Patrick Lew's Music Career So Far During The 2010s.

THE STEEL LIONS

BAND HISTORY

The Steel Lions was conceived by PLB guitarist/vocalist Patrick Lew and formed during a break from touring and recording with the Patrick Lew Band. PLB recently finished a short tour across Antioch, CA during Summer 2011, and the band was going through a rebuilding process with touring members Greg Lynch and David Hunter alongside Lew. The roots for the Steel Lions began with Lew self producing his own musical ideas in his own studio during studio and touring autonomy for Patrick Lew Band and grew from there. A lot of the ideas that Patrick Lew recorded in his home studio was initially going to be brought over to PLB as possible material for the follow-up to PLB’s 2011 album Murder Bay. However, Lynch rejected the musical ideas for creative and religious reasons. Feeling “bummed out” by the situation with the Patrick Lew Band undergoing a rebuilding process, Lew felt an “itch to do something that PLB wasn’t able to do with the new lineup involved.” In a Facebook post made by Lew in 2016 on the band’s page, Lew wanted to incorporate more of his late 80’s and early 90’s rock influences in Patrick Lew Band while the other members disagreed with the idea, claiming that Lew “wanted PLB to try and sound like Bon Jovi, Nirvana and White Lion and that’s what side projects were for” and wasn’t willing to evolve or shift from their earlier style.  

According to Lew, the project “wasn’t meant to be a real band” but rather “something to do creatively in his spare time when PLB wasn’t one of his priorities in my life, but just to have an experimental creative outlet.” Patrick Lew began posting on his personal Facebook profile asking for his Facebook friends to suggest ideas for a band name. Initially, his former online friend on social-media suggested Lew to name the project Chaos In Chinatown. For a short time, The Steel Lions was recording under that “guise” until Lew quickly dropped that band name due to a concern of offending Asian Americans and shaming his own heritage. For a few years, the project would be known as Heavy Sigma. Which the former band’s name’s origins were disputed. Eventually, Patrick Lew would change the name Heavy Sigma to The Steel Lions as an amalgamation of two 80’s hair metal bands: Steelheart and White Lion. Two bands that Lew grew up listening to and being a fan of. To complete the project, Lew then enlisted help from long-time PLB drummer and close friend David Arceo and his then-fiancee Faith Lambright. Officially cementing the band’s lineup.

The Steel Lions began recording demos throughout late 2011 and the first half of 2012, primarily at Lew’s newly built home recording studio The Blizzard of Sound in San Francisco, CA. Rather than “spend months trying to refine everything and do mass marketing for the new band or side project for the indie music scene,” The Steel Lions followed a more DIY spirit as musicians and artists putting themselves out there in the music business. Arceo completed sampling and drum programming in two weeks at Lew’s new home recording facility, and Lew and Lambright would complete the rest of the instrumentation and self recording later. ANN, an upstart indie label based near Seattle, WA found out about the project on the band’s ReverbNation page, liked what they heard, and offered to distribute the band’s music on the Internet. Arceo’s fascination with Electronic Dance Music and the Bay Area rave culture played a huge factor in The Steel Lions initial output, which is evident in the band’s 2012 release Taiwanese Rebels. After months of home recording and alternating between college, day jobs and putting some time and effort into the Patrick Lew Band as they were rebuilding their band, direction and business for the future, another album from The Steel Lions was released during Fall 2012 titled Voyager, which were based off outtakes from the recording sessions and rejected song ideas that were planned for PLB that was kept on Lew’s hard drive on his computer.   

The creation of The Steel Lions would cause great division in PLB, mostly between Lew and Arceo with guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Greg Lynch. Tensions would rise at an accelerated pace related to creative, personal and religious differences within the Patrick Lew Band. The PLB would rehearse sporadically during mid 2012 and during the band’s final recording session in Antioch, CA, Lynch would make criticism towards Lew’s musical abilities. In a Facebook post on the Patrick Lew Band’s official Facebook page in August that year, Lew was increasingly irritated at the band’s slow and stagnant rebuilding process and band drama that was being initiated by Lynch’s remarks and actions. Although David Hunter was signed on to become the PLB’s bassist, he was absent throughout most of the band’s practices, meetings and recording sessions. Because of a lack of unity within PLB caused by creative and religious differences, alongside confusion and dysfunction within the band’s direction, future and music business caused by a lack of communication and ability to collaborate as musicians playing in a band. The then-lineup of PLB would eventually go their separate ways. On the afternoon of September 5, 2012, Lew would post a blog on PLB’s Facebook page announcing an “indefinite hiatus.”

“Think it's really time to put the Patrick Lew Band to rest. Me, Greg, and David H are more likely going to play music together with other people under a different band name in the Antioch/Brentwood region. Music is always going to be there, but you know, it's time to move forward from the Patrick Lew Band because it's a thing of the past and there's always gonna be more music with other bands and my own solo project to do with close friends and peeps.

Patrick (on behalf of the PLB Army)”

Lew would remain friends with Lynch and Hunter until mid 2014 when their friendship would dissolve because of remaining tensions and what Lew perceived as “toxic friendships.”

Because of discouragement and antagonization from a former friend and peer from the local San Francisco music scene, and Lew’s desire to “spend more time rebuilding his relationship with his significant other,” The Steel Lions would not tour or play any shows to promote their new music. Instead during the absence of live performing, The Steel Lions would turn to social-media as a way of keeping their audience updated and connected. During mid 2012, The Steel Lions would become “trending now” on ReverbNation in their local region under the Punk genre. Patrick Lew would work on a follow-up album with Steel Lions tentatively titled Some Kind of Misfit which was eventually scrapped. The aborted album would eventually become Patrick Lew Band’s 2015 release and comeback To the Promised Land.

However by 2013, Lew’s relationship with his then-fiancee Faith would become strained and decline considerably. Despite some of his achievements and rewarding experiences as a determined musician from the Bay Area, Lew would grow disillusioned with the politics of the music business and scene and became deterred by his growing number of detractors on social-media. Lew would take a sabbatical from music to clear his mind. His then-fiancee Faith would also play a factor in his exile from playing guitar and making music. Lew and Arceo also would not speak to each other during the first half of 2013 because of undisclosed reasons. However, the two would eventually sort out their differences and were encouraged by peers and close friends to continue their friendship and play music together. By this time, Lew wasn’t playing guitar or recording any music in his home recording studio. The Steel Lions were booked to play a show at Mama Art Cafe in San Francisco, CA on September 13, 2013 and would perform two new tracks “See It Through” and Arceo’s spoken word composition “Reality Check” to a gleeful reception. However, tensions between Lew and his then-fiancee would rise to an accelerated pace which made Lew once again exile from the music scene.  

