We are a rock and roll garage band from Taiwan. Creating adrenaline fueled and testosterone pumping Instrumental hard rock. No, we won't change America or become poster boys for the scene. But we will rock you.
Our music career can be summed like this: Patrick started out as a fan of rock music and then he went out and bought a guitar and amp. Then he began playing music with a few friends in a garage band. Making a bunch of random sh*** and recording some actually decent songs on a computer. And because everything is all digital now, we put ourselves out there on the Internet. If they were lucky and have it all together...They would get to play a show at a bar/club here in the Bay Area.
Basically, we're a garage band making some ratchet noise here in San Francisco. But with the power of social-media, there's people from Hong Kong all the way to Latin America who listened to Patrick Lew Band and The Steel Lions on Spotify.
"Tell me about your beginnings."
I started doing music equivalent to what kids do with backyard wrestling. Playing punk rock music untrained on an instrument in my garage. Mimicking the sh*** I heard on the radio in a bad way. That was in high school. I'm mostly a hobbyist when it comes to music but to a certain extent, I could be semi-pro now as of last year.
What I mean by semi-pro: Playing live in front an audience at a local venue that features local music, having a CD sold in a record store, winning an award related to the music business. And etc etc.
"Was the Steel Lions your first band?"
No, not at all! I played and recorded with the Patrick Lew Band, which me and my best friend David were in. Me and David were also in the band TheVerse, an Oakland based shoegaze band. Patrick Lew Band has been ongoing since 2001, while TheVerse was only around for two years. Mostly in 2015 and 2016. In TheVerse, I played lead guitar and co-wrote the songs. I formed the Steel Lions as an enhanced version of the Patrick Lew Band. Same band, same concept. Think of it like Family Matters being a spin-off of Perfect Strangers!
"What got you into music?"
When I first got into music, I listened to mostly cock rock bands from the 80's and 90's and The Beatles and The Rolling Stones because of my mom. Nirvana and Green Day is what got me into punk rock.
I started skateboarding and becoming in love with punk music when I was 10 or 11 years old. Getting into bands like Dead Kennedys, The Sex Pistols and etc etc.
While I wouldn't label myself purely punk, I was heavily involved with the punk scene by the time I started playing music. I always related more to punk than any other genre of music. Even if the music I play and create isn't fully punk anymore maybe.
Pretty much every critic of mines labeled my band "punk" because they thought we were incompetent musicians and they think punk rockers can't play and had that edgy attitude. But I'd say I'm competent enough while playing a musical instrument. I just can't sing that well. Hahaha. But I can play more than just three chord riffs on guitar.
Our music career can be summed like this: Patrick started out as a fan of rock music and then he went out and bought a guitar and amp. Then he began playing music with a few friends in a garage band. Making a bunch of random sh*** and recording some actually decent songs on a computer. And because everything is all digital now, we put ourselves out there on the Internet. If they were lucky and have it all together...They would get to play a show at a bar/club here in the Bay Area.
Basically, we're a garage band making some ratchet noise here in San Francisco. But with the power of social-media, there's people from Hong Kong all the way to Latin America who listened to Patrick Lew Band and The Steel Lions on Spotify.
"Tell me about your beginnings."
I started doing music equivalent to what kids do with backyard wrestling. Playing punk rock music untrained on an instrument in my garage. Mimicking the sh*** I heard on the radio in a bad way. That was in high school. I'm mostly a hobbyist when it comes to music but to a certain extent, I could be semi-pro now as of last year.
What I mean by semi-pro: Playing live in front an audience at a local venue that features local music, having a CD sold in a record store, winning an award related to the music business. And etc etc.
"Was the Steel Lions your first band?"
No, not at all! I played and recorded with the Patrick Lew Band, which me and my best friend David were in. Me and David were also in the band TheVerse, an Oakland based shoegaze band. Patrick Lew Band has been ongoing since 2001, while TheVerse was only around for two years. Mostly in 2015 and 2016. In TheVerse, I played lead guitar and co-wrote the songs. I formed the Steel Lions as an enhanced version of the Patrick Lew Band. Same band, same concept. Think of it like Family Matters being a spin-off of Perfect Strangers!
"What got you into music?"
When I first got into music, I listened to mostly cock rock bands from the 80's and 90's and The Beatles and The Rolling Stones because of my mom. Nirvana and Green Day is what got me into punk rock.
I started skateboarding and becoming in love with punk music when I was 10 or 11 years old. Getting into bands like Dead Kennedys, The Sex Pistols and etc etc.
While I wouldn't label myself purely punk, I was heavily involved with the punk scene by the time I started playing music. I always related more to punk than any other genre of music. Even if the music I play and create isn't fully punk anymore maybe.
