Patrick Lew Fondly Remembers PLB Guitarist Eddie

At one point, me and my former PLB bandmate Eddie had a friendly rivalry in the music scene.

Similar to when Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty in the WWF when The Rockers split.

There was a period where Eddie was doing better in the scene than me after the band went sayonara. It's kind of like how Christian was doing better than Edge was in the WWE back in 2005! In fact, Eddie was "over" with the crowd more so than Patrick Lew was. I was still trying to get my foot in the door.

Between his departure in 2005 (excluding his 2007 one-off return) to at least 2009, Eddie Blackburn was doing better than Patrick Lew was in the indies. He had his band Nocturnal Rock Turtles and I had my soon-to-be revamped Patrick Lew Band. His band was playing shows occasionally in San Francisco. His last major appearance (as far as I know) took place at University of San Francisco in March 2009.

Sadly after his final major appearance onstage, Eddie disappeared from the music scene and fell off the grid. He unintentionally became the Marty Jannetty of the band. He pulled his own Vito Bratta from White Lion and just fell off the grid. Some say it was substance problems, but we will never know the whole story. Under tragic circumstances, time hasn't been kind to Eddie. I was told by our schoolmate back in 2016 (when Patrick Lew Band peaked) to say hi and check up on him because he wasn't in good shape.

During that same period, I was the TOP HEEL in the indies as Patrick Lew Band. I was getting booed by every music critic of miens and even the audience. Lol. In 2009, Patrick Lew Band started getting somewhere in the indie music scene. I released our second LP and we started becoming more recognized in the scene's hierarchy.

Then Patrick Lew Band got more and more out there. Leading up to what made us so great today before, during and after PLB was over.

Me and Eddie's story in the music scene can be looked at as a Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty situation.

Eddie Blackburn was the Cliff Burton of PLB. I miss the man still. But the rock and roll show must go on.

The Life and Times of Patrick Lew-Hayashi

I am Japanese and Taiwanese. Born in 1985. San Francisco native. Musician, actor, artist and TV lover. I play hard rock in a local garage band.

My music is Patrick Lew Band/The Steel Lions/Crazy Loser in a Box and right now you are viewing my story on social-media.

Please to meet all of you!

PATRICK LEW BAND (PLB)

FORMED: 2001 in San Francisco, CA
DISBANDED: 2019 

YEARS ACTIVE: 2000s, 2010s

GENRES: Hard Rock, Grunge, Brit Rock/Britpop, Pop/Rock, Punk Rock, Heavy Metal  

BAND LINE-UP:
Patrick Lew (劉冠達): Guitar, Compositions, Lead Vocals 
Madeline Lew (劉凛和): Representation 

RELATED BANDS: TheVerse, Crazy Loser in a Box, The Steel Lions, Pleasure Gallows, The Tortured, Lewnatic 


PATRICK LEW’S EARLY LIFE (1985-2001)

Patrick was born on November 15, 1985, in San Francisco, California, to Winson Lew and Winnie Hayashi. He has two siblings, Ricky and Madeline (fictional twin sister). He was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area by his parents. Patrick had a slightly difficult childhood and upbringing, caused by the death of his paternal grandfather Wayne at the age of four and furthered, when he was battling a disability as a child and getting into trouble in school and outside with his peers and elders. Patrick Lew’s interest in music began with his mother Winnie introduced him to 60’s and 70’s British rock bands and acts such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart. 

To overcome a slightly difficult childhood, Patrick often traveled with his family for vacations and turned to pro wrestling, video games and cable TV as a source of comfort. 

In his pre-teenage years, Patrick Lew’s interest in music shifted to hard rock, J-Pop, alternative rock and eventually punk. He began playing guitar at the age of 13, after his maternal cousin Andrew was living with his family during the Summer as a foreign exchange student at a community college. His cousin Andrew was a guitar player and a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix and blues music. And he would often play the guitar and amp that Patrick’s elder brother Ricky left sitting in the closet. His mom quoted him saying, “I’m gonna make it one way or the other by playing guitar and singing writing weird rock and roll songs!” He often practiced 45 minutes to one hour every other day.