It wasn’t until long after Lew’s relationship with his then-fiancee Faith ended that he considered returning to playing guitar, making music and putting himself out there on social-media. Possible legalities related to PLB were resolved by the end of 2014, with Patrick Lew being granted full ownership of the band’s business, music and direction. On New Years Day 2015, Patrick Lew Band would announce their return to the indie music scene and Lew would purchase two MacBooks from an electronics store to use as his home recording studio device.  

However, there would be extremely difficult struggles during that moment when Lew and Arceo were playing music again under the Patrick Lew Band name. Lew had a falling out with his then-girlfriend, which deeply affected him as she was very close to him at one point before the couple split. Lew would experience a minor backlash on social-media through AMWF Facebook dating groups alongside having his money and credit card almost completely wiped out and stolen by his then-girlfriend Monique, whom he acquainted with through those dating groups on Facebook. Lew filed legal action against his then-girlfriend Monique, which the case is still pending. Lew would also engage himself in a strange yet bitter personal feud with his then-fiancee Faith on social-media behind closed doors, which was caused Faith's actions by belittling Lew's personal failures in his love life and sabotaging his potential relationships and interests. The feud would quietly disappear during the end of 2016, with nothing ever conclusively settled between the two former significant others. Arceo, would battle detractors and struggle to cope with his personal demons.

However, the Patrick Lew Band would play shows again in 2015 in the Bay Area. The newly revived PLB self-released two new "comeback" albums that year through digital distribution: To the Promised Land and Bubblegum Babylon. The latter, a Chiptune/EDM influenced record compiled from several years of outtakes and unreleased electronically produced music that never went public in the indies. Lew would also collaborate with Neverfade and former Distorted Harmony drummer Erick Salazar at the Salazar Residence in San Francisco, working on a new album under the pseudonym "THE STEEL LIONS." By the end of 2015, Lew and Arceo would begin jamming with long-time friend and EDM producer Gem Jewels AKA Janny in the Shoegaze influenced indie rock act TheVerse. TheVerse would establish themselves as an indie home recording trio at Lew's home studio in San Francisco and would begin putting themselves out there locally and on social-media. Generating a tiny buzz within their networking.

Patrick Lew kept busy in 2015 and 2016 alternating between four different bands: Patrick Lew Band, The Steel Lions, TheVerse and filling in as a bassist for the San Francisco punk band The Tortured.

TheVerse would play their first show at The Stork Club in Oakland, CA on May 18, 2016. An audio recording and a few edited iPhone captured videos of the band's performance would be uploaded through Patrick Lew Band's personal YouTube account. A week earlier on May 12th marked the 15 year anniversary of the Patrick Lew Band's formation in the Bay Area music scene and the indies. Initially, Lew was compiling hours of recorded material at home for a Patrick Lew Band boxed set documenting their last 15 years as an indie band. Which consisted of live performances, home demos, outtakes and etc etc. Instead, Lew spent the first half of 2016 putting the finishing touches to THE STEEL LIONS album Unfinished Relics. Lew couldn't head into Erick's home studio to finish the album, so instead, Erick sent files of guitar tracks that Lew recorded at the Salazar Residence via email. Lew would later complete the album alone by adding a virtual drummer, bass, vocals and engineering and producing the album himself at home. He would sell Steel Lions album Unfinished Relics through CDBaby and its distributors. Patrick Lew Band would also continue recording at Lew's home studio sporadically during 2016, which resulted in the release of three EPs released within one year on the Patrick Lew Band's Bandcamp page: Fire in the Sky, Shortcuts to Fame and Oakland. TheVerse would consistently practice and make music at Lew's home recording studio between January to August of that year. Until Lew would fill-in for the San Francisco punk band The Tortured for two live performances in October 2016. This all happened when The Tortured's bassist departed the band to re-locate to reside in another State. The band posted on Facebook searching for a new bass player on their page, Lew answered the request and would play with the band for two shows before returning to focus on his work with Patrick Lew Band.

Patrick Lew Band History

Known under names such as Famiglia and Samurai Sorcerers, Patrick Lew Band formed in May 2001 and quickly became the second main project musically for Patrick Lew as he soon was able to create music alone as a one-man band. Aptly titled, Patrick Lew’s Band. Mainly being a solo project for the Taiwanese/American local rock musician and artist, but with sometimes contributions from members of his other bands he played guitar in. Around this same time in 2001 when Lew and Loi were high school freshmen, they began promoting their demo MP3’s of songs they wrote and recorded on the Internet through personal and indie music webpages. In the summer of 2001, Patrick Lew played his first concert as an Internet and Bay Area rock musician as a busker and attendee at Vans Warped Tour 2001, playing guitar with his schoolmates at a tent where musical equipment was free to test out for the punk music festival’s attendees.

San Francisco and Daly City were Patrick Lew’s Band’s fame center stage early on in his music career. Playing high school talent shows and, because the musicians were at the time teenagers. Their parents carpooled the teenage musicians from Patrick Lew’s Band or carried their entire musical equipment through BART trains or public buses. Usually, the musical performances of the Band were described as sloppy, chaotic and technical…Like not-so-experienced musicians playing music in a garage band. But Eddie’s guitar leads often prevented the musicians and Band from sounding too amateur-ish. There was manic energy, devotion and hidden talent within their early musical performances however. When Lew became a 10th grader at Wallenberg High School, he and his Band returned to San Francisco to focus on band practices and writing and recording original music on a Portastudio. Eventually, Lew’s schoolmate and Japanese female friend Mayumi eventually joined Patrick Lew’s Band on bass guitar (the bass duties in his other band Silent Minister were by Eddie’s friend Shawn Blacharski).

They returned to their priorties in San Francisco during 2002, although drummer Tommy Loi dropped out of the Band early in the year to focus on his pre-college studies and getting a great education. Mayumi took over bass, Blackburn settled on lead guitar, and Lew played rhythm guitar and sang most of the Band’s music. There was a problem however, they didn’t had a live drummer for recording and live performing. So to solve the problem for the time, they went to a store and bought a drum machine or used drum backing tracks off Lew’s laptop onstage for live performing. In mid-2002, Patrick Lew’s Band (minus Loi) made their and his first recordings for his solo band. The music of Patrick Lew had barely developed at this stage, and these recordings were sloppy originals and amateur-ish tape recorded Rock And Roll music at best. And Lew’s songwriting at the time dealt with more fiction such as early songs such as “Drug Commercial” and “Cheerleaders of My Love.” These recordings were done on a 4-track, and became Patrick Lew’s first demo “Live! Like a Garage Band!” Only 25 to 50 copies of this demo tape were made reportedly, to hand to their schoolmates and family. This time period was almost significant not only promoting their music online to an extremely limited audience, but their trademark look was developed by bassist Mayumi. Japanese pop culture became an interest for Lew because of this, and Blackburn and Lew began to restyle their pop punk haircuts for fobby Asian pop star shags. Which gave their musicians their visual sound and personality on record.