Pretty much every critic of mines labeled my band "punk" because they thought we were incompetent musicians and they think punk rockers can't play and had that edgy attitude. But I'd say I'm competent enough while playing a musical instrument. I just can't sing that well. Hahaha. But I can play more than just three chord riffs on guitar.
Why this name?
Patrick: PLB's offshoot/spin-off The Steel Lions was originally named Heavy Sigma. At one point, it was called Chaos In Chinatown because some former friend on Facebook recommended it. But I dropped the name fast out of respect for Chinese people.
The origin of the Heavy Sigma name is still a mystery to people. Some say it was a diss towards some guy and his former band who gave me crap years back who shall remain anonymous. Some say it was a GI Joe reference. Others believe I was high off my ass and just named it that without much thought!
But I hated the old name for illegitimate reasons looking back.
The name Steel Lions came from two hair metal bands from the 80's: Steelheart and White Lion.
The origin of the Heavy Sigma name is still a mystery to people. Some say it was a diss towards some guy and his former band who gave me crap years back who shall remain anonymous. Some say it was a GI Joe reference. Others believe I was high off my ass and just named it that without much thought!
But I hated the old name for illegitimate reasons looking back.
The name Steel Lions came from two hair metal bands from the 80's: Steelheart and White Lion.
Do you play live?
Patrick: I've had some experience with live performing as a member of Patrick Lew Band between 2009 to 2012 and filling in on bass for the SF punk band The Tortured for two gigs in 2016. But 95% of my musical output and creative process is at my home recording studio in good ol San Francisco. Where me and my friends is often jamming and throwing our own garage band party. And of course, we would be recording here too as well. Most of the time, I'm the type of artist who focuses solely on recording and putting myself out there on social-media. Guess I got that influence from The Beatles.
. If I have to play another show and can't find touring musicians to either be my sidemen (AKA mercenaries) or form a stable lineup which I'm willing to give up my rights to my music. I'm just gonna say F it and use backing tracks from my BOSS Dr. Rhythm machine or laptop and just play the guitar. If it makes it any easier no matter how tacky it sounds. Lol. That's if. I play live again. Eureka! I've honestly never thought about that until now.
David: I think there's one show we did back in 2013. We played at the Mama Art Cafe.
Madeline: We don't really play shows much, but we do jam and play music a lot in our garage.
. If I have to play another show and can't find touring musicians to either be my sidemen (AKA mercenaries) or form a stable lineup which I'm willing to give up my rights to my music. I'm just gonna say F it and use backing tracks from my BOSS Dr. Rhythm machine or laptop and just play the guitar. If it makes it any easier no matter how tacky it sounds. Lol. That's if. I play live again. Eureka! I've honestly never thought about that until now.
David: I think there's one show we did back in 2013. We played at the Mama Art Cafe.
Madeline: We don't really play shows much, but we do jam and play music a lot in our garage.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
Patrick: You're hearing us right now. That's how! But the little fish in the little pond can finally get themselves heard and put themselves more out there than they could have imagined. A lot of my friends know more about good music now because of the Internet.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
Patrick: I will never sign with another label again. Ever! I'm keeping myself independent as a musician. Seeing where it goes from here since technology opened up many different possibilities to put ourselves out there. That's why we created our own label, The Promised Land Recordings. To have 100% ownership over everything we do and do the business ourselves.
David: No. We're keeping ourselves underground.
Madeline: It depends. Maybe. We'll see!
David: No. We're keeping ourselves underground.
Madeline: It depends. Maybe. We'll see!
Favorite spot?
Our home recording studio in San Francisco. Where we run our band and business.
Equipment used:
GUITARS:
Epiphone Les Paul
Excel Stratocaster
BASSES:
Rogue SX100B
AMPS:
Vox AD50VT
Fender 25R Frontman
EFFECTS:
Boss Turbo Distortion DS-2
Digitech RP50 Multi-Effects
DRUMS & PERCUSSION:
Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-3
RECORDING:
2008 iMac
2014 MacBook Air
Apple Logic Pro X
Apple GarageBand
Cheap USB Guitar Recording Interface
LogiTech USB Microphone
Apple MainStage 3
Epiphone Les Paul
Excel Stratocaster
BASSES:
Rogue SX100B
AMPS:
Vox AD50VT
Fender 25R Frontman
EFFECTS:
Boss Turbo Distortion DS-2
Digitech RP50 Multi-Effects
DRUMS & PERCUSSION:
Boss Dr. Rhythm DR-3
RECORDING:
2008 iMac
2014 MacBook Air
Apple Logic Pro X
Apple GarageBand
Cheap USB Guitar Recording Interface
LogiTech USB Microphone
Apple MainStage 3
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