Patrick Lew attended Raoul Wallenberg High School and graduated in 2003. He would later attend City College of San Francisco, before transferring to CSU East Bay. Graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy in 2011.

GENESIS OF HIS MUSIC CAREER (2000s)

Patrick joined his first band Samurai Sorcerers in 2001. 

They would often play music on the weekends in their garage as a hobby away from their studies. Patrick Lew would begin recording home demos on a 4-track Tascam and began uploading his work on the Internet as early as 2001. 

In 2004, his band landed a record deal with a small indie label at the age of 19. However, they were soon dropped from their record label. Patrick Lew also roadied for the New Jersey based Asian-American rock duo FANTASIA for their San Francisco shows.  

While attending City College, Patrick Lew played rhythm guitar and electronically composed for the deathcore band Band of Asians. Which also featured future former Patrick Lew Band drummer David Arceo. 

PATRICK LEW BAND (2001-2012) / THE STEEL LIONS (2012-2017)

In 2008, Band of Asians called it quits and Patrick was without a band to play music in. He was contemplating where to go next and what to do with his free time while not resuming his college studies and acting in community theater. He decided to take his original concept and ideas for his first band Samurai Sorcerers but rebrand it as the Patrick Lew Band. He would also use some of his college funds to buy musical equipment and began recording many ideas in his bedroom. He began using the Internet as a format to put Patrick Lew Band out there. He also began playing guitar more, learning the tricks of digital home recording and began composing and putting out what would become his signature work as a composer, guitar player and artist. Needing some assistance to carry the band to its potential, Patrick recruited a few former schoolmates from CSU East Bay and his bandmate from Band of Asians, David, to finalize the Patrick Lew Band lineup initially. 

Patrick then relocated to live with his mother in Antioch, California. This would become the location for where Patrick Lew Band would record and self-release their albums Let It Rise and Against (2009) and Murder Bay (2011) online. Dubbed “3700 PIETA”, this would also become the location for some of Patrick Lew Band’s live onstage performances. 

Critical reception towards Patrick Lew Band were initially very lukewarm on social-media and in the scene, stemming from the band’s first controversial hit single “Azn Girls.” Which was written about wanting to finding a place to belong in a closed-minded community and circle. For unknown reasons, the song’s original message was misinterpreted, leading to some polarizing reactions from the public.

Patrick Lew also got into a common-law marriage with his former partner Faith. They got together on Halloween 2009 and would eventually divorce on July 17, 2014. 

Eventually, the Patrick Lew Band wouldn’t function well long-term as a huge creative and personal conflict led to the band’s initial demise during September 2012. In the meantime, Patrick retreated from playing music and pursuing his passion seriously and decided to work a full-time day job as a visual merchandiser for a tech start-up. Which was his first time working a traditional paying job outside of playing music. He would record on-and-off during his break and would secretly self-release new music under the name The Steel Lions.

The Steel Lions would sporadically record at Patrick's newly built home studio in San Francisco during this period. And performed at Mama Art Cafe on September 13, 2013. The band would work with former Distorted Harmony drummer Erick Salazar in his personal studio to record the album Unfinished Relics. After several delays, The Steel Lions would self-release Unfinished Relics digitally on May 12, 2016. 

FROM PATRICK LEW BAND TO PLAYING WITH OTHER BANDS (2015-2019)

Patrick eventually returned to the local music scene and social-media as Patrick Lew Band on January 2, 2015. Continuing where he left off. The Patrick Lew Band would still remain predominantly a home recording solo act. With some assistance from David until mid-2016 when he stepped down from the band to pursue other things in life. 