Near the end of 2002, Patrick Lew’s Band played and was booked to perform at a local “Battle of the Bands” event in their hometown of San Francisco to compete with other teenage bands for a grand prize opportunity to get free recording studio time and their resume sent to record labels. They performed at the event for 15 minutes roughly, although they did not win or sound proper musically at the “Battle of the Bands.” However, parts of this event was taped when one of the band’s friend’s snuck in a tape recorder. Although no photos exist from this performance historically, but there is a short recording as evidence. By promoting themselves constantly locally and on the Internet, Patrick Lew’s Band and his other band Silent Minister received an opportunity off an email through their Soundclick.com music page by Statue Records. Signing a record deal (though it was later to be revealed as a SCAM by Statue). In 2003, Patrick Lew and the Band followed the same avenues as they did the year before. Alternating between playing music and high school. During band practices, they began recording Patrick Lew’s first album “Psychotic Love” as a musician, albeit with poor mixing, producing and engineering on a 4-track. It was released via Internet on their website, in April 2003. Which made Patrick popular at the time on the website Findapix.com.

What Patrick Lew’s Band done musically was take the elements of hard rock, pop, alternative rock and metal they loved and make them their own. Since the Samurai Sorcerers days, they had steeped deeply into 80’s hair metal, Bay Area thrash and the Seattle grunge scenes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Motley Crue, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses and others. They’d also kept an ear open to the early 2000s alternative metal and pop punk of Incubus, Korn and Blink 182. And also paid close attention to Bay Area music and J-Pop. Though the musicianship and skill-levels vary between every musician making the music, there was a sense of uniqueness and strange deviant vibe to Patrick Lew’s Band. With made them stood out from their contemporaries from their Bay Area underground music community. Though not always popular or appreciated, they developed a cult fan base which still exists today for Lew’s music outside of the norm. Patrick Lew was also credited to these things, refining the ideas despite limitations without formulating to tinker with the conventional mass media. And during the later and current studio band years of Patrick Lew’s music career, his knowledge and information from what he learned and experienced was effective in his ability to promote him on every relevant website for unsigned bands. Mastering his promoting skills online by making everything accessible, and translate concepts and ambitious ideas into what seems possible, through recording technology, and widening sounds and instruments through newly available digital technology for musicians.

Just as crucially, as limited and primitive as they can be, Patrick Lew’s Band was never the ones to give up during hard times or oppression, and is strong-willed to determine their success and future the way they want it or whatever pleases. In 2004, Patrick Lew graduated high school and went to cram school first at City College of San Francisco before transferring to a CSU school. After watching a free concert at a record store by J-Pop singer Nami Tamaki, Lew wrote the song “Tokyo Pop Princess” which became Lew’s first hit single via Internet and was a notable song locally in his hometown before he left high school. Just like he did with high school, Lew alternated between music and education when going to a 2-year college. He played a few shows sporadically, and his other band Silent Minister jammed on some music too.

However by late 2004, some problems were experienced by Lew and his Band. Because of personal struggles, the Taiwanese rock musician and superstar Patrick Lew began his first time in personal rehab. A sporadic practice to learn life the way he wants it, that continued for the next few years. Although Lew did not like his first time in college due to personal problems, his band Silent Minister (not Patrick Lew’s Band) began splintering when lead guitarist Blackburn begun various roles in other projects. Lew and Blackburn briefly regrouped in May 2005 for band practices with Silent Minister before mutually parting company to pursue their own life and artistic avenues. Patrick’s bassist for his solo project Mayumi, left the band after she graduated high school in June 2005 to attend UC Davis. Patrick Lew would make music solo, but focused his energies with his college friend Zack Huang to form the Band of Asians with schoolmates at City College. On February 13, 2005, Patrick Lew played his only concert during 2005 at Balboa High School. Unfortunately, by this time…Patrick was able to access a digital camera to take pictures during band practices. Which explains why NO photos exist of Lew’s time with Silent Minister, except writings and records.

By this time, Patrick Lew’s Band and Silent Minister withdrew from Statue Records after it was learned they were scamming musicians and unsigned bands on various indie music websites for “fake” record deals. An unauthorized recording was published and sold to retailers from Patrick Lew, called “Tokyo Pop Princess.” But Lew claims he hates the recording for butchered sound quality from demo tapes and live recordings taken from that time. Patrick and Eddie would not play music together again, until May 2007, where Patrick joined Eddie’s new band Logic’s Enemy onstage for a gig at Civic Center.

Most of 2005 was a period of rebuilding in Patrick Lew’s Band. He took a year-long break from community college to focus on his music career and personal life to evolve. Patrick Lew and his friend from City College, Zack, formed a new band called Band of Asians and Patrick took music in his new band seriously. Looking for a lead guitarist, Lew tried social-networking website MySpace.com by placing an ad. But the guitar player they jammed with twice whom was met online, never went long-term as a musical project. Instead, Lew began to be determined to get better and improve as a guitar player to play guitar leads in Band of Asians. He even took a three-week guitar lesson at a school near his house called Vibo Music. Lew began going to Skyline College in early 2006, which he protested against attending for cram school. Feeling he wasn’t ready to go back to community college yet to focus on his new music. He did however meet his closest friend and Band of Asians drummer Dave Arceo and bassist Augusto Hernandez, finally creating the Band of Asians as a Rock Band. They began upgrading their musical equipment, buying a lot of digital technology such as synthesizers and computer programs to record on. On February 10, 2006, Patrick Lew’s Band began a short leg of gigs in Skyline College and some house party in Daly City.

On May 8, 2006, the Band of Asians played a live electronic recital at Vibo Music. Which Augusto and Patrick could be heard arranging their instruments and parts when playing their music live. This recital, featuring tape loops, samples, electronic elements along with amateur-ish rock band performances. Became a Band of Asians live EP, and Patrick Lew’s only live album to date. Much of 2006 was a turbulent time for Lew and Arceo, who became very close friends but dealt with personal problems separately in their personal lives.

