, we are offering our holiday song, 'Christmas in Summertime' as a FREE download!

Go get your free MP3 now!

But that's not all!

We're also offering the entire brand new EP, The Orcas Sessions, at a 50% discount!

You get to download entire EP, plus cover art with lyrics, plus the 'Christmas in Summertime' video...

all for only $2.99*!

*Use the discount code tosmas during checkout.

Offer valid till 01-01-2012!

We can't tell you how much we appreciate all your support! YOU - our friends, family and fans - mean the world to us, and we plan to make lots more music in 2012 for you to enjoy!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Help Us Reach the World!

2011-12-17T02:35:00.000-08:00

What an incredible year 2011 has been!

After lying musically dormant for more than a decade, we recorded and released two albums on our own this year. We designed the artwork for both albums and made two video clips, for 'Won't Give Up' and our new holiday song, 'Christmas in Summertime', all by ourselves. We got our music on radio stations and podcasts throughout the US and the world, and we were nominated for various independent music awards, including the prestigious Hollywood Music in Media Award.

We pride ourselves on the fact that we've been able to do so much on our own.

We've been making music together for 14 years, but there's one thing we love more than making music, and that's sharing it.

So now, we're promoting our music on our own too. But self-promotion is turning out to be a lot tougher than we expected (especially with two kids who have to compete with the computer for our attention)! We're discovering that we really lack the know-how and the connections and the funds really get our music out into the world. And most importantly, self-promotion is so time-consuming, we don't have time anymore to do what we do best, which is making music!

So we're going to give crowd-funding a shot! We just started a project on Sponsume.com, and hope to be able to fund a world-wide promotion campaign in collaboration with independent record label, Blue Pie Records. Blue Pie co-released our EP 'The Orcas Sessions', and they believe in our music. Whatever amount we manage to raise, they will double it.

We want to build a professional team to reach the world with our music. YOU - our friends, family and fans, are a huge part of that team, and have helped us reach tons of new listeners, for which we thank you!

Now, you can be instrumental in helping us reach thousands of new listeners.

This video is 'A Day in the Life of This is lizzard', where we show how we spend our day, and how you can be instrumental in helping us out.

Please visit our project on Sponsume and help us reach the world with our music! Your generosity will not go unrewarded.

Thank you so much for your support, we wish you happy holidays from the bottom of our hearts, and the very best for 2012!

It's Here!

2011-12-02T01:35:00.001-08:00

*ahem*
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. We are proud as punch to announce the arrival of our latest musical achievement... The Orcas Sessions!

This brand new 6-track unplugged EP is now available on bandcamp and iTunes.

When you download the EP on bandcamp, you receive the official album artwork + lyrics as PDF + the "Christmas in Summertime" video, all for only $5.99!

A huge massive thank you to our dear friend and musical soul-mate, Gene Nery for making this EP possible - it just wouldn't be the Orcas Sessions without him.

The album is dedicated to and inspired by the lasting friendships we've made on Orcas Island, our home away from home. We hope you love listening to it as much as we loved making it!

Order a physical copy of the limited edition digipak EP for only €7,50 (not including shipping) here!

Christmas in Summertime Video
Watch the official Christmas in Summertime video clip!

Handicap This! Won't Give Up
Each month, we dedicate the title track of our debut album, "Won't Give Up" to an especially inspiring person or organization that shows us what never giving up really means. This month it's Handicap This!, an empowering theater group that travels the country conquering society's judgments about people who live with limitations, using positive energy and powerful drama. Hats off to them for never giving up!

*For our fans in the Netherlands: don't miss our live performance on December 14th at the Christmas market in Westdorpe! We'll be playing at 16.30, 17.30, 18.30 and finally at 19.45.

Happy holidays from This is lizzard!

One Week to Go!

2011-11-25T00:18:00.001-08:00

With one week to go, This is lizzard is getting ultra excited about the release of the new EP, 'The Orcas Sessions'. This transcontinental production in collaboration with third member of the band, Orcas Island local and awesome multi-instrumentalist, Gene Nery, will be available next week!!

After working 13 years on our debut album 'Won't Give Up', we decided not to wait too long with a second. Actually, the idea to record these songs was a spontaneous one. We were rehearsing for a gig in Gene's living room last Summer when we said to each other: "We should've recorded that!" So we got together and did just that. And more. Gene sent additional recordings over the internet to Roland, who put it all together, then mixed and mastered the whole thing here in Stolk Music Studio.

We just can't wait to share it with you!

