LEWNATIC415 - THE RISE OF PATRICK LEW'S ONE-MAN PUNK ROCK MACHINE

NAME: PATRICK LEW HAYASHI 

ALSO KNOWN AS: Lewnatic, Patrick Lew, Masamichi Hayashi 

JAPANESE NAME: 林 正道 

BIRTHDAY: November 15, 1985 as Patrick Allan Lew

HOMETOWN: San Francisco, CA, United States 

BLOOD TYPE: O

OCCUPATION: Musician, YouTuber, Music Producer, Grocer 

YEARS ACTIVE: 1999 - Present

MEMBER OF: Patrick Lew Band, TheVerse, Lewnatic, Crazy Loser in a Box!

INSTRUMENTS: Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Personal Computer, Drum Machine, Music Sequencer

LABELS: Statue Records, Bentley Records, Lewnatic Records (on behalf of CDBABY)

PARENTS: Winson Lew (b. 1948), Winnie Lew (b. 1951; d. 2017)

SIBLINGS: Ricky (older brother) 

SPOUSES: Not Applicable (real-life); Madeline Lew (m. 2021; Metaverse Only) 

PARTNERS: Betty Mai (1998-2000), Faith Lambright (2009-2014), Pitalu Hernandez (2014-2015), Madoku Raye (2018), REI (2019), Shon Tullie (2021-2022)

LEWNATIC415 is a heavy punk rock band that was created by Patrick Lew Hayashi, who is best known for his indie music career and his work with the Patrick Lew Band and TheVerse. He is also an online content creator, specificially, his YouTube channel.

Born to a Chinese father and Japanese mother of mixed descent, Patrick began playing guitar at age 13 when his cousin Andy was living with his family while studying at a community college as an International Student. He began his indie music career in 2001, playing guitar and singing in his high school band, which later would evolve into the Patrick Lew Band. Patrick is also a moderately known influencer, having been making YouTube videos online since 2007 at age 21.

In July 2019, during the second year of Patrick Lew Band's (PLB) hiatus, Patrick began brainstorming ideas to go "back-to-basics" with his music as a solo artist. After parting ways with his previous band amicably, Patrick started Lewnatic as a personal solo recording project. And quickly began performing under the LEWNATIC banner once-a-month at DNA Lounge in San Francisco until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The band's name Lewnatic is a spoonerism of Patrick's father's surname and "Lunatic." 

For the next two years, Patrick returned to performing, recording and live-streaming webcasts with the Bay Area band that made him sort of famous globally with his cousin Madeline Lew, the Patrick Lew Band. Embarking on their most prolific stage as artists. By this point, the Patrick Lew Band began receiving recognition and exposure worldwide and online. As bloggers and curators began writing about PLB more positively and they began putting Patrick Lew Band's music more out there to the public.

Lewnatic would eventually return from hiatus in early 2022, as COVID-19 pandemic began winding down considerably and quietly in the San Francisco Bay Area. He began working with his booking agents Afton Shows again. The band Lewnatic once again performed live music at DNA Lounge on February 20, 2022.

Lewnatic is intended as the spin-off band and offshoot related to the Patrick Lew Band. Alongside, a touring and live-stream concert experiment as a solo artist. Whereas, with PLB, due to sophisticated nature (Madeline's reluctance) and other complicated myriad of reasons backstage, cannot tour or perform live.

As a live musical act, the band Lewnatic performs a mix of PLB and spontaenously performed solo heavy rock inspired material that Patrick created mostly without Madeline and Madoku involved from the Patrick Lew Band. The musical arrangements vary and are different for every performance every night! All the musical performances are improvised, spontaneous, and completely rearranged. Differentiating itself from the original studio recordings. 

During the end of March 2022, Lewnatic began recording their second album Strictly Prohibited at their home studio in San Francisco. On one of the new upcoming tracks "As Gritty As I Want To Be," Patrick's relative Madeline Lew makes a guest appearance as a lead singer. The music creation for the entire album was finished in less than a week reportedly, and was released worldwide in April 2022 on Spotify, Apple Music and everywhere else.

During this same period, Patrick Lew Hayashi also started an Only Fans account to allow fans to have more intimate and personal access with Patrick himself, alongside, Madeline Lew from the Patrick Lew Band.

On July 19, 2022, Lewnatic signed a 1-year record contract with Bentley Records. LEWNATIC released their first album under a record label (and their third LP) titled Rapid Fire worldwide tentatively on August 19, 2022! Featuring six all-new guitar-based instrumental rock compositions with a strong CITY POP and Anime-like theme. The album was briefly promoted by both Bentley Records and Patrick Lew himself on social-media.

Despite placing most of his focus and energy onto his Lewnatic project, Patrick Lew remains sporadically active with the Patrick Lew Band as well. 

On August 28, 2022, Lewnatic live-streamed their most recent performance directly through Patrick Lew Hayashi's YouTube channel, performing two rearranged songs off Patrick Lew Band's 2022 EP Pariah Vol. 2 ("Are You Down With Me" and "Love Yourself").  Another virtual concert on his YouTube channel commenced a month later, where Lewnatic live-streamed a cover of the Elvis Presley song That's All Right Mama. 

Most of my Lewnatic's virtual concerts are pre-recorded on Patrick's 2017/18 iPad or his iPhone 13 PRO. And edited on iMovie on his old laptop before being posted online. The band's colleague and friend James Conrad also handles videography and photography for the solo project locally in San Francisco.

On September 24, 2022, Lewnatic filmed an MV for their first single off their album Rapid Fire in San Francisco's Chinatown. The music video world premiered in mid-October, and amassed a decent number of views on YouTube.  The MV for their single We The People served as a #StopAsianHate and #BLM anthem during the post-pandemic aftermath affecting minorities in the United States. Two more live-stream performances followed at PLB HQ (Patrick Lew's personal rehearsal space) in San Francisco that month also.

In November 2022, it was revealed that Lewnatic and the band's videographer James Conrad are planning a virtual concert film at a remotely anonymous location in the East Bay, California. The concept is similar to Pink Floyd's 1972 concert at Pompeii. The concert film is tentatively scheduled to be filmed on-location in front of no live audience by mid-2023.  Currently, Patrick Lew (on behalf of Lewnatic), James Conrad, and two audio engineers enlisted for the project are petitioning a GoFundMe campaign by Christmas 2022 to raise funds to finance and budget the concert film.

Lewnatic also announced plans to perform regionally through their booking agents Afton Shows in the future potentially on occasion.

Lewnatic currently remains a solo project for Patrick Lew Hayashi, as there are no other members onstage and in the home studio with him. Patrick Lew Hayashi boldy describes Lewnatic, "a one-man rock and roll machine." 

The main motives for doing the band Lewnatic is to have fun, play heavy music and not take life and music in general so seriously. And the occasional punk rock show, whether it be a webcast or at the local dive bar! Brace yourselves, world. The Lewnatic is coming back to town!