But 2006 was also a controversial year for Patrick Lew Band. One of the first was Patrick Lew’s failed relationships with the opposite sex, had a major impact on Lew and sent him to a major depression and worried about his role in society. Whether it was Lew’s fault or not, it was one of the other few bad experiences the Taiwanese rock musician went through in 2006. Another was a violent argument that occurred in Lew’s home, with Arceo scuffling two musicians supposedly brought for a jam session named Anthony and Manchi. By this time, things later would be more frightening and more difficult to experience. Arceo and Lew tried lost their music club at Skyline College because of a bully on campus named Aaron Cheng. Which also resulted in a scuffle which made Patrick decide to go back to City College. Lew also began experimenting with drugs and alcoholism with schoolmates at SF State University’s dorm rooms reportedly.

But however, the music of Patrick Lew was in fact very important in his life and hobby. Even for a serious long-term ambition and goal. The Band of Asians began recording their “Revenge” CD in a friend’s personal recording studio with the latest and expensive recording and musical equipment. Lew and Band of Asians’ intentions for this album were to let their RAGE out at the society and enemies that the Internet rock musicians experienced with musically, and proved to be a fundamental departure from the fictional and J-Pop tribute songwritings of the high school days. Using digital technology, electronics and what they read to make better music. They released their Instrumental Rock album “Revenge” through CDBaby.com on Lew’s 21st birthday on November 15, 2006. This was a step forward when writings, photos and audio recordings were important to Patrick Lew’s musical franchise, and home video and Patrick Lew’s Band shirts were still ages away.

But if anyone could do it, Patrick Lew and his schoolmate musician friends could. This was a radical step indeed, and although this was Patrick Lew’s second major album (he later shared joint credits to the record with Band of Asians as both their project’s recorded work). It was a stylistic departure from the early days of Lew’s music as digital music technology and the tools and experience learned in later years, gave Patrick Lew’s Band and the music a sound that remained unto themselves. The appearance of singles “Revenge,” “War!” and “Night Vision” shown hints of artistic progression in the Band. Lew was voted by Dmusic.com as one of 2006’s “Artist Picks."

When "Revenge” was released by the end of 2006, the Band of Asians and Lew especially were asked by a local concert promoter KLC to play some gig dates opening up for their peers and Lew’s high school friends Screamo band Scarlett Bombs. The big concern was, that the music from “Revenge” was very difficult to present live without backing tapes or without a whole ensemble of live musicians playing certain parts, 60% of the record was done on a computer. So instead, Lew and the Band of Asians chose to write new songs to perform on tour, during band rehearsals. The Band of Asians however, lost their original bassist Augusto Hernandez, who’d left to join another local Bay Area band and focus on his college studies. Arceo and Lew were however, attending City College again, and met their schoolmate and close friend Cory Gaitan. Whom replaced Hernandez on bass and also, became the group’s 2nd singer. Patrick Lew as a solo artist, also jammed with his some of his bandmates and other musicians he met through networking. The Band of Asians toured San Francisco with Scarlett Bombs through recreation centers and their school, City College from early 2007 until October of that year. It seemed as if, life was ambitious and experienced with less conflict at the time. And that the Band could do no wrong.

However, musically the progression and creativity would continue. Personally and socially, not so much. The Band of Asians began to unravel at a very quick pace just as they began getting active. Lew and Gaitan sent their demos and resume to A&R people in the music industry, but came up short on receiving an answer. Band of Asians co-founder, Zack Huang, was absent on occasion during 2007 to avoid foreclosure with his family’s house and other daytime jobs. Gaitan, who joined the Band of Asians several months earlier, left the band for overseas briefly due for personal rediscovery. Leaving Lew and Arceo to perform and make music under the “Band of Asians” name. Lew began improving as a songwriter, and the years he played in garage bands, he began developing as a solo artist musically and creatively. But was not always met with a positive reception from music critics and sometimes, the underground music community. Arceo, suffering from a personal setback, would have a more limited role in Band of Asians by late 2007. Although the group recorded two songs which made the 2nd round of two Soundclick.com contests, “No Music, No Life” and an amateur-ish cover of “Jingle Bell Rock.” When the Band of Asians finished their tour on October 10, 2007 at City College, Lew and Arceo were debating the future of the group in the press and on their blogs. On January 9, 2008, Lew’s closest family member. His pet Dog passed away untimely, sending him to an aftershock.

By this time, the Band of Asians were originally supposed to play club gigs in early 2008. But with the dwindling lineup and personal problems the musicians were experiencing separately, forced a cancellation of those prospects. Overtime, Patrick Lew was experiencing discrimination from various music critics and third-party music industry people and its audiences, as a solo artist. Lacking focus, and more focused on their own long-term goals alone, on March 29, 2008. Arceo announced his departure from Band of Asians due to personal and professional differences with Lew. Although the two best friends remain close and respect each other on many occasions, Lew knew it was time to do music on his own and look into other opportunities which came along the way.

In the middle of 2008, former bandmates Gaitan and Lew began a reconnected relationship when he returned from overseas. Lew’s family however, purchased a new house in Antioch, a small town in East Bay, CA. Lew decided, after the years with the BAND ON THE RUN and ups and downs with his personal life and music. He would take an extended hiatus from playing live, and focus on finishing college with a Bachelors Degree. Lew left City College in the summer of that year, but did not receive his Associates Degree mainly for not finishing college-level math and algebra, a subject Lew disliked since grade school. However, he transferred to a CSU school at CSU East Bay. And resumed his studies more seriously. The latter part of the year, Lew was in a short-term relationship with former girlfriend Jenny Mintz, met on a free dating website.

From 2008 to the end of 2012, marked the second era of Patrick Lew Band. A reconstruction of bidding farewell to his past musically and personally, and starting the studio band years of Patrick Lew’s music as a solo artist. Earlier in the summer, Lew began his often tinkerings in the studio. He first began doing music solo by remixing well-known Video Game Soundtracks. Lew, based on sympathy from his former music critic and later sometimes Soundclick.com supporter Steve Gilmore, decided to put his old demo tapes and anything related to his past work and experiences in a box and locked it in a closet. Lew later admitted recently, to disregarding his earlier music before 2008 for many reasons. But he decamped himself in his home studio, strong-willed and confident to improve as a musician and songwriter regardless. Composing a lot of songs and recording a slightly big amount of musical ideas. Regardless, of what criticisms might bring or how he might be perceived musically and personally.

That being said, by the end of 2008 saw significant changes and personal maturity and growth in Lew. He released his third major album, “Curb Your Wild Life” independently. While, described as a very “indulgent” and “messy” record. It featured the artistic progression in Lew’s music, and shown Lew as all grown up through this sprawling disc. However the album was musically disjointed and disorganized, and the album was met with negative reactions online. Lew, now with longer hair and wearing glasses, despite negative reviews had maintained his audience and music through status updates on networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. In 2009, IStardom.com reported Lew to be the #10,144 most famous musician online. He was also #432 in a statistic of most famous bands from his hometown of San Francisco.