Some time around that same period, Patrick Lew introduced a female alter ego into Patrick Lew Band named Madeline Lew. Which was created from cutting-edge modern technology and editing. Intended in storyline and social-media marketing purposes, as a fictional twin sister and Guardian Angel for Patrick Lew. Madeline plays a prominent role in the current era of Patrick Lew Band as the brand ambassador and has been credited on the recordings as a bassist and DJ.

Eventually, Patrick became close friends with his long-time acquaintance Janny and founded the post-punk/garage rock duo TheVerse. Janny was initially an EDM producer under the stage name GEM JEWELS. His collaboration with TheVerse also gave Patrick Lew his first success and major exposure in music for the first time in his life. 

TheVerse helped Patrick truly pay his dues finally in the local music scene and indies, which also included an intermittent tour across the Bay Area which lasted from May 2016 up until their most recent live performance at El Rio in San Francisco, California, on August 22, 2018. TheVerse digitally released their first EP on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music in January 2018. TheVerse was initially at work in the studio on a new EP while enjoying a well deserved off-season. But a long grueling period of inactivity and the band procrastinating led to Patrick Lew getting frustrated creatively and pursuing projects outside the band to keep busy. 

Patrick Lew left the band TheVerse on September 21, 2019 


In October 2016, Patrick Lew became a fill-in touring bassist for the San Francisco punk band The Tortured for two live performances. 

Patrick also played guitar and joined his then-girlfriend and close friend Sigyn’s band Crazy Loser in a Box. Often contributing guitar parts in separate studios with the band as collaboration. He can be heard on a few tracks off Crazy Loser in a Box’s 2018 debut album such as “Freckles”, “The Lie” and “Have You’ve Met My Friend?” Patrick Lew is still officially a member of the band under his translitered Japanese name Ryukan Satoru. They are currently working on a 4th album in the studio!

Approaching closer to the end of the 2010s, Patrick Lew entered the annals of history when he was named the recipient for the 40 Under 40 Awards from his alma mater Cal State East Bay for his work with the Patrick Lew Band on June 7, 2019. 

By the end of 2017, the Patrick Lew Band was no longer a full-time project for Patrick Lew as a recording artist and semi-pro musician. Patrick stated on his social-media, “The Patrick Lew Band will now be a sporadic part-time thing and it will always be there.” Whilst still active, the band was now a part-time responsibility for Patrick in the studio and all over the digital age of punk rock music. The Patrick Lew Band’s most recent albums were released all over streaming services digitally in 2017: Oakland and Cold Sirens. 

Upon entering the CSU East Bay Hall of Fame, Patrick Lew announced publicly by June 2019 that he will be discontinuing the Patrick Lew Band. He felt that he accomplished all that he could with PLB and felt that he made and left his mark. And he personally wanted to disband Patrick Lew Band at its highest and at its zenith rather when it was at its lowest. 

LEWNATIC (2019-PRESENT)

On July 2, 2019, Patrick Lew announced on social-media that he will be forming a new solo project inspired by his metal and punk rock roots and to "get back to basics" as an artist and musician. Asking for help from friends on the Internet, his close friend Rob Silver suggested the band's name would be LEWNATIC PARK. An anagram on Patrick Lew's birth name. 

LEWNATIC PARK would eventually be shorted to LEWNATIC. As Patrick felt that the former name would mistaken the new solo project as a Linkin Park tribute band.

LEWNATIC would often film Facebook live videos at their home recording studio as "intense" jam sessions leading up to recording new music at the expense of their own home studio, gear and computer. 

It has been also announced that LEWNATIC will play its first show at an open mic in Tokyo, Japan sometime around August 20-21, 2019. The band's debut EP is set to be digitally distributed soon to streaming services via CDBaby!

CONCLUSION/MORAL OF THE STORY

Let music be the labor of love! Patrick Lew's goal is to become bigger, better and badder in rock music despite his ethnicity or shortcomings. He will always be what he is, what he does and will continue to try and rock a million faces on the World Wide Web. And of course, the Bay Area.