One week left to listen to the sneak preview track 'Wake Up and Dream' here!

Christmas Single

Next week is also the unveiling of our original holiday song, "Christmas in Summertime" (which is also included in the EP). It's an unplugged Christmas song in our unique style, which focuses on one of our main themes - being far away from the ones we love.
(Our fans down under should get a kick out of it too, as they really do get to spend Christmas in the summertime!)
We'll be releasing it together with an awesome new video clip next week!

Upcoming Performance
December 14, Westdorpe Christmas Market
Times t.b.a.
We will also have copies of 'Won't Give Up' and the brand new EP 'The Orcas Sessions' for sale - come on by, enjoy the market and the music!
It's Not Easy Being Green
We are still going green in support of Greenpeace Nederland this month, and would like to pay special attention to their latest action against the building of a second nuclear power plant in the south of Holland and burying the waste under the ground... They sure know how to get their point across! Here's to Greenpeace for never giving up!

Sneak Preview Track Online!

2011-11-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

We are super-excited to announce that This is lizzard's upcoming unplugged album, "The Orcas Sessions" is in the final stages of production! The 6-track EP will be available next month!

For our fans only: Here is the sneak preview track "Wake Up and Dream"!
And hey, let us know what you think - we'd love to hear from you!
The track will be available for streaming until December 1st!

"The Orcas Sessions" is an unplugged, trans-continental production, in collaboration with awesome multi-instrumentalist and third member of the band, Gene Nery. Anyone who knows us, knows that Orcas is our home away from home, and the album is inspired and motivated by the lasting friendships and musical inspiration we have there!

This month, This is lizzard is going green in support of the number one environmental organization Greenpeace. When it comes to protecting our Earth, they don't know the meaning of giving up!
We performed live at the Rainbow Warrior III Festival
We dedicate "Won't Give Up" to you this month - thank you, Greenpeace, for never giving up! in Amsterdam on November 4th and were overwhelmed by the warm and dedicated volunteers who made us feel right at home there.

November 17th is the 2011 Hollywood Music in Media Award Ceremony and the title track of our album "Won't Give Up" has been nominated for best Pop song! It's going to be a killer event - our US promoter will be on the scene so we will keep you posted on this star-studded red-carpet event!

We've also been nominated for the Starliners Radio Indie Award - show us the love and cast your vote while you still can!

And finally, don't forget to join our Facebook page for up-to-the-minute updates on "The Orcas Sessions" - when it's ready for release, you'll be the first to know!

This is lizzard Goes Green!

2011-11-01T02:05:00.000-07:00

This month, This is lizzard is going green in support of the number one environmental organization, Greenpeace! And in particular, our very own Greenpeace Nederland.
When it comes to protecting our Earth, they don't know the meaning of giving up!
We dedicate "Won't Give Up" to them - thank you for never giving up!

We're performing at the Rainbow Warrior Festival on November 4th in Amsterdam, if you're in the city, come see us live at 2pm on the festival grounds on Java Eiland, where the Rainbow Warrior III itself is moored.
Don't forget to download your very own copy of the single "Won't Give Up" for the price of a mere e-mail address on NoiseTrade!
By downloading "Won't Give Up", you'll also get two more free tracks off the album, and you'll receive our monthly newsletter - plus our solemn promise that we won't spam you!

The Orcas Sessions
The days are getting darker and This is lizzard's new unplugged album, "The Orcas Sessions" is in the final stages of production! The EP will be available online in December, just in time for Christmas!

"The Orcas Sessions" is an unplugged, trans-continental production, in collaboration with awesome multi-instrumentalist and third member of the band, Gene Nery. Anyone who knows us, knows Orcas is our home away from home, and the album is dedicated to the lasting friendships and musical inspiration we have there.

We'll be uploading a sneak preview track straight off the album very soon so, join the mailing list, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook to be the first to know!

Award Spotlight
November 17th is the Hollywood Music in Media Award Ceremony and This is lizzard is one of the nominees for best Pop song! It's going to be a killer event - our US promoter will be on the scene so we will keep you posted on this star-studded red-carpet event!

This is lizzard has also been nominated for the Starliners Radio Indie Award - cast your vote now!