In 2009, while attending CSU East Bay majoring in Philosophy, Lew began putting together a new version of the Patrick Lew Band. Band of Asians drummer David Arceo, who composed their track “Night Vision” was enlisted as the band’s studio drummer. Eddie, who was no longer an official member of the group began performing with the Nocturnal Rock Turtles, before ultimately disappearing from the music scene shortly after. Patrick became friends with former Distorted Harmony guitarist Jeremy Alfonso while attending college and offered him to participate in a virtual collaboration musically. Through collaborating online, each musician would share songwriting ideas and individually record their parts in their own home studios. Disappointed by the reaction Curb Your Wild Life received on the social-media, the Patrick Lew Band began recording their fourth album Let It Rise And Against through online musical collaboration. Around this time, the Patrick Lew Band was beginning to gain appreciation in some circles, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area.

By the end of 2009, their fourth album Let It Rise And Against was released on iTunes through distributors CDBaby.  Initially, the album was musically uneven and wasn’t received well by the public. Complaints about the uneven track list had an effect on the quality of the record. Many of the best music that was recorded during that period did not make the final mix for the album. Aware of the inconsistency with the original version of the album, the band released a revision of Let It Rise And Against almost two years later. The revised version of the album was slightly more cohesive and musically balanced than the original issue. Patrick initially described the revision as a primitive rock opera. The revised version of Let It Rise And Against now stands as the official release, although the original cut is still available through iTunes. The album also showcased a new sound for the band. Much of the Satriani-like technicality of Eddie’s guitar leads were replaced with more emphasis on the songwriting. Musically, it was described as an eccentric homage to British punk, grunge and arena rock. Lyrics were now more focused on social issues and the introspective.

Patrick took a break from music during the start of the 2010s. Patrick began a serious long-term relationship with Faith Kruse nee Lambright, a woman he met online around his 21st birthday. For the first time after many years of failed relationships with the opposite sex, he finally found a partner who bonded well with him. However, several of Patrick Lew’s friends were not happy with the relationship and were being very unsupportive of it. Several of these people that were acquainted with Patrick intervened into his personal life, sometimes going as far as harassing Patrick’s girlfriend Faith. This was a setback Patrick had to experience for a couple of years, as the couple had a stillborn son Steven who passed away on February 26, 2011. Patrick returned to making music, forming a new version of Patrick Lew Band with college friends Greg Lynch and David Hunter alongside Alfonso. While jamming with the Patrick and Greg Blues Band, Patrick, Jeremy and David began recording their follow-up to Let It Rise And Against via online collaboration once again. After the music for the album was finished being recorded, Jeremy parted ways with Patrick Lew Band as their lead guitarist.  The Patrick Lew Band’s fifth album Murder Bay was released in June 2011, the same month that Patrick, David Hunter and Jeremy graduated from college. Musically, Patrick attempted to make a record reminiscent of the music he was influenced by growing up, but with the purpose of making it his own style. The album’s title was a tribute to a late 80’s and early 90’s San Francisco hair metal band of the same name. Patrick, now a college graduate with a Bachelors Degree, began touring locally in East Contra Costa County with Patrick Lew Band. Performing stripped down unplugged covers of their favorite bands such as Green Day and Oasis. When David had conflicts with committing to the project, Patrick took his role as the bass player while Greg sung and played guitar.

Patrick at this point hasn’t performed live in over three years, maintaining his audience through the absence of live performing through creating videos of himself playing music on YouTube. When he returned to live performing, Patrick began receiving slightly better reception from the public. He was ranked #2 most famous band/musician locally on ReverbNation under the Rock genre briefly. And was subsequently interviewed by Absolute Punk and online music journalist Leicester Bangs. By 2011, Patrick Lew Band’s presence began increasing slowly but surely on the Internet. Later that year, Patrick moved back to San Francisco and began creating music with David Arceo and then-fiancee Faith under the guise Heavy Sigma, releasing three albums in less than two years. After releasing Heavy Sigma’s third album Voyager, Patrick would briefly retire from the music scene or take an indefinite hiatus (depending on source).

During late 2011 and early 2012, Greg became appointed the co-leader of the Patrick Lew Band. The original idea for Patrick Lew Band was to move away from being an online collaboration type of project with friends cutting and pasting parts together in their personal studios and become an actual band. The proposed line-up was rumored to be Patrick, Greg, David Hunter, David Arceo and Patrick’s soon-to-be ex fiancee Faith. However, creative and personal differences, different priorities and traveling issues became too much for the group to get involved in the creative process and the Patrick Lew Band would announce an indefinite hiatus on September 5, 2012, the same day Patrick and David’s EP Taiwanese Rebels with Heavy Sigma would be released on social-media. By the beginning of 2013, Patrick’s relationship with Greg and Faith soured and declined considerably and during the remainder of Patrick’s relationship with his then-fiancee became a very difficult and complicated situation. Patrick Lew and David Arceo, close friends for seven years, had a brief falling out and didn’t speak to each other for half a year. When Patrick and David reconciled, friends and supporters encouraged the duo to perform at Mama Art Cafe on September 13, 2013. A former friend saw video footage of their performance and invited Patrick and David to play in his new band Kings of Malevolence. However, the project fell through due to creative reasons. The remainder of 2013 and most of 2014 was a quiet period for Patrick Lew musically. When Patrick and Faith ended their six year relationship and engagement during the Summer of 2014, Patrick Lew decided to return to the music scene after being stifled from pursuing his passion from his former significant other. Patrick also cut ties with his former bandmate Greg because of extremely heated tensions during the remaining years of their friendship.

On New Years Day 2015, Patrick revived the Patrick Lew Band as his solo project and began working on new music. He would put himself out there often on social-media websites such as Instagram, Facebook and others and released his first single since 2011 - “Cut the Cord.” The track was heard by TV antenna makers Antennas Direct and they quickly appointed Patrick as their Ambassador. On July 3, 2015, Patrick would participate in a free TV antenna giveaway in San Francisco’s Chinatown and was later interviewed by a local television station. In the Summer of that year, Patrick Lew Band released their first new album since 2011’s Murder Bay titled To the Promised Land digitally. He also returned to live performing, playing a show at Cafe International on August 14th that year.

Patrick continues to make music at his own time and freedom, without adhering to the music industry. Playing guitar and recording for the sake of quality music rather than focusing on the worldly matters when it comes to the Patrick Lew Band.  

Patrick Lew talks about his band Steel Lions!