Equipment & Software Used
DAW: LOGIC PRO, 2012 MacBook Pro, 2014 MacBook Air 
Guitar: Fender Telecaster, Epiphone Les Paul Junior, Black Epiphone Les Paul 

Bass: Fender Jazz Precision 

Videography: iPad (5th Generation), iPhone X, iPhone 13 PRO, iMovie, Logitech HD Wecbam
Synth: Vaies (smartphone apps & Logic Pro)
Mike: Varies (mainly 3rd party brand microphones)
Audio Interface: PreSonus AudioBox iOne 
Guitar Sound Source: Marshall CODE50 
Guitar Tone Source: BOSS DS-2, SansAmp Acoustic DI 

Mastering: Band Lab, LANDR

 

The Patrick Lew Band (PLB) Story

 

PATRICK LEW BAND (PLB) is an Asian-American rock band formed in San Francisco, California by singer, guitarist, YouTuber and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Lew Hayashi (born Patrick Allan Lew; November 15, 1985). Created in 2001. 

 PLB was previously known under various guises and pseudonyms. Since 2016, PLB is largely an Internet-based rock band and mostly participates in home recording and occasional local live performances. 

 The band also features a virtual band member and bassist named Madeline Lew, marketed as Patrick's younger sister. The band's bassist Madeline was created through modern smartphone apps, such as FaceApp and Reface, alongside other digital special effects and sophisticated editing, such as cosplaying. 

 He is currently an unsigned independent musician, but he is distributing his music through his own label, Lewnatic Records. Since the mid-2020, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) has expanded and digitally reached 51 countries worldwide of underground music. Most of PLB's credentials came thanks to the Internet through bloggers/curators and digital music magazines writing about the Patrick Lew Band. 

THEIR STORY

Patrick Lew was born in San Francisco in 1985 to a Chinese father and a Japanese mother of mixed descent. 

In 2001, Patrick Lew Hayashi formed a band under the banner Patrick Lew Band in his hometown of San Francisco, CA when he was just 15 years old. Most of Hayashi's early years in the indie music circuit was playing in a garage band. In 2005, Hayashi was attending City College of San Francisco and was briefly signed to an indie label based in La Jolla, CA. After he was dropped from his developmental contract with the label, Hayashi decided to book studio time with the help of his friends.

Patrick attended Wallenberg High School in San Francisco, graduating in 2004 after being held back one grade while in elementary school. He also attended Soko Gakuen Japanese School, and graduated and got certified around the same time he graduated from high school. He later attended CSU East Bay, graduating with a B.A in Philosophy and Music Composition in 2011. He began playing guitar at the age of 13 through his older cousin Andy, whom was living with his family at the time in San Francisco.

Patrick also began using YouTube as a platform dedicated to his life as an artist/musician and in general on February 2, 2007. After several years, his YouTube channel reached a respectable amount of recognition on the Internet. As of today, there are 400+ uploaded videos on his YouTube channel.

The Patrick Lew Band is largely influenced by the iconic Seattle grunge band Nirvana.

Other key influences in the band and their music ranges from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Yutaka Ozaki, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Oasis, Miyavi, Guns N Roses, X Japan, Danny Chan, B'z, Beyond (HK Band), Hatsune Miku, BTS, Jim Johnston, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails, The White Stripes, Green Day, Blink 182, The Fall, The Sex Pistols, and many more.

Most of the time, Hayashi was on the Internet putting his bands music out there. On November 15, 2006, which was also Patrick Lew's 21st birthday, the Patrick Lew Band released their debut album JUMP, RATTLE, AND ROLL on CDBaby. Patrick Lew Band would begin to sporadically play small shows in the San Francisco area by 2007 with a frequently changing line-up. Their first single AZN GIRLS was posted online during late 2007, leading to a critical backlash among the band on social-media over unbeknownst reasons. Around this same period, the bands chiptune rearranged cover of the Nirvana song Drain You was published on Nirvanaclub.com.

During 2009, Patrick Lew Band began making their strides in the regional music scene and on the Internet. Their song Everyone Loves Ashley brought them to notoriety and initial indie-level fame. Between 2009 to 2012, the band would write and record up to as many as 60 songs per year in their home studio.To have something to fall back on, Hayashi taught himself the fundamentals of the indie music business and being his own entrepreneur.

During this period, Patrick Lew Band had aborted plans to tour locally. However, the group would perform live in the Antioch area occasionally during some of 2011. Some of these performances can be found and since leaked on Patrick Lew Band's (PLB) official YouTube channel.

Between 2009 to 2012, the Patrick Lew Band self-released their music online: Let It Rise And Against (2009), Murder Bay (2011) and the EP Angry Yellow (2012).

On February 4, 2012, Patrick Lew Band performed at Dolores Park in San Francisco. After taking a few years away from the indies because of a failed common-law marriage and very well documented personal problems, Hayashi made his return to music with the Patrick Lew Band by the beginning of 2015. Embarking on his most profitable and memorable run in the indie music circuit.

2015 began with Hayashi being appointed the Ambassador for Antennas Direct. And conducting a televised interview with the 24 HOUR K-POP music TV channel in the San Francisco Bay Area. Around this same period, Patrick introduced a crossdressing M2F alter-ego by the name of Madeline Lew into the band. Created from digital special effects, CGI and Photoshop. In a music marketing storyline, Madelines role in the band is described as, "the long lost younger sister of Patrick Lew Hayashi saving the band from failure and bringing his band and his music back to prominence."

Madeline Lew's introduction into the Patrick Lew Band as a virtual band member and mascot brought Patrick Lews profitability back to prominence in the music scene and helped Patrick Lew Band achieve publicity and moderate indie-level success that he did not accomplish prior to 2015. The success and exposure that the Patrick Lew Band received during this period included a couple music blogs writing about the Patrick Lew Band online and being mentioned on-air on Bay Area rock FM radio station 107.7 THE BONE.

The band was mostly recording in their home studio in San Francisco. By 2016, the band launched their own label and multimedia start-up Lewnatic HQ.

The band was often working on new music in their home recording studio between 2015 and early 2017. The Patrick Lew Band would release their album OAKLAND on Valentines Day 2017. He and his alter ego Madeline Lew would perform at Brick & Mortar Music Hall on October 8, 2017.

By the end of 2017, the Patrick Lew Band no longer was a full-time responsibility as Hayashi began working a stable full-time job. The primary casue of the PLB's second departure was caused by his mother's passing. But also, due to exhaustion.

He also began only sporadically making studio recording appearances with the band as he branched his talents to other outlets and playing music with local bands outside of Patrick Lew Band.On June 7, 2019. Patrick Lew Hayashi received the 40 Under 40 award at his alma mater CSU East Bay. He would become the first major Japanese-American male to receive the high honor.

Outside of PLB. Patrick Lew also made a brief uncredited cameo appearance on the acclaimed Amazon TV series Man in the High Castle on Season 4 and Episode 1. He also is a moderately known and prolific social-media influencer and persona, most notably on YouTube and Instagram.

The band just returned to full-time status in 2020. And they reached potentially prolific status with their music and brand in the indies and on social-media with what they do. Recent years proved to be very prosperous and helped the Patrick Lew Band reach new heights. Since then, the band's music has reached thousands of listeners in an estimated 51 different countries worldwide on Apple Music/iTunes. Subsequent reviews and press regarding PLB have been positive.