Sneak Peek

2011-10-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who didn't know yet, This is lizzard is going to release an acoustic EP this Christmas! The album was recorded on Orcas Island in collaboration with our good friend and third member of the band (only once a year unfortunately), multi-instrumentalist and incredible singer, Gene Nery.
I can't wait to share it with all of you! We'll be posting a sneak preview of one of the tracks off the album next month! Meantime, here's a sneak preview of the cover:

It's still Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and all this month, This is lizzard is going pink to show our support. This month, we dedicate "Won't Give Up" to those who are fighting this battle, to those who are supporting and caring for others who are struggling with it and for those who are searching for a cure.
Here's to you for never giving up.
Download "Won't Give Up" here, for the price of an e-mail address. Any tips received on NoiseTrade for the month of October will be donated by This is lizzard to the Breast Cancer Awareness Fund so that researchers won't ever give up on finding a cure.

This is lizzard Goes Pink!

2011-10-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

Each month, This is lizzard will be dedicating "Won't Give Up" to an inspiring, empowering organization or person who teaches us to never give up, no matter what.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and all this month, This is lizzard is going pink to show our support. This month, we dedicate "Won't Give Up" to those who are fighting this battle, to those who are supporting and caring for others who are struggling with it and for those who are searching for a cure.
Here's to you for never giving up.

Download "Won't Give Up" here, for the price of an e-mail address. Any tips received on NoiseTrade for the month of October will be donated by This is lizzard to the Breast Cancer Awareness Fund so that researchers won't ever give up on finding a cure.

The spotlight now shines on Laura Roppé, a very talented woman and cancer survivor. She wrote the song, "I'm Still Here" while undergoing chemotherapy and released her music video recently, which is already been viewed over half a million times! She is an inspiration and the video, in a word, rocks. How many kick-butt super heroins can you name?

Perks & Awards!

2011-09-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of being a independent musician is that you get to discover other independent musicians while you're busy trying to promote yourself. These are hard-working artists who are working their butts off to share their music with the world, just like us.
I've heard so many great musicians over the past few months, but this one in particular deserves a special mention. His name is Scott Carmichael, and there is just nothing I don't like about his music. The instrumentation, arrangements, harmonies, the tremendously good guitar-playing and unpredicability in his songwriting - all the ingredients are there and top notch. Especially his songs "Find Him" and "So Much More" just rub me the right way!
But, you know, don't take my word for it, though, let the music speak for itself:
Listen to Scott Carmichael

We are This is lizzard, we are independent, and we are tickled pink - want to know why?! We are in the running for three - count 'em - three independent music awards!

The Indie Reviewer Award (The TIR)
There are 2 weeks left for you to help us win this award! Click on the link and vote for 'Won't Give Up' by 'liking' or 'tweeting' it. We're in 2nd place at the moment, and winning this would mean exposure, prestige and appreciation from our peers, friends and industry professionals. (Winners to be announced on Oct. 15th)

The Hollywood Music in Media Award (The HMMA)
The HMMA, another very prestigious award, is chosen by industry profs, so no voting needed on this one... just keep those fingers and toes crossed! Check out the pretty official nomination we got even.

The Independent Music Awards (The IMA)
More info to come on this award!

The latest...

2011-09-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Man, these are some busy times!

Being an independent artist has its perks - total artistic freedom, flexible hours, complete control... But being independent also means doing everything on your own, and working every day on getting our music out there. Which we do with love and passion, naturally!

Here's the lowdown on what we've been up to lately...

Janeane Bernstein, host of Momz Rock the House on OC Talk Radio in California interviewed me. We had a great chat and she put together a great segment which you can listen to here. She also posted a bit of our video chat on YouTube. I'm lookin' to meet more rockin' musician Moms and Dads out there, drop me a line, I'd love to hear about your experiences about raising kids and making music!

---

This is lizzard was featured on the premiere broadcast of brand beach station, Radio Waves. DJ Michael Anthony (aka DJ Beach Bum) and DJ Chris rocked it on their first show, promising much more awesomeness to fill those airwaves in the future. These guys have great taste in music (!) and a great sense of humor too.

---

The nominees for the HMMA (Hollywood Music in Media Awards) were announced today, and guess who's on the list!

---

This is lizzard will be featured next month on WhoTune's website and take part in the CMJ Music Compliation - more on that to come...!

Winner Takes it All?

2011-09-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, we did not win WhoTune's 'Promote Me Like a Rockstar' contest... But we felt like we won anyway. We never expected to get as far as we did - we were voted 2nd place from over 400 amazing bands, and we're still #3 on the charts!

We don't make music to win contests or prizes or achieve fame and fortune. We make music because we can't not make music. It's in our heart and soul, it's a passion in our lives we can't live without. If our music strikes a chord with a single individual, it makes it all worthwhile for us.
Really.