I'm a freelance rock musician who began making music on my own in 2012 ish after several flops with a local band I used to be in. I'm always trying my best to get better when recording and when it comes to playing the guitar. I always use social media to put my music and every band I played guitar and sang in out there. I've received a few tiny achievements with music. I also am endorsed by Antennas Direct, a TV antenna maker based in St. Louis, MO. A lot of my earlier work was more Garage Punk, very lo-fi and raw kind of stuff. Now these days, I attempt to blend a fusion of 80's hard rock, 90's grunge and punk within my music. I am influenced by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Bon Jovi, Mother Love Bone, Metallica, Guns N Roses, Blink 182, Def Leppard, The White Stripes, Tesla, Silverchair, Oasis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, John Lennon and Aerosmith. 

Originally, I did Steel Lions as a creative outlet for my musical ideas that were rejected by former bandmates in my old band. I began making music with both Patrick Lew Band and Heavy Sigma, and my former bandmates and myself had creative and personal differences along with my dysfunctional relationship with my former fiancee at the time, so I quit creating music and playing guitar for about 2 or 3 years. I picked up the guitar again and started using my MacBook Air running GarageBand and began producing demos and new musical ideas again. Then one day in early 2015, my friend Erick Salazar who also plays drums in the San Francisco based punk band Neverfade sent me a private message on my Facebook profile talking about collaborating and working on new music together. 


So in May of that year, me and Erick began creating music under the Steel Lions name in his home recording studio. Erick isn't an official member of the band, but he plays a big role in creating the music and business related things when getting it out there! The album that my friend Erick is producing is still in the works in the studio. Currently, the Steel Lions is a one man band with assistance of a live band if it ever boiled down to live performances. I also released three albums under the Patrick Lew Band name in 2015 and 2016. Steel Lions is a variation of the Patrick Lew Band in a more anthemic and vast kind of way. And the rest is history!

Patrick Lew EPK

Band or Artist Name
Patrick Lew & the Steel Lions (also known as Patrick Lew Band)
Hometown
San Francisco, CA
Contact Name
Patrick Lew
Contact Phone Number
(withheld)
Contact Email Address
(withheld)
Website
N/A (Check out my Facebook links)

URL to Reverbnation
www.reverbnation.com/thesteellions

www.reverbnation.com/patricklewsband

Social Network Sites and more
www.facebook.com/thesteellions

www.facebook.com/patricklewband

www.instagram.com/thesteellions

www.twitter.com/patricklewsband

www.youtube.com/djaudiorage66

www.soundcloud.com/patricklew

www.imdb.com/name/nm3621955/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Genre(s)
Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Punk Rock, Grunge
Band Bio & Formation Story
I'm a freelance rock musician who began making music on my own in 2012 ish after several flops with a local band I used to be in. I'm always trying my best to get better when recording and when it comes to playing the guitar. I always use social media to put my music and every band I played guitar and sang in out there. I've received a few tiny achievements with music. I also am endorsed by Antennas Direct, a TV antenna maker based in St. Louis, MO. A lot of my earlier work was more Garage Punk, very lo-fi and raw kind of stuff. Now these days, I attempt to blend a fusion of 80's hard rock, 90's grunge and punk within my music. I am influenced by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Mother Love Bone, Metallica, Guns N Roses, Blink 182, Def Leppard, The White Stripes, Tesla, Silverchair, Oasis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, John Lennon and Aerosmith.

Originally, I did Steel Lions as a creative outlet for my musical ideas that were rejected by former bandmates in my old band. I began making music with both Patrick Lew Band and Heavy Sigma, and my former bandmates and myself had creative and personal differences along with my dysfunctional relationship with my former fiancee at the time, so I quit creating music and playing guitar for about 2 or 3 years. I picked up the guitar again and started using my MacBook Air running GarageBand and began producing demos and new musical ideas again. Then one day in early 2015, my friend Erick Salazar who also plays drums in the San Francisco based punk band Neverfade sent me a private message on my Facebook profile talking about collaborating and working on new music together. 

So in May of that year, me and Erick began creating music under the Steel Lions name in his home recording studio. Erick isn't an official member of the band, but he plays a big role in creating the music and business related things when getting it out there! The album that my friend Erick is producing is still in the works in the studio. Currently, the Steel Lions is a one man band with assistance of a live band if it ever boiled down to live performances. I also released three albums under the Patrick Lew Band name in 2015 and 2016. Steel Lions is a variation of the Patrick Lew Band in a more anthemic kind of way. And the rest is history!
Where have you played?

I played shows sporadically with Patrick Lew Band in the San Francisco Bay Area. We sounded like a punk band playing at a bar. A lot of it were small shows done in small environments and were free events that people can attend. We played at my college and also busked in various spots in Antioch, California. In 2012, I did a solo set under the Patrick Lew Band name alongside a DJ by the name of Sonny Forreli at Dolores Park in San Francisco. I also played open mics at Mama Art Cafe and Cafe International, 2013 and 2015 respectively. Definitely not like the Rolling Stones playing Madison Square Garden, but we were definitely a no nonsense local rock and roll band from the Bay. Some of our live performances can be found on my YouTube page. 
Professional Performance Experience
I am mainly a musician who does home recording and puts myself out there on social-media. I also sell my material I've recorded on iTunes and Spotify to supplement my income along with my regular job. But I have had some experience with live performing. It might have been intermittent, but I've developed confidence and passion for playing music that I feel I can present an amazing punk rock live performance onstage. 
Primary Motivation
To increase my audience, put myself out there and to make music my career professionally where I don't have to work a day job ever again. I don't want to become rich doing music, but if I can make $50,000 a year for playing and recording. I'd be very satisfied with how everything turned out in the end. But most importantly, I care about making a difference in society and make sure I live my life honestly with passion and to continue being an inspiration to close friends and fans. 
Charitable Causes
I have donated some of my hard earned money to various charities such as cancer research, suicide prevention and Blue Cross relief for victims of natural disasters. Because of my endorsement with Antennas Direct, I also done a local event giving away 300 free TV antennas to underserved communities in Chinatown in San Francisco. Some of this can be documented on Antennas Direct's social-media sites and I was also on television doing an interview for the event. Although it wasn't related to music.
Passports available?
I have a United States passport. 
Do you participate in any Extreme Sports?
I used to skateboard while I was in middle school and high school. I also did a little bit of backyard wrestling, which I don't encourage. Believe it or not. Before I became a musician, I wanted to become a professional athlete in Extreme Sports. 
What Equipment Do You Own?