From 2020 onward since returning to pursuing their passion for making music, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) decided to transition their project into an exclusively Internet Only type of band.

Since 2020, PLB has been featured in numerous blogs and digital music magazines online. While Lew maintains his citizenship and residence in San Francisco, the band also began gravitating their musical focus to "break into" the music scene worldwide.

2020 and 2021 also saw the band continue and sustain their momentum as a Internet-based rock band. Conducting a few Livestream concerts on social-media, and gaining new legions and generation of followers. The band also released several albums during these two years respectively on iTunes and Spotify, including their first live album IN YOUR HOUSE! Rumors began to swirl in mid-2021 regarding the Patrick Lew Band's future online. However, the PLB released more new music going into the year 2022 online.

During most of 2022, Patrick re-launched a spin-off of the Patrick Lew Band known as LEWNATIC. As COVID-19 pandemic began to quietly wind down in San Francisco, he began touring and live-streaming under the LEWNATIC name. Lewnatic would perform at San Francisco's historic DNA Lounge on February 20, 2022. Shortly after, he began working on demos and released the mixtape Strictly Prohibited worldwide on iTunes, Spotifty, and everywhere else through his distribtutor CDBABY by April that year.

As Patrick Lew retains his citizenship and residence in the Bay Area, he also planned to introduce his music to JAPAN on the world wide web. By March 2022, he worked with TOP MUSIC JAPAN to get PLB's music out there. Currently, their prolific 2020 album Rolling Thunder was consigned to EGGS, a subsidiary of Tower Records in Japan. He also wanted to expand his music and attention globally, and remains persistent while doing so.

Patrick Lew Band would remain occasionally active during early-to-mid 2022.

Much of Patrick's musical activity during 2022 was placed primarily on LEWNATIC. As PLB remained exclusively a virtual rock band in the Metaverse, for many kinds of reasons.

On July 19, 2022, Patrick signed a 1-year Artist Development Contract with New York based label Bentley Records. And released his first EP RAPID FIRE under the LEWNATIC banner as a signed artist a month later. By this point, Patrick began focusing more of his attention to LEWNATIC as a musician and social-media influencer. Madeline took a step back from Patrick Lew Band by August 2022, in kayfabe, she relocated back to Asia. In reality, Patrick wanted to semi-retire her character in the project, feeling that it served its pupose. Nonetheless, Madeline Lew will still continue to make occasional part-time appearances with the Patrick Lew Band.

On September 5, 2022, the Patrick Lew Band released their 12th album Adrenaline worldwide on all the platforms. They would also release an 11-minute Blues inspired song She's All That a month later on October 17th.

While the future is uncertain for the Patrick Lew Band (PLB). Patrick wants to continue doing music actively as a virtual rock band.

The band PLB however remains active on social-media and as an Internet-based band!

ARTISTS WE ALSO LIKE: WE SUPPORT ALL LOCAL BANDS THAT CAN RIDE WITH US.

BAND INTERESTS: Making Music, YouTube, Netflix, PlayStation, Fast Cars, Oakland A's, Pro Wrestling, Pizza, Sexy Curvy Ladies, Jamming

PERSONAL INTERESTS: Making Music, Playing Shows, Making YouTube Videos, Immortality.

PRODUCTS: Streaming Video & Audio, Digital Downloads, Digital Brochures, Band T-Shirts, YouTube, Photography, YouTube.

  

MEET THE PLB BAND!

PATRICK LEW (林正道) - lead vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, programming, drummer 

MADELINE LEW (林綾香) - keyboards, synthesizers, programming, bass, lead vocals 

THIS IS US!

REELING IN THE YEAR 2022 - PATRICK LEW BAND MOMENTS

 10.26.2022

Breaking News Regarding My Music.

I just got in touch with my band’s videographer James about another idea for my band Lewnatic.

He sent me a phone call just now. And we are planning something major in 2023 with Lewnatic.

He just came back from a week-long trip in Spain, and we’re developing an idea for a virtual concert and live concert album held at a remote empty area up in East Bay, California. Which will be kept confidential as we speak. There will be no live audience. We are currently drafting an ambitious idea very similar to Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii pretty much. A concert film that Pink Floyd done back in 1972.

We are right now planning to do a GoFundMe campaign to budget and finance the project starting by Christmas.

I will be performing for an hour at this location once it commences, a set list of Lewnatic and rearranged PLB songs.

I am also talking to Cousin Madeline Lew about making a cameo some way in the film or the other via LINE app via SMS. She may not perform in the concert film, but I’m guessing she maybe down to make a brief cameo somewhere in the film.

We are planning to shoot the concert footage some time in mid-2023 in the East Bay.

This will be distributed perhaps as a concert movie and a live album under the Lewnatic name!

Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen.

09.08.2022

THE RISE OF THE PATRICK LEW BAND

Madeline Lew & Patrick Lew 

When you mention bands and brands that have held it through these lucrative music times, it would be wrong to leave out “Patrick Lew Band”.

Almost thirteen years and still counting, Patrick Lew Band is a band that emerged from San Francisco, California under the leadership of the multi-talented singer, guitarist, YouTuber, and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Lew (AKA Lewnatic). Since its dawn, Patrick Lew Band has been centered on punk, electronic, instrumental, and alternative rock music that fuses with their Asian-American culture. Honorary members; Patrick Lew and Madeline Lew have held the eclectic electro sounds of the band with more traditional tones dominating their musical uniqueness.

Following on several popular releases such as; “Xclamation! (2021 Album),” “Pariah, Vol. 2 (EP),” “Star Spangled Banner,” “Asian Girls,” “Shelly,” “Orgasm,” “Say Yes,” “Live Fast, Die Fun!,” and “Lady Godiva (Remix),” among others, the band has digitally expanded to over 51 countries worldwide. This has been achieved through the distribution of their music on Patrick Lew’s Lewnatic Records. Most of the band’s credentials have always come in virtue of the Internet and other digital streams.

In crossover rock from J-Rock style, Patrick Lew Band score with powerful catchy tunes and their gifted agility under the captainship of Patrick Lew. The San Francisco-bred star has existed in the music sphere for over 20+ years. He has been recognized for his ingenuity and was also inducted into the 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame. There is no greater navigator for the band than Patrick Lew.

Patrick Lew Band achieved even more popularity when they featured on St. Patrick’s Day in 2020. Even though their appearance seemed as though it would be the last time we were seeing them, many rock fans are ecstatic that the band still lives on today. In July of 2022, Madeline Lew chose to lay back a bit from making full-time appearances with the band, but she still promised to make occasional appearances. There is no sign of end when it comes to Patrick Lew Band. Their music has lived through the years and continues to the foreseeable future. Through their intensive online engagements, they continue to entertain their fans with those popular YouTube videos and real-time live-streaming. Innovation in the genre of rock music shall not cease for as long as we have Patrick Lew Band.

At the very moment that we celebrate the band’s outstanding experience, Patrick Lew just released his newest single entirely dedicated to all their worldwide fans who have been with them since all this began. With much appreciation, this Sound Raw Japan-produced track dropped with love and wrapped in an instrumental rock piece. Only Patrick Lew could pull off such level of gratitude.

