January 6, 2026 - Some projects emerge quickly, shaped by momentum and immediacy. Others take form slowly, built through years of encounters, parallel paths, and accumulated experience. Black Lizards belongs firmly to the latter category, a multidisciplinary music project rooted in continuity rather than novelty, and in artistic lineage rather than trend.
Rather than presenting itself as a conventional band, Black Lizards functions as a creative convergence point. Its sound and visual identity draw from underground punk, alternative rock, electronic experimentation, metal, cinema, and visual arts, forming a body of work shaped by long-term relationships and cross-generational dialogue.
At the center of the project is artist and producer Jon Manitouabe8ich, whose creative trajectory began well before the digital era reshaped music production and distribution. His early involvement in DIY underground environments emphasized craft, emotional honesty, and independence, values that continue to define Black Lizards today. These formative years fostered an approach grounded in patience and depth rather than immediacy or exposure.
A significant presence within this artistic environment was Tony Roman, Jon’s cousin and close friend, whose career bridged music, television, and international cinema. Prior to Jon’s own professional development, Tony Roman had already worked internationally, including on the film Ladies Room, which featured John Malkovich and Lorraine Bracco. This proximity to a multidisciplinary creative world offered early exposure to storytelling practices where sound, image, and narrative coexist organically.
Tony Roman also played a recognized role in the early professional path of René Angélil, who would later discover and manage Céline Dion. This historical thread situates Black Lizards within a broader cultural ecosystem that also shaped figures such as Leonard Cohen and other influential artists of their generation. These references are not claims of affiliation, but contextual markers, indicating the artistic environment surrounding the project’s origins.
Beyond music, Jon Manitouabe8ich co-founded PIG Animation Studio during the early expansion of web-based and digital media. This chapter proved instrumental in shaping a multidisciplinary sensibility, dissolving traditional boundaries between audio, visual composition, and narrative structure. The influence of cinematic pacing and visual storytelling remains evident in the conceptual framework of Black Lizards.
That convergence finds its most complete expression in the upcoming album Flat Emotions. The record brings together collaborators selected for experience and artistic credibility rather than commercial alignment. Mixing was handled by Neil O’Connor, associated with the original UK punk movement and brother of Hazel O’Connor, reinforcing a connection to punk’s foundational ethos. James Di Salvio, founder of Bran Van 3000, contributes his genre-fluid perspective, while Rich Gray of Annihilator appears on the track “The River,” adding technical precision and international scope.
Black Lizards does not position itself as a revival, nor as a corrective to the past. Instead, it operates as a continuation, bridging underground roots with contemporary expression, and lived experience with global perspective. As Flat Emotions moves toward release, the project stands as an example of how artistic integrity, when sustained over time, can evolve into something both current and deeply rooted.
For more information: www.blacklizards.com
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Website: www.blacklizards.com