GUITARS: 
- Epiphone HotWheels Les Paul 
- Red Epiphone Les Paul Special Edition 

AMPS: 
- Fender 25 Watt Frontman 

PEDALS: 
- Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion 
- Digitech RP50 Multi-Effects 
- Digitech Death Metal Distortion 

RECORDING GEAR: 
- Line6 TonePort Silver DI 
- Peavey XPort DI (used rarely) 
- Line6 POD Farm 
- Acoustica Mixcraft 6 (2009-2012) 
- Apple GarageBand (2013-present) 
- LANDR.com (for mastering all of my tracks) 
- Toshiba PC Laptop (2009-2013) 
- Early 2009 Macbook (2013-2015) 
- 2014 MacBook Air (since 2015) 
- Apple Logic Pro X (2016-present) 
- Radioshack Microphone 
- Logitech USB Microphone 

The Steel Lions - Band History

Impressum: Patrick Lew and the Steel Lions was a hard rock band founded and led by TheVerse guitarist and PLB frontman Patrick Lew.

STEEL LIONS HISTORY

Following a short tour across Antioch, California which was later broadcasted on YouTube and Facebook and the release of the album Murder Bay in the Summer of 2011, Taiwanese American and Canadian musician and artist Patrick Lew moved out of his parents home in Antioch and relocated back to San Francisco. During this period, Patrick Lew Band was going through a major reconstruction as a local Bay Area rock band and touring members Greg Lynch and David Hunter alongside Patrick’s then-fiancee Faith Marie became official band members in the Patrick Lew Band lineup. Greg became the project’s co-leader and Patrick settled into his childhood home in San Francisco living with his older brother. He then built a home recording studio in his bedroom and began working on new music for songs and ideas he had written while on tour with Patrick Lew Band at various locations. Patrick worked on the demos with Patrick Lew Band drummer and long-time close friend David Arceo. By this time, it became apparent that Patrick Lew Band was going to be remade into an actual band, unlike the online collaboration that the bandmates did in their own personal studios by recording their own individual parts at home and cutting and pasting everything together on the computer. When Patrick played the demos for Greg and David Hunter, they rejected the material for creative and religious reasons. So instead, what Patrick kept on his hard drive on his Toshiba laptop running Windows 7 and Mixcraft became an idea for a side project as Patrick still wanted to carry on with home recording and putting his music out there on social-media sites like Facebook and ReverbNation. Patrick Lew decided to record and use the demos with his close friend David Arceo and then-fiancee Faith Marie. He then posted a status on his personal Facebook page asking mutual friends for an idea for a new band name before settling on the name Heavy Sigma at the time. He began recording more in his home studio, as he felt the next step to succeed creatively was to do it with computers. The lack of unity in the previous lineup for Patrick Lew Band led to intermittent band practices, lack of productivity and usually tensions creative and personal. Little progress was made with the former lineup for Patrick Lew Band because every member had different priorities and different ideas where they wanted to take the band. Also, Greg and David were residing in Antioch, Patrick Lew himself was living in San Francisco, David was living in Daly City and Faith was living in Lubbock, Texas. So the lack of unity that was present before while Patrick Lew Band was an online collaboration project continued during this major period of rebuilding. Instead, Patrick wanted to continue playing music and recording. His close friend and bandmate David was fascinated with the San Francisco Bay Area rave music scene and Electronic Dance Music. Using his influences in the creative process, the band then known as Heavy Sigma recorded, composed and self-released a 30 minute recording titled Taiwanese Rebels. Around March 2012, Heavy Sigma signed a distribution deal with ANN, an upstart indie label in the Washington area. Following a performance at Dolores Park on February 4th with Patrick Lew Band, Heavy Sigma began compiling other demos and assorted home recordings that Patrick recorded and kept on his computer’s hard drive and released the album Voyager later that year. Under the influence of attempting to improve his relationship with his then-fiancee and discouragement from one of his former peers in the San Francisco indie rock scene, Patrick decided to not play shows or do any touring to promote Heavy Sigma. Instead, Heavy Sigma kept their audience updated through social-media to maintain connections. During this period, Heavy Sigma reached number 1 on the local punk charts in East Contra Costa County courtesy of ReverbNation. The last recording session the previous lineup of Patrick Lew Band took place in Antioch during July 2012, resulting in three throwaway jams - “The Thickness” and “Crippled”. On September 4th of that year, the lack of unity within the band during the rebuilding process and Patrick and David’s tensions with Greg over creative and personal reasons led to the dissolution of Patrick Lew Band. Instead, Patrick turned his attention to Heavy Sigma and began working on a new album (which later became Patrick Lew Band’s 2015 release To The Promised Land) tentatively titled Radio Daze which eventually was scrapped. Major problems began to appear during the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. Patrick began experiencing a sharp decline in his relationship with his then-fiancee Faith. A lot of it being very personal. During this period, his former significant other discouraged Patrick Lew from being a musician. Alongside a growing a number of detractors, dissatisfaction with the music business and “religious” brainwashing from his former bandmate Greg, Faith and the church that Patrick previously attended services. Patrick decided because of outside influences and anxiety blocking his passion for music, he decided to work a 9 to 5 job and walk away from his passion. Patrick and his close friend David briefly had a falling out over undisclosed reasons and didn’t speak to each other for half a year. When Patrick and David reconciled, they had sorted out their differences. Because of encouragement from peers and close friends, Heavy Sigma got booked to play a show at Mama Art Cafe on September 13, 2013 (which was broadcasted on YouTube) to a gleeful reception. However, Patrick’s difficulties and hardships caused by his then-fiancee forced him to walk away from playing music. With no other ideas or plans in progress, Heavy Sigma quietly disappeared after the Mama Art Cafe open mic. Patrick Lew did not decide to seriously return to playing music and being involved with his local music scene and social-media until his relationship with his former fiancee ended. By this time, Patrick invested on a MacBook on eBay and began producing new music on GarageBand. His other passion in home theater led to the first new single he had released in three years: “Cut the Cord”. TV antenna makers Antennas Direct found out about the track and endorsed Patrick as their Ambassador. Renewed creativity and passion came about and by the end of 2014, all legalities surrounding the Patrick Lew Band name was resolved with Patrick Lew being granted full ownership of the band’s name, business and direction. A full fledged campaign and flurry of activity followed on social-media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and Patrick Lew returned to the local music scene under the Patrick Lew Band name. There were stashes of demos and unfinished material that was kept on Patrick’s hard drive on his MacBook and he began putting together a new album. The album cover was taken on Patrick’s Android smartphone by his former girlfriend Pitalu while they were together in Mexico. The long awaited return was official on June 8, 2015 as Patrick Lew Band released their first album since 2011’s Murder Bay digitally titled To The Promised Land. Around this period, Patrick became more carefree about the music business and began passionately playing again without developing lack of self esteem and anxiety over fame, record sales, social-media likes and music critics. Patrick also connected with his friend and Neverfade drummer Erick Salazar via Facebook and began collaborating in Erick’s home studio making music for a new Heavy Sigma album. Heavy Sigma later changed their band name to The Steel Lions. Named after two 80’s hair metal bands Steelheart and White Lion. Patrick’s relationship with his close friend David also has remained consistent. However, Patrick also experienced dealing with several detractors in 2015. His relationship with his former girlfriend Monique became annulled after she reportedly stole a hefty sum of money from him on the Internet and committed deception. Patrick also dated YouTube personality justlizzyxx briefly, the two remain friends and on good terms. Patrick returned to live performances with Patrick Lew Band in 2015, performing at Cafe International on August 14th of that year. The Steel Lions future was put into question when Patrick Lew began heavily working with the newly revived PLB and himself and Steel Lions member David Arceo began collaborating with long-time close friend Janny in the band TheVerse. This resulted in studio autonomy for the Steel Lions upcoming album. Erick began sending over recorded files to Patrick's email and Patrick began working on the new album within his own flexibility and grueling schedule. Patrick Lew Band and TheVerse became Patrick Lew's priority as a musician when 2016 began. Patrick recorded parts for the Steel Lions album in his own home studio. The album, then titled Play It Loud, was delayed several times within the previous year with a tentative release date during the 1st quarter of 2016. The album would see the light of day when it was released through digital distribution on May 12, 2016, coincidentally, the 15th anniversary of the formation of Patrick Lew Band. Focusing more on his other projects, TheVerse was then booked to play a show at the Stork Club on May 18th in Oakland, CA, which was Patrick's first major live appearance at a Bay Area live music venue. On May 20, 2016, Patrick Lew announced on his official Facebook page that he had disbanded Steel Lions.