We continue to follow Patrick Lew Band on all their forthcoming projects as they keep on leading in the world of rock all over Asia, the USA, and worldwide.

Check out Patrick Lew Band’s vast discography on all major music streaming platforms and follow the band on their socials to stay in sync with what’s new in the camp.

07.19.2002

On July 19, 2022.

Storyline: Cousin Madeline Lew stepped down as a full-time member, and mutually parted ways with my band PLB. It was a mutual decision. She’s going back to Asia next week! She will still make occasional appearances on my YouTube videos and when collaborating with the Patrick Lew Band in the foreseeable future however! The video I uploaded that premiered worldwide on my YouTube approximately at 9 PM was her send-off and wishing her good luck for her next journey.

In Real Life: Madeline served and cemented her purpose and mission in the Patrick Lew Band. And I decided to partially retire her character from PLB. The reasons were, she’s did all she had to to make sure I achieve where I wanted with my music, and made sure I accomplish what I needed to in music and in general. Madeline was basically a Gender Swapped version of myself, and was a part of the Patrick Lew Band for 7 years. The character also brought new fame and success to my music, opened doors for me as an artist. And restored my public image and reputation.

Madeline wouldn’t be a feasible idea to present onstage on tour with me due to limitations in technology and budget. You can’t clone two versions of us onstage without a hologram! She was basically created through Special Effects and CGI digitally on my phone and computer!

Because I signed a 1-year record deal with Bentley Records as a solo artist under the band name Lewnatic rather than as Patrick Lew Band, I wanted to separate PLB and Lewnatic by keeping whatever associated with Patrick Lew Band as exclusively independent for the indies, like Madeline Lew and the music too. And keep all my intellectual property and rights to PLB from anyone outside PLB. Nonetheless, Madeline will still make appearances sporadically from time-to-time on some of my future YouTube videos and the music too. She’s guaranteed a spot for life as a member of the Patrick Lew Band! 🥰💗🤝

05.13.2022

Currently. Patrick Lew from the band is pursuing solo activities under the stage name LEWNATIC! 

04.20.2022

5 more days is not going to be a good day to look forward to for Japanese people who grew up listening to the rock music legend Yutaka Ozaki.

April 25, 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of my favorite Japanese rock star Yutaka Ozaki's passing.

He's one of those people from my culture and tribe that changed the game. And he also changed and touched many people's lives through his music and rebellious personality and charm. He spoke out about injustice and problems with society. It was always something I could always relate to, being no stranger to being the odd man out myself.

A lot of Japanese or East Asian people were able to relate to Ozaki-San because he spoke out and stood up to society.

My own music in PLB (Patrick Lew Band) was also directly influenced by Yutaka Ozaki. I done 2 cover songs of his: "I Love You" and "Shelly."

He died on April 25, 1992 in Tokyo at age 26.

But the music lives on forever. And will continue to do so.

Rest in power, Ozaki Yutaka.

03.01.2022

Album "Rolling Thunder" featured on Japanese music website TopMusic.jp !

02.10.2022

We were on the cover of a music and entertainment magazine up in Atlanta, Georgia last year in November! Issue No. 18. Little known random fact about that. We (PLB) were the first East Asian/Japanese music artists to be on the cover of that magazine! A milestone indeed. And we’re not even a mainstream or major-label band either. We’re very indie/underground as far as you can tell! Despite it all, I’m very happy how my side-hustle/indie music career turned out!

01.22.2022

We are currently working on a new album! Our good friend Madoku will be making her first appearance on it as a member of the band.

Stay tuned peeps!

01.20.2022

WE ARE NOW NO.12 ON HERE!

Thank you, everyone!

 

Lewnatic415 Band Bio

 

LEWNATIC415 is a heavy punk rock band that was created by Patrick Lew Hayashi, who is best known for his indie music career and his work with the Patrick Lew Band and TheVerse. He is also an online content creator, specificially, his YouTube channel.

Born to a Chinese father and Japanese mother of mixed descent, Patrick began playing guitar at age 13 when his cousin Andy was living with his family while studying at a community college as an International Student. He began his indie music career in 2001, playing guitar and singing in his high school band, which later would evolve into the Patrick Lew Band. Patrick is also a moderately known influencer, having been making YouTube videos online since 2007 at age 21.

In July 2019, during the second year of Patrick Lew Band's (PLB) hiatus, Patrick began brainstorming ideas to go "back-to-basics" with his music as a solo artist. After parting ways with his previous band amicably, Patrick started Lewnatic as a personal solo recording project. And quickly began performing under the LEWNATIC banner once-a-month at DNA Lounge in San Francisco until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The band's name Lewnatic is a spoonerism of Patrick's father's surname and "Lunatic." 

For the next two years, Patrick returned to performing, recording and live-streaming webcasts with the Bay Area band that made him sort of famous globally with his cousin Madeline Lew, the Patrick Lew Band. Embarking on their most prolific stage as artists. By this point, the Patrick Lew Band began receiving recognition and exposure worldwide and online. As bloggers and curators began writing about PLB more positively and they began putting Patrick Lew Band's music more out there to the public.

Lewnatic would eventually return from hiatus in early 2022, as COVID-19 pandemic began winding down considerably and quietly in the San Francisco Bay Area. He began working with his booking agents Afton Shows again. The band Lewnatic once again performed live music at DNA Lounge on February 20, 2022.

Lewnatic is intended as the spin-off band and offshoot related to the Patrick Lew Band. 

The band's live setup and tech rider is based on minimalism and convenience when traveling with Patrick's guitar rig. Instead of bringing his 50 watt Marshall amp and lots of gear in an Uber ride to venues he's booked to perform for the evening, most of Lewnatic's live gear is based off a virtual guitar amp and backing tracks on Patrick's laptop. Alongside, an inexpensive audio DI box and Fender Telecaster.

As a live musical act, the band Lewnatic performs a mix of PLB and spontaenously performed solo heavy rock inspired material that Patrick created mostly without Madeline and Madoku involved in the Patrick Lew Band. The musical arrangements vary and are different for every performance every night! All the musical performances are improvised, spontaneous, and completely rearranged. Differentiating itself from the original studio recordings. 

During the end of March 2022, Lewnatic began recording their second album Strictly Prohibited at their home studio in San Francisco. On one of the new upcoming tracks "As Gritty As I Want To Be," Patrick's relative Madeline Lew makes a guest appearance as a lead singer. The music creation for the entire album was finished in less than a week reportedly, and was released worldwide in April 2022 on Spotify, Apple Music and everywhere else.

During this same period, Patrick Lew Hayashi also started an Only Fans account to allow fans to have more intimate and personal access with Patrick himself, alongside, Madeline Lew from the Patrick Lew Band.

On July 19, 2022, Lewnatic signed a 1-year record contract with Bentley Records. LEWNATIC released their first album under a record label (and their third LP) titled Rapid Fire worldwide tentatively on August 19, 2022! Featuring six all-new guitar-based instrumental rock compositions with a strong CITY POP and Anime-like theme. The album was briefly promoted by both Bentley Records and Patrick Lew himself on social-media.

Despite placing most of his focus and energy onto his Lewnatic project, Patrick Lew remains sporadically active with the Patrick Lew Band as well. 

