The PLB Dirt Sheet

PLB is a garage punk band from Antioch, California, formed in 2001. PLB is the one man band and music of Taiwanese American punk guitarist and songwriter Patrick Lew. In PLB, Lew plays all instruments and self-produces and self-promotes his music and solo project all over the Internet on various websites and regionally in the San Francisco Bay Area. Musically in PLB, Lew fuses various forms of classic rock, hardcore punk, garage rock and slightly amateurish production and dirty choppy guitar sounds and disconnected rhythms and technical musicality. Some of Lew’s music in PLB are acid or progressive punk instrumentals while the hot topics in his songwriting are social discontent, self-introspection and motivation and the struggles of ethnic, cultural and social experiences.

While Patrick Lew’s Band has received mixed-to-lukewarm reviews along with being an unsigned underground rock band putting the music out there independently, via Internet and locally. Patrick Lew’s music remains a cult-like critical success in the indie rock/punk music scene. Regardless of musical skills and expertise! Along with different social and ethnic barriers and profiles.

Lew himself has been musically active since the age of 13 (circa 1999) as a freelance Rock guitarist, musician and artist. Methodically and consistently throughout time to improve his guitar playing, songwriting and music producing skills alone or with former band mates. As of 2011, Lew is an intermediate-level guitar player who plays hard rock, blues and punk styles on his Fender. It's been also three years since Lew last played in a full-time local Bay Area rock band. But has been persistent since then as a solo musician despite haters, personal struggles and etc etc.

The band has so far released two home-made studio albums: Curb Your Wild Life (2009) and Let It Rise And Against (2010) under "Patrick Lew's Band." And is preparing for the release and publishing of Lew's third album "Murder Bay" alongside a 10th anniversary celebration of Patrick Lew's music as an online social-network listening party in late Summer of 2011.


And yeah! Check out my music.
www.soundclick.com/patricklew
www.myspace.com/patricklewsband
www.reverbnation.com/patricklewsband 


Do you play live?

No. I make music as a hobby in bedroom with my guitars and Macbook! Except when I'm playing in a band, yeah. I pursue my music and ambitions more seriously locally in the Bay. But I mainly make Rock music and put it up online.

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

I don't know. Because for one, I hate the music business. Maybe. If I got real benefits and opportunities from it. If it helps me get somewhere in life and be successful on my own terms, I would definitely do it. But it depends how well I am valued for what I am worth as an artist and human being.

Whether I get a record deal or not, one thing is for sure. I am all about the music. Not fame and fortune. While money and fame is nice to have, I don't usually see it that way always. I am all about playing gigs and being passionate about playing guitar and liberating those who actually give a hoot about PLB. And also! Technicality, orthodox standards and perfection in music is 100% pretentious. 

Band History:

The Patrick Lew's Band who's who. Former and current band members and related side projects.

The PLB Army 

Patrick Lew (2001-Present)
Lead vocals, keyboards, bass, guitars, guitar synthesizers, computers,

Tommy Loi (2001-2004)
Drums

Eddie Blackburn (2001-2007) 
Backing vocals, guitars, guitar synthesizers, drum machine

Huiquang "Zack" Huang (2005-2008)
Keyboards, computers

Augusto Hernandez (2005-2007) 
Bass, keyboards

Dave Arceo (2005-2008) 
Drums, turntables

Jeremy Alfonso (2009-2010) 
Guitars

David Hunter (2009-Present) 
Bass

Greg Lynch (2009-Present) 
Guitars, drums, lead and backing vocals

Faith Marie Lew (2009-Present) 
Computers, keyboards


PLB Spin-Offs (featuring various PLB band members) 

Goldenweasel (1999-2005) 
Features Patrick, Eddie and Tommy
Website: N/A

Band of Asians (2005-2008) 
Features Patrick, Eddie, Augusto, Dave and Zack
Website:
http://www.purevolume.com/bandofasians
http://www.soundclick.com/bandofasians 

http://www.reverbnation.com/bandofasians

Shanghai Kiss (2009-Present) 
Features Patrick and Faith
Website:
http://www.soundclick.com/shanghaikiss
http://www.myspace.com/samuraisorcerers
http://www.reverbnation.com/shanghaikiss 

http://www.purevolume.com/shanghaikiss

Hidden Chaos (2010) 
Featues Patrick, Greg, Jeremy and David H.
Website: N/A


Nocturnal Rock Turtles (formerly Logic's Enemy) (2004-2009?) 
Features Eddie only with various band members
Website:
http://www.soundclick.com/eddieblackburnwithshawn
http://www.nocturnalrockturtles.com/ (no longer available)

DJ Ryoga (2004-Present) 
Features Dave Arceo only
Website: N/A

The CSUEB Jazz Ensemble 
Features David H. only with various musicians and music students from CSU East Bay
Website:
https://www.facebook.com/jazz.csueb
http://csueastbay.edu/jazz

Retrograde Fire (2007-Present) 
Features Jeremy only with various band members
Website:
http://www.myspace.com/woodwithstring
http://www.myspace.com/retrogradefire
http://www.soundclick.com/spicypizza

Favorite spot?

The Bay Area. Other than that...Seattle, Japan and Ireland.

And Rapsutin! Best indie record store.

Anything else...?

Keep listening to underground music.



And I <3 you my wifey boo Faith Lew! Always and forever. ^_^