“What is Patrick Lew Band?”

The jump, rattle and roll freak show. Taiwan’s “self proclaimed” greatest and crappiest rock band. Against all odds and doing you and putting it out there for the era of social-media.

"WHO ARE WE?"

San Francisco’s very own Patrick Lew Band/Steel Lions are the first and only Asian-American grunge and punk rock band in the world. They offer hard-hitting beats, anthemic hard rock ready hooks and a chaotic, unpredictable yet bewildering live show thou shalt not miss (Watch their “Brick & Mortar” concert video on YouTube) with socially conscious and introspective lyrics. PLB always likes to offer something special and new and fresh to the table by tinkering in their home studio crafting punk-fused arena rock anthems or sentimental slow jams. And putting it out there on social-media and the digital age! The music is a perfect marriage and fusion of 70’s and 80’s traditional American and British classic hard rock and melodic metal with the grit, angst and anger of the Seattle grunge sound (ex. Nirvana, Pearl Jam) and contemporary hard-edged punk rock from the 90’s. Frontman Patrick Lew likes to call it: “Jump, Rattle and Roll.”

They’ve been featured on 107.7 THE BONE. Which is a Bay Area FM hard rock radio station. The PLB/Steel Lions has also been featured on a past issue of Recording Magazine and IndieRockCafe.com. They have also made a televised appearance for 24 HR K-POP in the San Francisco Bay Area’s over-the-air TV market promoting their love for Smart TV’s at San Francisco’s historic Chinatown with their endorsement with Antennas Direct. They can also be easily found online: “If you’re near your computer or phone. Just Google “Patrick Lew Band.” In July 2016, the Patrick Lew Band won an Akademia Music Award for Best Experimental Rock song for their single “Game Changer.”

Aside from music, members of the band has also delved into other creative avenues. Frontman Patrick Lew has acted in community theater and has filmed an uncredited cameo on the Emmy Award winning Amazon TV series Man in the High Castle. And also done social activism and charitable causes as well. Alongside writing a lot of the band biographies in regards to PLB and Steel Lions under a pseudonym. Bassist and DJ Madeline Lew has done semi-professional photography, amateur modeling and JAV videos on Pornhub.

While predominantly a home recording band, the PLB/Steel Lions has also toured sporadically all over the San Francisco Bay Area. While seen live and onstage by relatively very few people, the band puts on one helluva rock and roll show at any dive bar or punk rock venue. Exploding in punk rock chaos and rocking their guitars out on that stage like it were themselves playing at a Coliseum.

Active as an indie-level rock band for almost two decades, the band has experienced many ups and downs since their formation in San Francisco, CA back in 2001. From revolving lineup changes, personal tragedies and hardships and a critical backlash in the indie music scene over invalid reasons. But not going down without a fight, Patrick Lew Band maintains authenticity and finds his own success and recognition on his own terms. Staying true to himself, never conforming to please antiquated mindsets from society, the dating world and even the music business. This has made him sort of a pariah online and in indie music, but also what benefitted his music and his band in the long run. With stellar results in the end!

Whether it’s rocking at the bingo hall in the Excelsior, being the “Jump, Rattle and Roll” show with every new post on Instagram or Facebook or just in the studio trying to make some good rock and roll music before it’s ready to go live on social-media, Spotify and Apple Music. It’s abundantly clear that Patrick Lew Band/Steel Lions infectious and brash brand of rock and roll will leave you all wanting some more. Their mission is to make it bigger, better and badder as an Asian-American in music!

https://open.spotify.com/artist/76q8rnKceHx3HaGlcospDA…

LEWNATIC (JP) BAND BIOGRAPHY

Patrick Lew’s story is an age old rock and roll tale that some people can probably relate to. It’s an age old tale of a 15 year old boy coming from a dysfunctional and troubled childhood finding out that rock and roll music was cooler than what was going on at the time. Picking up the guitar. Working on his craft and honing it. And doing whatever it took to get somewhere with a lifelong passion and dream in life during hard times and facing opposition to get there. And finally realizing all that he’s worth and learning that life isn’t just about what he done, but what he’ve gained so far as well. Surrounded by loving friends  and family. And rising above the very people who has ever doubted him. With some laughter and charismatic charm as well. 