On August 28, 2022, Lewnatic live-streamed their most recent performance directly through Patrick Lew Hayashi's YouTube channel, performing two rearranged songs off Patrick Lew Band's 2022 EP Pariah Vol. 2 ("Are You Down With Me" and "Love Yourself").  Another virtual concert on his YouTube channel commenced a month later, where Lewnatic live-streamed a cover of the Elvis Presley song That's All Right Mama. 

Most of my Lewnatic's virtual concerts are pre-recorded on Patrick's 2017/18 iPad. And edited on iMovie on his old laptop before being posted online. The band's colleague and friend James Conrad also handles videography and photography for the solo project locally in San Francisco.

On September 24, 2022, Lewnatic filmed an MV for their first single off their album Rapid Fire in San Francisco's Chinatown. The music video is currently under post-production and will be TBD for world premiere on YouTube. 

Lewnatic also announced plans to perform regionally through their booking agents Afton Shows in the future potentially on occasion.

The main motives for doing the band Lewnatic is to have fun, play heavy music and not take life and music in general so seriously. And the occasional punk rock show, whether it be a webcast or at the local dive bar! A lot of musical ideas in the studio that was omitted from PLB will be compiled exclusively for the band Lewnatic in the near future!

Equipment & Software Used
DAW: LOGIC PRO, 2012 MacBook Pro, 2014 MacBook Air 
Guitar: Fender Telecaster, Epiphone Les Paul Junior 

Videography: iPad (5th Generation), iPhone X, iMovie, Logitech HD Wecbam
Synth: Vaies (smartphone apps & Logic Pro)
Mike: Varies (mainly 3rd party brand microphones)
Audio Interface: PreSonus AudioBox iOne 
Guitar Sound Source: Marshall CODE50 
Guitar Tone Source: BOSS DS-2, SansAmp Acoustic DI 

Mastering: Band Lab, LANDR

The Patrick Lew Band Story

 The versatile Asian-American artist, Patrick Lew, is an entertaining singer, creative YouTuber, and expert at playing multiple musical instruments. He enjoyed and worked on all types of music, but Hard Rock is his favorite. His primary goal is to make vibe music to distract people from pessimism through fun melodies. Despite the lack of support from those around him, he smiles and makes others smile. He makes many nostalgia videos as a 90s kid such as the one he recently created, a 90s theme documentary on his trip.

Early Passion for Music and Creativity

Patrick Lew was born in San Francisco in 1985 to a Japanese mother and a Chinese father. Patrick fell in love with music from a young age. Patrick Lew’s childhood appeared to be normal to an outsider, but he was dealing with a lot. His grandfather, who was like a close friend to him, died when he was a child. In addition, he was subjected to a great deal of prejudice and antagonism at school and elsewhere. Patrick turned to computer games, television, and professional wrestling to escape the stress. He was also drawn to music as a means of distraction. Patrick’s parents’ passion for music also instilled a love of music in him. He grew up listening to classic rock like The Beatles and Stones, his mother’s favorite genre, and funk, R&B, and Motown music by his father.

Occasionally, Patrick’s musical adventure began when he was 16 years old, in 2001. He’d make mixes for solo and high school bands and post them on social media under various band identities. After graduating from Wallenberg High School, he attended CSU East Bay and earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with a minor in Music Composition. The band was also known as the Patrick Lew Band at the time. He now has a number of songs on major music websites such as Apple Music, Spotify, and others. Glaring Dream, Badlands, Try a Little Harder, Chasing Reality, Orgasm, and many others are among his most well-known pieces.

Moreover, Patrick earned a variety of naming honors, which greatly increased his fame. In 2019, he became the first Japanese-American male to be inducted into the 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame. At the age of 33, he received a lot of praise for his work with the Patrick Lew Band.

About his famous character: Madeline Lew

Patrick has one biological brother, Ricky Lew, who constantly claims to have two siblings. The other is his fictitious sister, Madeline, whom he fabricated for the purpose of creating interesting content. Madeline is Patrick’s female disguised as a female. He used this identity to create songs as well as YouTube content. He even created a YouTube channel in her name where he posts amusing videos.

Final Words

For the past 20 years, Patrick Lew has been creating outstanding and entertaining content in the form of songs and videos. The concept of creating a fictional character based on his sister Medaline and forming the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) with her is amusingly clever. This concept is gaining popularity. Patrick, on the other hand, is not stopping here. He is prepared to face new challenges in the future for his admirers. He is now working on a project that will be released soon. Follow him on social media for additional information. 

PATRICK LEW BAND (PLB) is an Asian-American rock band formed in San Francisco, California by singer, guitarist, YouTuber and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Lew Hayashi (born Patrick Allan Lew; November 15, 1985). 

 

PLB was previously known under various guises and pseudonyms. Since 2016, PLB is largely an Internet-based rock band and mostly participates in home recording and occasional local live performances. 

 

The band also features a virtual band member and bassist named Madeline Lew, marketed as Patrick's younger sister. The band's bassist Madeline was created through modern smartphone apps, such as FaceApp and Reface, alongside other digital special effects and sophisticated editing, such as cosplaying. 

 

He is currently an unsigned independent musician, but he is distributing his music through his own label, Lewnatic Records. Since the mid-2020, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) has expanded and digitally reached 51 countries worldwide of underground music. Most of PLB's credentials came thanks to the Internet through bloggers/curators and digital music magazines writing about the Patrick Lew Band.   

THE HISTORY

Patrick was born on November 15, 1985 to a Chinese father and a Japanese mother of mixed descent. He mostly grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. His upbringing was rather tense and unstable, but Patrick often maintains that he had a happy childhood for the most part. To make up for his problems during childhood and while going to school, he turned to rock music, video games, professional wrestling, and TV shows for comfort. He often traveled with his family for vacations in foreign countries, such as Hong Kong and common American tourist destinations, such as Las Vegas and Hollywood. 

Patrick Lew Hayashi has been active both locally and online in music since 2001. He was playing in various short-lived local bands in San Francisco before he pursued his music with the Patrick Lew Band worldwide. He originally started his main YouTube channel and began uploading his homemade videos related to his life and his music on February 2, 2007. Patrick attended Wallenberg High School in San Francisco, graduating in 2004 after being held back one grade while in elementary school. He also attended Soko Gakuen Japanese School, and graduated and got certified around the same time he graduated from high school. He later attended CSU East Bay, graduating with a B.A in Philosophy and Music Composition in 2011. He began playing guitar at the age of 13 through his older cousin Andy, whom was living with his family at the time in San Francisco.

 

Patrick also began using YouTube as a platform dedicated to his life as an artist/musician and in general on February 2, 2007. After several years, his YouTube channel reached a respectable amount of recognition on the Internet. As of today, there are 400+ uploaded videos on his YouTube channel.

The Patrick Lew Band is largely influenced by the iconic Seattle grunge band Nirvana. 

Other key influences in the band and their music ranges from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Yutaka Ozaki, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Oasis, Miyavi, Guns N Roses, X Japan, Danny Chan, B'z, Beyond (HK Band), Hatsune Miku, BTS, Jim Johnston, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails, The White Stripes, Green Day, Blink 182, The Fall, The Sex Pistols, and many more. 