Sure, it would be awesome to win something. Some financial support would be a huge help, let's not kid ourselves about that!
But we did not end up empty-handed!
We not only gained even more support and appreciation by our amazing fans throughout the world, we will also be featured on the WhoTune site next month. We've been holding steady at the top of the chart for the past week and the exposure has helped us gain airplay and interviews on some pretty awesome stations and podcasts. I'd call that winning!

Thanks to WhoTune, for the opportunity and especially thank you to everyone who supported us by voting for us and attending the Live Stage show. No matter what happens, we Won't Give Up!

The Waiting...

2011-09-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

...is the hardest part.

As most of you know, we performed yesterday on WhoTune's Live Stage and what a blast it was! Lots of our fans made the effort to tune in, despite the crazy time-difference, which means the world to us. Thank you!

Now, we wait. The other competing bands, Refuse the Fall and The Red List, did their thing on Live Stage as well, which we unfortunately couldn't watch, due to - yet again - the crazy time difference. As much as I love to know what my fellow musicians are up to, I just can't get up at 3am to watch their performance. (Especially not when my kids will be up a few hours later!) I hope their shows went well, that they rocked to the very best of their ability, and may the best band win this thing! (Although, I really really hope it's us...)

When we find out who won, I don't know. I am ready for a 6-month marketing campaign, boy, am I ever. We've been working so long to get our music where it is today, a good dose of promotion is the next logical step for us. We don't want to be kept secret anymore - we're more than ready to get This is lizzard out into the world!

A new site was a step in the right direction - we'd love to know what you think of it! Talk to us! Leave comments here, on our WhoTune profile (and while you're there, go ahead and vote for our track 'Where My Heart Lies' to keep us at the top of the Top 50 chart), or on our Facebook Page, or via Twitter - your feedback is what keeps us going!

As we wait for the contest results, we've got some great stuff coming up:
next Thursday @12noon PST: interview on OC Talk Radio, The Momz Rock the House Show
and coming soon... the worldwide premiere of awesome new station, Radio Waves!

'It might take forever and a day... you know you can't rush time...'

This is lizzard performs LIVE on WhoTune!

2011-09-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all our awesome fans around the world, we held steady in 2nd place for WhoTune's 'Promote Me Like a Rockstar' contest, and even held the number one spot on the Top 50 chart! We are that much closer to winning the grand prize, a 6-month global marketing campaign, thanks to YOU!

We will be performing LIVE via WhoTune's Live Stage  on Friday September 9th at 9:15am CET (which is 12:15 midnight PST Thursday night for our West-Coast fans, 8:15am for our UK fans, and around 5pm for our Aussie fans)  and we want you to be there!

Go to the WhoTune website, log in, then click on 'Live Stage' to tune in to our performance
from wherever you are in the world!

Your support means everything to us! Knowing our music is reaching you makes it all worth it!

Man, I Wanna Be a Rock Star

2011-08-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

So the other day I was browsing one of the 70 sites we've got our music on, and I discovered we'd entered a contest called 'Promote Me Like A Rock Star' on this awesome new music site called WhoTune.

Normally, I wouldn't give any contest another look. I never win anything. (I guess that's 'cuz I'm lucky in love... ) So when I saw that we were actually on the first page of the list of competitors, I just about fell off my chair! Were we really in second place?! I couldn't believe it. I logged out, refreshed the site, looked again. Yup, there we were with 'Won't Give Up', right at the top of the list. On page one of the competition! Page one!

So I got Facebooking. In no time, my friends and family stepped up and voted for us. I have been watching WhoTune like a hawk to see if we would suddenly drop down, but that didn't happen.
No.
You would not believe what did happen...
When I looked this afternoon, we had actually moved to first place!

Omg! Is this really happening?

The contest ends on August 31st, which is only a few days away. If we make the top three, we have to perform live via WhoTune's 'Live Stage' at midnight PST on August 31st (9am our time...Heaven help me.) If we win, we get a free 6-month global marketing campaign! This is exactly what we need to get our music out into the world, all we need is your vote!

Go here: http://www.whotune.com/#page=competitions
Then register by connecting to your FB account (or Twitter or MySpace).
Click the 'competitions' link at the top and cast your vote for 'Won't Give Up'!

Fingers crossed. And toes. And eyes.

Thanks everyone!

Culture Shock

2011-08-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

We've been back in Holland for three days now, and talk about culture shock! I was sure getting used to life in the States, after almost five months! But it's good to be back, and we're excited about all the new projects we've got planned...