WE ARE LEWNATIC (JP)!

Band Members:
Itaru Hayashi: Guitar, Compositions, Lead Vocals
???: Bass, Guitar, MC (e.g. TBA on December 15, 2019)

GENRE: Rock, Metal & Punk, Rap, J-Pop...Whatever!

Band Biography:
Itaru Hayashi (born Patrick Allan Lew on November 15, 1985) is an Asian-American musician and actor currently performing in the band LEWNATIC (JP). He is most well known for his work with PATRICK LEW BAND, which he was the band’s only constant member, sole singer-songwriter and guitarist between 2001 to 2019 albeit numerous sabbaticals.

He began his indie music career in 2001 on the Northern California independent circuit as Patrick Lew Band at the young age of 15. Mostly participating in home recording and occasional live performances. By 2004, the Patrick Lew Band landed a record deal with Statue Records through their MySpace page and has earned a number of accolades for his work with PATRICK LEW BAND.

After several line-up changes and personal setbacks, the Patrick Lew Band slowly but surely gradually gained belated success in the regional music scene and on the Internet by 2016. The band’s 2009 release Let It Rise and Against brought him his initial fame and notoriety in music.Following his induction into CSU East Bay’s 2019 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame, Patrick Lew Band broke up for a second time. Using Patrick Lew Band as a platform to branch his talents and his passion for playing music with other local bands. Because of that, he has also played guitar in the Shoegaze band TheVerse. Alongside temporarily being a fill-in bass player for two bands: Pleasure Gallows and The Tortured.

After PLB disbanded for the second time in June 2019, he eventually formed a new heavy metal and hard rock inspired solo project under the name LEWNATIC. Going "back to basics" as a performer and semi-pro musician. He quickly began playing a few low-key open mic performances in Japan by the end of the Summer. LEWNATIC has self-released a 7" single "The American Nightmare" and a live recording of their November 3, 2019 performance at San Francisco's DNA Lounge on music streaming services.

Outside of music, he has acted in community theater and made a cameo appearance in an upcoming episode of Emmy Award winning TV series The Man in the High Castle. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from California State University, East Bay and currently works a full-time day job at Chocolate Heaven Pier 39 as a Senior Staff. He has also worked in tech for three years as a visual merchandiser and has an extensive work resume outside of the indie music industry.

"Awards and Accomplishments received by Patrick Lew..."

1. One Time Hall of Fame Inductee - CSU East Bay 40 Under 40

Class of 2019 as a member of Patrick Lew Band and as a solo artist.

2. Interracial Dating Grand Slam Champion

He has romantically dated every major ethnicity from the opposite gender: White, Black, Asian, Hispanic.

3. Celebrity Endorsee with Antennas Direct

4. The first male 40 Under 40 Hall of Famer of Japanese descent at CSU East Bay.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES BY YEARS