 

After a few home-recorded and professionally made albums between 2006 to 2012, the former band considered transitioning from an online collaboration to performing in live venues and recording at home as a local rock band. 

 

The idea eventually was abandoned, and Lew was dealing with a loveless relationship with his former fiancee, which affected and drained him mentally. Having played in the indie scene in many failed startup bands and false starts for over a decade, Patrick Lew seemed to have lost his passion for music. When his relationship with his then-fiancee ended, Lew decided to rekindle his passion for playing music and doing home recordings. 

 

The Patrick Lew Band as we know it started in 2015 as a personal home studio project where Lew would write songs or compose instrumental ideas and post them on social-media to see what comes out of it. 

 

Lew learned the hardship and frustration of getting his music out there in various platforms in the "commercial" and traditional music industry. He created his own indie label and named his home recording studio LEWNATIC, which foresees the releases of Patrick Lew Band related material through different platforms, such as digital downloads, CDs, etc. 

 

Despite some of the hardships and negativity that Lew has encountered during 2015 and some of 2016 related to detractors on social-media, the Patrick Lew Band maintained consistency and was experiencing a very creative period in their indie music career. By July 2016, the Patrick Lew Band won an award for Best Experimental Rock Song with the Akademia Music Awards. Lew also pursued side-projects and worked with other local musicians. 

 

Lew also began expanding PLB to where he originally wanted. And he self-released a few EPs with the Patrick Lew Band through Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and other sites. Regardless of what people thought of him in the past or present, Lew had enough music to release a full-length album. The loss of his beloved mother and a scabies scare temporarily prevented Lew from touring and promoting his new album . 

 

But with the blessings of positive outlooks and putting himself out there, Lew began working with promoters Afton to handle the booking for live local Patrick Lew Band shows. The Patrick Lew Band was booked to perform at the Brick & Mortar in San Francisco, California on August 6, 2017. Local hard rock radio station 107.7 THE BONE marketed the show. Low ticket sales however pushed the show to October 8th that year, which Lew performed a stunning and blistering five-song set at the venue. A recap video of the show can be found on Lew's YouTube channel. 

 

Also, the band introduced long lost sibling Madeline Lew as a full-time member on Halloween 2015. (SEE BAND BIO INTRO). And has remained a mainstay in the Patrick Lew Band since. 

The band just returned to full-time status in 2020. And they reached potentially prolific status with their music and brand in the indies and on social-media with what they do. Recent years proved to be very prosperous and helped the Patrick Lew Band reach new heights. Since then, the band's music has reached thousands of listeners in an estimated 51 different countries worldwide on Apple Music/iTunes. Subsequent reviews and press regarding PLB have been positive. Since 2020, PLB has been featured in numerous blogs and digital music magazines online. While Lew maintains his citizenship and residence in San Francisco, the band also began gravitating their musical focus to "break into" the Japanese music scene.

2020 and 2021 also saw the band continue and sustain their momentum as a Internet-based rock band. Conducting a few Livestream concerts on social-media, and gaining new legions and generation of followers. The band also released several albums during these two years respectively on iTunes and Spotify, including their first live album IN YOUR HOUSE! Rumors began to swirl in mid-2021 regarding the Patrick Lew Band's future online. However, the PLB released more new music going into the year 2022 online. 

On July 19, 2022, Patrick Lew signed a 1-year recording contract with Bentley Records under his band name LEWNATIC. Madeline Lew and Patrick Lew officially and mutually parted ways from the Patrick Lew Band, but insists, that the band will continue on making sporadic appearances and musical one-off's exclusively as an independent act. A press release annoucement from the two of them will air on Patrick Lew Hayashi's official YouTube channel at 9 PM on that same evening. 

The band PLB however, continues to be active on the Internet and on social-media! 

As artists, the main goal for Patrick and Madeline Lew of PLB is to bring their unique music worldwide without any limitations holding them back. They also want to add something positive to the world, the music scene, and the Asian-American community! In the 20+ years as an indie and personal home recording act, the band has seen, struggled, and triumphed. While the future remains unknown for the Patrick Lew Band, there should be more milestones and moments coming your way with PLB. Then. Now. And Forever!

MEET THE PLB BAND!

PATRICK LEW (林正道) - lead vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, programming, drummer 

MADELINE LEW (林綾香) - keyboards, synthesizers, programming, bass, lead vocals 

THIS IS US!

The Patrick Lew Band Story

 

Patrick Lew Band (PLB)

EXPERIMENTAL // OVERSEAS (WORLDWIDE), DUBLIN // HE/SHE/THEY

Patrick Lew Hayashi has been active both locally and online in music since 2001. He was playing in various short-lived local bands in San Francisco before he pursued his music with the Patrick Lew Band worldwide. He originally started his main YouTube channel and began uploading his homemade videos related to his life and his music on February 2, 2007. 

Patrick attended Wallenberg High School in San Francisco, graduating in 2004 after being held back one grade while in elementary school. He also attended Soko Gakuen Japanese School, and graduated and got certified around the same time he graduated from high school. He later attended CSU East Bay, graduating with a B.A in Philosophy and Music Composition in 2011. He began playing guitar at the age of 13 through his older cousin Andy, whom was living with his family at the time in San Francisco.

Patrick also began using YouTube as a platform dedicated to his life as an artist/musician and in general on February 2, 2007. After several years, his YouTube channel reached a respectable amount of recognition on the Internet. As of today, there are 400+ uploaded videos on his YouTube channel.

The Patrick Lew Band is largely influenced by the iconic Seattle grunge band Nirvana. 

Other key influences in the band and their music ranges from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Yutaka Ozaki, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Oasis, Miyavi, Guns N Roses, X Japan, Danny Chan, B'z, Beyond (HK Band), Hatsune Miku, BTS, Jim Johnston, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails, The White Stripes, Green Day, Blink 182, The Fall, The Sex Pistols, and many more. 

After a few home-recorded and professionally made albums between 2006 to 2012, the former band considered transitioning from an online collaboration to performing in live venues and recording at home as a local rock band. 

The idea eventually was abandoned, and Lew was dealing with a loveless relationship with his former fiancee, which affected and drained him mentally. Having played in the indie scene in many failed startup bands and false starts for over a decade, Patrick Lew seemed to have lost his passion for music. When his relationship with his then-fiancee ended, Lew decided to rekindle his passion for playing music and doing home recordings. 

The Patrick Lew Band as we know it started in 2015 as a personal home studio project where Lew would write songs or compose instrumental ideas and post them on social-media to see what comes out of it. 

Despite some of the hardships and negativity that Lew has encountered during 2015 and some of 2016 related to detractors on social-media, the Patrick Lew Band maintained consistency and was experiencing a very creative period in their indie music career. By July 2016, the Patrick Lew Band won an award for Best Experimental Rock Song with the Akademia Music Awards. Lew also pursued side-projects and worked with other local musicians. 

Lew also began expanding PLB to where he originally wanted. And he self-released a few EPs with the Patrick Lew Band through Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and other sites. Regardless of what people thought of him in the past or present, Lew had enough music to release a full-length album. The loss of his beloved mother and a scabies scare temporarily prevented Lew from touring and promoting his new album . 