So what to do while you're getting over jet-lag...? How about: write a Christmas song?! I've always wanted to write one, a cool one, not one of these sappy, corny, cheesy ones that make you nauseous. An awesome one, with strong melodies and mind-blowing harmonies and NO chimes. We'll probably include one on the new EP, due for release this Christmas. Although it's a challenge to think about Christmas stuff while I'm wearing sandals, batting mosquitos and watching the kids run around in their undies all day, I think we'll be able to pull it off.

I've been car-listening to the new album and really like what I hear so far. It's sometimes tough to listen to your own voice objectively, but these tunes are so genuine, I actually catch myself getting goose-bumps now and then! That's crazy! But I can only share with the world what rocks my own world - it wouldn't be real otherwise...

Next to the album, we're planning on performing again - just as soon as the jet-lag is over that is... If you know any good venues you'd like us to come play at, let us know! Also, I am going to start vocal coaching to people of any age who have a desire to find their voice. Let me know if you're interested - I can coach via internet as well! I've developed a method to not only help improve singing abilities, but also public speaking - it's all about control and presence. Control and presence. My mantra.

Finally got the latest newsletter finished and am in the process of sending it out over the next few days - if you can't wait for it to arrive in your mailbox, check it out here!

Ok, now this Mama singer is ready for a nap...

Adieu, Adieu, to You and You and You

2011-08-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

In exactly one week, Roland and I will be hauling ourselves, our kids and our multitude of suitcases back to Holland. After an amazing 4 1/2 months in the US, it's time to go back home.

This trip was all about exploration, performance and promotion, and I think we managed to achieve all three of those objectives. We explored avenues for our music and developed a new sound with our good friend Gene, the result of which will be the acoustic EP, due for release this Christmas!

We performed till we were weak in the knees in and around Orcas Island, in new venues and in familiar ones. We reached new people with our music, and touched their hearts.

We released the album in June and are already being broadcast on various national radio, featured on blogs and working with folks on music liscencing.

So all in all, it's been a very productive few months.

It still remains a sort of mystery, as to whether or not our music and words are reaching the ears of everyone we want it to. All we can do is continue the 'mission' of sharing 'Won't Give Up as well as writing lots of new music, or breathing new life into older songs we've written (I think my little lyric book has about 40 songs in it!) Either way, we've got lots of music still in us, just dying to come out!

The next week will be a whirlwind of performing, organizing, celebrating and saying goodbye. This place is our home away from home, and it always will be, but I am looking forward to getting back to Europe and trying to get our music on the airwaves over there! Curious what the folks on 'the Continent' will think...

So while we're here, we'll treasure every minute of the sea, the air, the people and the vibe. It's a very very good one, you see. One we'll miss like crazy when we're gone. But hey, I figure, it's all good stuff to write music about.

The Awe-coustic Sessions

2011-08-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Roland, Gene and I are recording an acoustic EP, due for release this Christmas! It'll be six tracks of acoustic songs, lots of awesome intertwining guitar licks and close harmonies. It'll be just awe-coustic.
While it's 75 degrees outside, we've got a white Christmas on our minds...

Here are a few shots of recording in progress...

Roland tuning up...

Gene setting up the system for the first track.

Gene checking the levels.

Liz listening to the guys' awesome intro.

Waiting for a plane to fly by...

Gene and Roland sipping the musician's nectar of life.

Liz lubicrating her vocal chords.

If you'd like to be kept in the loop about the new album, send an e-mail to thisislizzard@hotmail.com and we'll add you to the mailing list. We promise we won't spam you!

This is lizzard Needs You!

2011-07-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you!!!

So far, we've received almost $350 in pledges for our US Radio Campaign!

That's 20% of our goal! We've still got a long way to go,

so read more about the campaign below and get involved too!

This is lizzard needs you!

As most of you know, we have been working for the past thirteen years on our music and have recently released a debut album we can be proud of. Music is our passion, our motivation, our inspiration. Now, we're ready for the next big step: getting our music on the air! Roland and I have invested everything we had to record, produce and promote the album on our own, but we need your help to get it to the next level!

Help us reach our goal of $1,900 by July 31, 2011 for a US Radio Campaign!

If you want to participate in this exciting project over the next few weeks, here are two ways you can get involved!

Download the CD at 35% off!
This special offer is only available on Bandcamp - just go to the This is lizzard Bandcamp page and download 'Won't Give Up' at a reduced price of only $6.40*!

*Use the promo code RADIO4 at checkout.