Patrick Lew Band Biography

Patrick Lew Band 
Hometown: San Francisco, California, USA 
Years Active: 2001-2012; 2015-present 
Website: www.patricklewband.com 
Gerne: Hard Rock, Punk Rock, Post-Grunge, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal 
Members: 
Patrick Lew - Guitar, Vocals, Electronics (2001-2012); (2015-Present) 
David Arceo - Drums (2006-2012); (2015-Present) 
Former Members: 
Tommy Loi - Drums (2001-2005) 
Eddie Blackburn - Lead Guitar (2001-2005); (2007) 
Jeremy Alfonso - Lead Guitar (2009-2011) 
David Hunter - Bass (2009-2012) 
Greg Lynch - Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals (2009-2012) 

Patrick Lew Band rose from the ashes of Power Trip (also known as Band of Asians) to become an eccentric and provocative yet compelling social-media attraction in independent music during the 2010s. After Power Trip disbanded in early 2008, long-time friends and musicians Patrick Lew and David Arceo decided to carry on playing music together by forming not only a local punk rock band, but a multimedia concept. They spent most of the year in Patrick’s home studio tinkering and recording fragments of ideas, leading into the 2009 release Curb Your Wild Life. During the recording sessions for the album, the duo received an intense backlash from music critics on Soundclick.com and barely made a blip on the local Bay Area music scene at the time. 

Lew and Arceo began assembling a new cast of musicians to collaborate with them through the Internet, recruiting former Distorted Harmony guitarist Jeremy Alfonso, with bassist David Hunter and multi-instrumentalist Greg Lynch augmenting the lineup for live performances. The band experimented with many different names since 2001, before settling on Patrick Lew Band as this was going to be an outlet for Lew’s music, giving other band members the freedom to pursue other projects. The newly christened Patrick Lew Band began collaborating via Skype and sent each other individual recorded parts in their personal studios, cutting and pasting everything together. That led to the 2009 album Let It Rise And Against, which was released on CDBaby. Alfonso later left the band following its release. 

Let It Rise And Against didn’t start making airwaves until the middle of 2010, partially due to the private life of Patrick Lew and his then-fiancee Faith Lambright being exploited on social-media and backlash from critics. The negative press did little to hurt the band’s momentum, as Patrick Lew Band received an offer from Tau Kappa Epsilon at UC Berkeley to perform a benefit concert for the university. The band spent most of 2010 rehearsing and writing new material. However, the UC Berkeley gig was canceled due to Hunter and Lynch being unavailable to make the appearance. 

Soon after, Patrick Lew was interviewed by AbsolutePunk.com and Leicester Bangs and an iTunes podcast from Googly Ears gave the Patrick Lew Band more attention in the indies. Soon, Patrick Lew Band became a little more accessible, which wasn’t surprising. After all, Patrick Lew Band fused the prototypical hard rock from the 70’s and 80’s with the anger and rage of the Seattle grunge scene and hardcore punk. Patrick Lew Band’s audience began to grow slowly but steadily during 2011, thanks to a series of live performances, busking and YouTube vlogs. The band released their follow-up Murder Bay in the Summer of that year. 

Following a couple low-key tour dates in Antioch, California, which was later broadcasted on YouTube, Patrick began working on ideas in his studio what would have become the next Patrick Lew Band album. However, Lynch rejected the material for religious and creative reasons. What was recorded and kept on his hard drive became released under the name Heavy Sigma: the avant-garde progressive mini LP Taiwanese Rebel (2012) and Voyager (2013). The Patrick Lew Band would sporadically practice in 2012. However tensions began to rise between Lew and Arceo with Lynch and Hunter over creative, religious and personal differences. As it became apparent that the band was growing apart, the Patrick Lew Band, who recently gained some small momentum in the Bay Area music scene, went on an indefinite hiatus by the end of 2012. 

Lew and Arceo would not speak during the first half of 2013, Lew began experiencing a huge decline in his relationship with his then-fiancee. Lew took a break from the music business, and began exploring other avenues. He didn’t fully disappear, as he would post new promos and vlogs on YouTube during his break from writing, performing and recording. Lew and Arceo eventually reconciled and performed at the Mama Art Cafe on September 13th of that year, debuting the new tracks “See It Through” and Arceo’s spoken word composition “Reality Check.” However, it wasn’t until Lew and his relationship with his then-fiancee Faith ended that Patrick Lew considered returning to playing and making new music. By the end of 2014, all legalities regarding the Patrick Lew Band were resolved, with Lew being granted full ownership of the Patrick Lew Band name. Lew along with help of Arceo, began marketing and recording again, resulting in their first album since 2011’s Murder Bay, To the Promised Land, which was backed by a heavy campaign on social-media sites Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and using do-it-yourself ethics. The album was released on iTunes and Spotify in June of 2015. Lew also began working with Neverfade drummer Erick Salazar on a forthcoming album under the name Patrick Lew and the Steel Lions in the studio. Clearing out the vaults for another new album, the Patrick Lew Band would release their fifth album Bubblegum Babylon on iTunes and Spotify on November 15, 2015, which was Patrick Lew’s 30th birthday.