But with the blessings of positive outlooks and putting himself out there, Lew began working with promoters Afton to handle the booking for live local Patrick Lew Band shows. The Patrick Lew Band was booked to perform at the Brick & Mortar in San Francisco, California on August 6, 2017. Local hard rock radio station 107.7 THE BONE marketed the show. Low ticket sales however pushed the show to October 8th that year, which Lew performed a stunning and blistering five-song set at the venue. A recap video of the show can be found on Lew's YouTube channel. 

Also, the band introduced cosplay alter-ego Madeline Lew (marketed as Patrick's cousin) as a full-time member on Halloween 2015. 

Originally. the Patrick Lew Band unofficially disbanded by the end of 2017. As Patrick began playing with other local bands. Most notably, performing and recording with TheVerse and Crazy Loser in a Box. Madeline shifted her attention as mainly as a V-Idol and influencer during this period. 

The band just returned to full-time status in 2020. And they reached potentially prolific status with their music and brand in the indies and on social-media with what they do. Recent years proved to be very prosperous and helped the Patrick Lew Band reach new heights. Since then, the band's music has reached thousands of listeners in an estimated 51 different countries worldwide on Apple Music/iTunes. Subsequent reviews and press regarding PLB have been positive. 

From 2020 onward since returning to pursuing their passion for making music, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) decided to transition their project into an exclusively Internet Only type of band. 

Since 2020, PLB has been featured in numerous blogs and digital music magazines online. While Lew maintains his citizenship and residence in San Francisco, the band also began gravitating their musical focus to "break into" the music scene worldwide.

2020 and 2021 also saw the band continue and sustain their momentum as a Internet-based rock band. Conducting a few Livestream concerts on social-media, and gaining new legions and generation of followers. The band also released several albums during these two years respectively on iTunes and Spotify, including their first live album IN YOUR HOUSE! Rumors began to swirl in mid-2021 regarding the Patrick Lew Band's future online. However, the PLB released more new music going into the year 2022 online. 

The band PLB remains active on social-media and as an Internet-based band!

LEWNATIC - THE BAND BIO

LEWNATIC415 is a hard rock band that was created by Patrick Lew Hayashi, who is best known for his indie music career and his work with the Patrick Lew Band and TheVerse. Born to a Chinese father and Japanese mother of mixed descent, Patrick began playing guitar at age 13 when his cousin Andy was living with his family while studying at a community college as an International Student. He began his indie music career in 2001, playing guitar and singing in his high school band, which later would evolve into the Patrick Lew Band. Patrick is also a moderately known influencer, having been making YouTube videos online since 2007 at age 21.

In July 2019, during the second year of Patrick Lew Band’s (PLB) hiatus, Patrick began brainstorming ideas to go “back-to-basics” with his music as a solo artist. 

Much of the 2010s was dedicated to experimenting with many different styles of music (particularly prog-rock and EDM) as a semi-professional musician with PLB. After completing and serving four years touring and recording with the San Francisco shoegaze/post-punk band TheVerse, Patrick Lew was without an active band and left without any musical ideas for the first time since 2013. 

Patrick decided to return to his gritty, abrasive and in-your-face metal, hard rock and garage punk sound for his new idea as a musician and guitarist. For the first few weeks, he asked his friends on his Facebook page about ideas potentially for a new band name for his new heavy metal music project. Initially, the band was known as Lewnatic Park. Shortly after, Patrick dropped “Park” in the band name, concerned that the audience would mistake his new project as a Linkin Park cover band, and out of respect for the band’s frontman Chester Bennington (who died in 2017). He eventually settled on the official name Lewnatic (a spoonerism of his father’s surname “Lew” and “Lunatic”) when pursuing this new music project of his. 

Lewnatic’s sound is best described as garage punk, hard rock, metal. They take some of the heavier and rocking elements from the early 2010s era PLB sound, except very modern. Another way to describe Lewnatic’s music is a modernization of hard rock bands from circa 1992. 

In August 2019, the band Lewnatic traveled to Japan for a week for musical and leisure related purposes. Playing a few very low-key and underground punk shows in Japan. He returned to his hometown San Francisco by the end of month, and began occasionally jamming with Filipino-American rapper A. K.AYE at his home studio.  

Between November 2019 to March 2020, Lewnatic would work with their booking agents Afton Shows and began performing monthly residencies at San Francisco’s historic DNA Lounge. On their December 15, 2019 performance, A. K. AYE made his first live appearance onstage with Patrick at the club. This improvised and spontaneous live performance would become their debut album Brotherhood, released worldwide via CDBaby in early 2020. On March 8, 2020, Patrick and A. K.AYE would perform one more show at DNA Lounge before the COVID-19 pandemic hit worldwide and forced all musicians to cancel their plans and go into complete Quarantine.

For the next two years, Patrick returned to performing, recording and live-streaming webcasts with the Bay Area band that made him sort of famous globally with his cousin Madeline Lew, the Patrick Lew Band.  Embarking on their most prolific stage as artists. By this point, the Patrick Lew Band began receiving recognition and exposure worldwide and online. As bloggers and curators began writing about PLB more positively and they began putting Patrick Lew Band’s music more out there to the public. 

Lewnatic would eventually return from hiatus in early 2022, as COVID-19 pandemic began winding down considerably and quietly in the San Francisco Bay Area. He began working with his booking agents Afton Shows again. The band Lewnatic (sans A. K.AYE) once again performed live music at DNA Lounge on February 20, 2022. 

The band’s live setup and tech rider is based on minimalism and convenience when traveling with Patrick’s guitar rig. Instead of bringing his 50 watt Marshall amp and lots of gear in an Uber ride to venues he’s booked to perform for the evening, most of Lewnatic’s live gear is based off a virtual guitar amp and backing tracks on Patrick’s laptop. Alongside, an inexpensive audio DI box and Fender Telecaster. 

As a live musical act, the band Lewnatic performs a mix of PLB and solo heavy rock inspired material that Patrick created mostly without Madeline and Madoku involved in the Patrick Lew Band. The musical arrangements vary and are different for every performance every night! 

During the end of March 2022, Lewnatic began recording their second album Strictly Prohibited at their home studio in San Francisco. On one of the new upcoming tracks “As Gritty As I Want To Be,” Patrick’s relative Madeline Lew makes a guest appearance as a lead singer. The music creation for the entire album was finished in less than a week reportedly, and is currently pending to be released worldwide on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube through their distributor CDBaby online. 

Lewnatic is set to perform a virtual concert inside their rehearsal space. Which is set to world premiere on Patrick Lew Band’s YouTube channel on May 1, 2022 at 7:15 PM (PST)! 

The main motives for doing the band Lewnatic is to have fun, play heavy music and not take life and music in general so seriously. And the occasional punk rock show, whether it be a webcast or at the local dive bar! A lot of musical ideas in the studio that was omitted from PLB will be compiled exclusively for the band Lewnatic in the near future! 