Make a pledge! 
You can also pledge as little or as much as you can part with.
Just send an e-mail to thisislizzard@hotmail.com, including:
- your name
- your e-mail address
- the amount you're willing to give*

If you pledge $25 or more, you will receive an exclusive 'Balcony Performance' video by Lizanne and Roland of three This is lizzard songs, dedicated especially to you!
*A payment request will only be made once the goal is reached!

We are humbled by all the comments and support from you, and hope you can find a way to help us reach our goal!

Thank you!  !

Priorities...

2011-05-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

If you have kids, you'll know that they have this uncanny sixth sense about knowing when they don't have your 100% undivided attention anymore. They can be playing, doing their thing and ignoring you completely, but the minute you try to have a little 'me time', even just to update your Facebook status or go to the bathroom, they're on you like a groupie to a rock star.

When I became a Mom, I accepted this. But I am also a singer, and I've also accepted that too. My relationship with music never goes away, no matter how many times I've told it to:

Me: 'Not now, music, it's not a good time.'
Music: 'Aw, come on. You know you want to.'
Me: 'But the kids need me.'
Music: 'The kids can take care of themselves!'
Me: 'No they can't.'
Music: 'Yes they can.'
Me: 'They really can't.'
Music: 'Okay, fine. I'll wait.'

And it always does.

Roland and I are trying to promote our new album, Won't Give Up. We called it that because it took us all of 13 years to make it, and we never gave up. We've got music to make and dreams to fulfill - so giving up just isn't an option. Music has had to take its place on the back burner many times, but kids won't accept that, and don't deserve that either.

Playing a gig is the only time we can actually make uninterrupted music - but the price I pay for being unavailable is always high. Extra hugs and smooches are in order, as well as a considerable amount of whining and complaining, which translates into: 'What were you doing that was more important than me for the past hour?!' That's a tough one to answer...

Promoting the album takes time and attention to detail, but so does child-rearing.

Getting our album heard is our goal, but so is having happy, healthy, well-balanced children.

Okay, happy medium, where the heck are you?!

The Challenge

2011-05-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Nobody ever said raising kids would be easy. But what makes child-rearing even tougher is when you have a passion you just can't deny.

My passion is music.
My life is my kids.
How to combine the two? That's the challenge I face every day.

Last night is a good example of why rock 'n' roll and kids don't always mix. Roland (my other half in love, life and music) and I participated in an 'open mic' session on Orcas Island, where we're staying and promoting the new album. We make a point of going as often as we can, or in other words, when we can afford a babysitter. We played and jammed and strengthened our relationships with some of the fine musicians on the island, and by the time we crawled into bed, it was going on 2am.

Kids don't give a hoot about what time their parents goes to bed. As often as I explain to them how tired mama is, they have an agenda that clearly takes priority over mine. Even going to the bathroom is something I can do only under their close supervision. At 7am, it's time to color, play games, read stories and eat at least three bowls of Cheerios. Fortunately, I am so trained in these activities that I can perform them even in a zombie-like state without them even noticing. I mean, I have yet to put coffee in the Cheerios instead of milk, for example.

But a good night making music outweighs the discomfort of a little sleep deprivation any day.

Rehearsing is another story. Our kids are musical, which is no surprise since they've been hearing it since they were in the womb. When we make music, they see it as an invitation to make music too, which is awesome, but again, a challenge. Recently, when Roland and I wanted to go through some tunes before a gig and test some PA gear, the kids leapt on the opportunity to join in. My son decided the microphone was his and no one else's ever, and seeing that sharing is still a foreign concept to him, there was simply no way I was going to get a turn to sing in it.

Assuming a three and a four-and-a-half year old will simply sit there and listen for an extended period of time while we practice is a huge mistake, one that most certainly leads to frustration and dismay. So a serious rehearsal can really only take place in one situation: a gig.

When we have a gig, it means the kids will be in the very loving, capable hands of someone else: preferably Grandma and Grandpa, but otherwise, a very awesome babysitter. Roland has his hands free to actually play the guitar, I don't have to share the mic with a three-year-old, and no one needs their nose wiped or help going to the potty.

It comes down to this: I wouldn't change being a Mom for anything, but I'm a singer too. Last night, I love my kids, but I had to sing. Right now, I love my music, but I have to go play Barbies.

This is lizzard

2011-04-28T21:12:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the blog!

If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a musician, trying to promote a debut album after 13 years of blood sweat and tears, and trying to raise two kids at the same time, then this is the place for you.