2004: Rookie Band of the Month (with Patrick Lew Band, courtesy of an unofficial Poison fan website); Record Deal (with Patrick Lew Band, via Statue Records)
2005: Sexy Asian Guitarist (with Patrick Lew Band, MySpace.com)
2007: Rising Up-And-Coming Artist (with Patrick Lew Band, Dmusic.com); Soundclick.com 10th Anniversary Songwriting Contest Quarter Finalist (with Patrick Lew Band)
2008: Most Hated Indie Artist of the Year (with Patrick Lew Band, Soundclick.com)
2010: Most Hated Indie Artist of the Year (with Patrick Lew Band, Soundclick.com)
2011: No. 1 Local Rock Band (with Patrick Lew Band, ReverbNation.com - Antioch, CA); Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from CSU East Bay
2012: No. 1 Local Punk Band (with The Steel Lions, ReverbNation.com - Antioch, CA); Record Deal (with The Steel Lions, via A.N.N)
2015: Comeback of the Year (with Patrick Lew Band, Unknown Source); Appointed as an Ambassador for Antennas Direct
2016: July's Best Experimental Rock Song (with Patrick Lew Band, Akademia Music Awards - "Game Changer"); Launches Promisedland Inc
2017: No. 1 Local Rock Band (with The Steel Lions, ReverbNation.com - Taipei, Taiwan); Headlines Brick & Mortar Music Hall (with TheVerse; 11/26/2017)
2018: May's Employee of the Month (Chocolate Heaven Pier 39, Day Job); Certificate of Achievement (Chocolate Heaven Pier 39, Day Job)
2019: Inducted in the CSU East Bay 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame (with Patrick Lew Band) at age 33

Musical Influences:
Metallica, Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Chthonic, X Japan, Dir En Grey, Miyavi, Nirvana, The Sex Pistols, Motorhead, Alice Cooper, Mother Love Bone, BEYOND, BabyMetal, Crowbar, Nine Inch Nails, The Beatles, Def Leppard, Guitar Wolf, The Slants, B'z, Venom.

Band Interests & Hobbies: 
Jamming, Recording, Playing Shows, Being Asian, Cars, Food, Cute Curvy Women, Metal & Punk Rock, Japanese Sistas, Hulu And Chill.

CONTACT: lewnaticjp@gmail.com

The Lewnatic Network: I'll Never Forget...

Bizarre Confession/TMI: In Japan, they have those rent-a-girlfriend services in those brothels. 

So aside from a 25 minute fling. I actually rented a Japanese girlfriend on my last night in Tokyo, Japan. 

Whether it's considered legit GF or not, it's a subjective and controversial topic. But that also means, depending how you look at it. I had a previous Asian girlfriend who was Japanese before. 

Rental service or not. 

I've talked about it a few times on Facebook. Just wanted to clarify the ambiguity surrounding it. Just cause. Lol. Of course, I'm not gonna dish too much details because it's not very PG friendly and I could get into trouble with the Facebook Police had I shared too much juicy dirt. 

Nothing wrong with what I did. It was legal and sanctioned. We're all consenting adults here. And the Japanese girlfriend I had was age 35 while I was age 33. Sometimes, a brother needs a sister to show him the way too!

2019 In Review: Patrick Lew Becomes Immortal

This year was actually one of the most exciting years I've ever had so far in my life. Both in good and bad ways. 

I got fired from two bands. Gave them both the middle finger and I farted on their CD, then I started a new band called Lewnatic (JP) and experienced a mid-life renaissance in my indie music career. I also became the first Japanese-American man to become a 40 UNDER 40 recipient at my alma mater CSU East Bay! All because of my stellar 18-year run with Patrick LewBand.

I went to Japan for the first time. Learned a lot about myself and did my mom an honor. And I came back to America and as a human being a changed man. Going to Japan also helped sort out some difficult tensions between me and my dad, which has been lingering since my mom passed away on April 2017. 

I reconnected with my East Asian heritage comfortably for the first time in a long time. Feeling more content to truly represent my true self and where my people came from. 

The bad mainly came from two bad car accidents and stupid people in my circle and randoms who were hella toxic. 

But while the first half of 2019 was an awful period for me. The second half was rebound time. That's when I became the "Comeback Kid" again and made up for the first half of the year!

In some ways. 2019 was actually better than 2018 was for me. In other ways, it was worse than the year before. But this year was a year of changes, self improvement and becoming officially: The Immortal Patrick Lew. Lol.

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