PLB (Patrick Lew Band) Press Biography

PATRICK LEW BAND (PLB) is an Asian-American rock band formed in San Francisco, California by singer, guitarist, YouTuber and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Lew Hayashi (born Patrick Allan Lew; November 15, 1985). 

The band PLB was previously known under various guises and pseudonyms. They were previously a dysfunctional and inconsistent type of local punk rock band (with 4 or 5 members previously) before becoming the solo project of Patrick Lew. In addition to guitar and vocals, Lew plays all or most of the instruments on the records. Since 2016, the band PLB is largely an Internet-based rock band from San Francisco and mostly participates in home recording and occasional live performances locally. 

The band also features a virtual band member and bassist named Madeline Lew, marketed as Patrick's younger sister in storyline. The band's bassist Madeline was created through modern smartphone apps such as FaceApp and Reface. Alongside, other digital special effects and sophisticated editing such as cosplaying as her character in the band. 

He is currently an unsigned independent musician but he is distributing his music through his own label Lewnatic Records. Since mid-2020, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) has expanded and reportedly reached 51 countries worldwide on the Internet in the modern era of Internet indie music, despite having very little or no mainstream presence, marketing or promotion from the media. Most of PLB's credentials came thanks to the Internet through bloggers/curators and digital music magazines writing about the Patrick Lew Band.   

THE HISTORY

Patrick Lew Hayashi has been active locally and online in music since 2001. He was playing in various short-lived local bands in San Francisco before pursuing his music in general with the Patrick Lew Band worldwide. He originally started his main YouTube channel and began uploading his homemade videos related to his life and his music on February 2, 2007. Patrick attended Wallenberg High School in San Francisco, graduating in 2004 after being held back one grade while in elementary school. He also attended Soko Gakuen Japanese School, and graduated and got certified around the same time he graduated from high school. He later attended CSU East Bay, graduating with a B.A in Philosophy and Music Composition in 2011. He began playing guitar at the age of 13 through his older cousin Andy, whom was living with his family at the time in San Francisco while attending a community college as an International Student.   

Patrick was born on November 15, 1985 to a Chinese father and a Japanese mother of mixed descent. He mostly grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. His upbringing was rather tense and unstable, but Patrick often maintains that he had a happy childhood for the most part. To make up for his problems during childhood and while going to school, he turned to rock music, video games, professional wrestling and TV shows for comfort. And he often traveled with his family for vacations in foreign countries (such as Hong Kong) and other places common with tourists, such as Las Vegas and Hollywood. 

The Patrick Lew Band was previously an inconsistent would-be punk rock band between friends and former schoolmates. They performed under many "guises" such as Famiglia, Samurai Sorcerers, Band of Asians, Dexter Rotten, Patrick and Greg Blues Band and so forth. The band PLB was evolved and rebranded from these previous short-lived local bands around mid-2008 via the band's MySpace blog. 

Patrick also began using YouTube as a platform dedicated to his life as an artist/musician and in general on February 2, 2007. Although, it would take several years for his YouTube channel to reach a small dose of recognition on the Internet. As of today, there are 400+ uploaded videos on his YouTube channel since he first created his account back in 2007.  

After a few home-recorded demo albums between 2006 to 2012, the former band talked about making their band to transition from being an online collaboration to becoming in between a live performing and home recording local rock band. However, tensions flared within the band over creative and religious differences. Lew wanted to take his band and put it out there to see where the band's music would go, whereas the other band members were uninterested in pursuing a secular area in the music business. 

The idea eventually was abandoned, and Lew was dealing with a loveless relationship with his former fiancee which affected and drained him mentally. Having played in the indie scene in many failed startup bands and false starts for over a decade, Patrick Lew seemed to have lost his passion for music. When his relationship with his then-fiancee ended, Lew decided to rekindle his passion for playing music and doing home recording. 

The Patrick Lew Band as we know it now started in 2015 as a home studio project where Lew would write songs or compose instrumental ideas and post them on social-media to see what comes out of it. 

Having learned the hardship and frustration of getting his music out there in various platforms in the "commercial" and traditional music industry. Lew created his own indie label and named his home recording studio LEWNATIC which foresees the releases of Patrick Lew Band related material through different platforms such as digital downloads, CDs and etc etc. 

Despite some of the hardships and negativity that Lew has encountered during 2015 and some of 2016, the Patrick Lew Band maintained consistency and was experiencing a very creative period in their indie music career. By July 2016, the Patrick Lew Band won an award for Best Experimental Rock Song with the Akademia Music Awards. Lew also pursued side-projects and worked with other local musicians. 

Lew also began expanding PLB to where he originally wanted. And he self-released a few EPs with the Patrick Lew Band through Bandcamp, Soundcloud and other sites. Having enough music to release a full-length album regardless of what people thought of him in the past or present day. The loss of his beloved mother and a scabies scare prevented Lew from touring and promoting his new album temporarily. 

But with the blessings of positive outlooks and putting himself out there. Lew began working with promoters Afton to handle the booking for live Patrick Lew Band shows locally. The Patrick Lew Band was booked to perform at the Brick & Mortar in San Francisco, California on August 6, 2017 originally. Even local hard rock radio station 107.7 THE BONE marketed the show. Low ticket sales however pushed the show to October 8th that year, which Lew performed a stunning and blistering five-song set at the venue. A recap video of the show can be found on Lew's YouTube channel. 

Also, the band introduced long lost sibling Madeline Lew as a full-time member on Halloween 2015. (SEE BAND BIO INTRO). And has remained a mainstay in the Patrick Lew Band since. 

The band just returned to full-time status in 2020. And reached potentially prolific status with their music and brand in the indies and on social-media with what they do. Recent years proved to be very prosperous and helped the Patrick Lew Band reach new heights. Since then, the band's music has reached thousands of listeners in estimated 51 different countries worldwide on Apple Music/iTunes. And subsequent reviews and press regarding PLB (Patrick Lew Band) has been more positive. By this stage, the band PLB has been featured in numerous blogs and digital music magazines online since 2020. And the band also began gravitating their focus in music by attempting to "break into" the Japanese music scene and Japan, while maintaining their citizenship and residence in San Francisco. 

Patrick and Madeline Lew of the band PLB's main goal as artists is to bring their unique music worldwide without any limits or anything else holding them back. And present something positive to the world, the music scene and the Asian-American community!   

With the recent release of Patrick Lew Band's latest music Rolling Thunder through CDBaby, Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms. And Patrick Lew is currently working full-time at Safeway outside of the music and entertainment industry. But Patrick Lew Hayashi plans to accomplish more with what he is set out to do with his music! 

MUSICAL INFLUENCES

The Patrick Lew Band is largely influenced by the iconic Seattle grunge band Nirvana. Other key influences in the band and their music ranges from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Yutaka Ozaki, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Oasis, Miyavi, Guns N Roses, X Japan, Beyond (HK Band), Hatsune Miku, BTS, Jim Johnston, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails, The White Stripes, Green Day, Blink 182, The Fall, The Sex Pistols and many more. 

The Band:

Patrick Lew - lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, slide guitar, piano, programming, drums, percussion. 

Madeline Lew - keyboards, synthesizers, bass, lead vocals, programming, turntables. 

Hear More: https://open.spotify.com/artist/76q8r......