BEHIND THE MUSIC
Patrick Lew was born on November 15, 1985 in San Francisco, California to a Chinese father and Japanese mother of mixed descent. He grew up in the Bay Area.
His early interests were wrestling, video games and cable television programming. He became interested in rock music at an early age. He began playing guitar when his cousin Andy was living with him briefly while studying at a community college as an International Student. He took a couple guitar lessons, but is mostly self-taught as a musician. 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. Patrick attended Wallenberg High School in San Francisco and graduated in 2003. He would later attend California State University, East Bay and studied Philosophy. He graduated from college in mid-2011 with a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy.
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. The Patrick Lew Band would begin to make an impact during 2016 and 2017, being mentioned on-air on the San Francisco classic rock radio station 107.7 THE BONE and winning the July 2016 Akademia Music Award for Best Rock Song with PLB. Around that same period, Patrick created a cyber band member in PLB also marketed as his fictional younger sister Madeline Lew through digital face & gender swapping apps. Madeline would join the band PLB on October 31, 2015 and has became a mainstay in the Patrick Lew Band since.
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. Between 2017 and 2020 during PLB's second hiatus, Patrick has played music in a variety of local Bay Area bands and branched outside of his own primary band PLB in the scene.
After PLB initially 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. He retired the PLB name temporarily, as he began performing locally under the name "LEWNATIC." LEWNATIC has self-released a live recording of their November 3, 2019 performance at San Francisco's DNA Lounge on music streaming services. The band LEWNATIC would become monthly residents at DNA Lounge as live performers.
In March 2020, LEWNATIC went on a hiatus as Patrick returned to making music and digital content with Patrick Lew Band with his sister Madeline Lew. For the next year-and- a-quarter, Patrick Lew Band was rigorously active in the indie music scene by putting out a lot of new digital content, doing live stream concerts, and using their house in San Francisco as a musical stage.
The band just 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 34 different countries worldwide on Apple Music/iTunes. And subsequent reviews and press regarding PLB (Patrick Lew Band) has been more positive.
By mid-2021 however, the Patrick Lew Band began slowing down their activity because of Patrick's 9 to 5 job at SAFEWAY. Only sporadically making appearances in the studio and in public. There's been rumors circulating about Patrick rebranding the PLB under the name LEWNATIC or even permanently retiring the "Patrick Lew Band" name. So far, these sources have been rather unclear. The future remains uncertain, but Patrick Lew insists that he will continue making music and YouTube videos with Patrick Lew Band. So far, Patrick Lew Band has released and published at least 12 full-length albums worldwide on Spotify and Apple Music.
On October 8, 2021, Patrick's former girlfriend and close friend Madoku officially joined the Patrick Lew Band as a lead vocalist and full-time band member.
LEWNATIC officially returned to live performances and as a touring solo act on February 20, 2022 at DNA Lounge in San Francisco.
PERSONAL LIFE & OTHER PROJECTS
Outside of music, he has acted in community theater and made a cameo appearance in an 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 SAFEWAY as a Grocery Team Member. 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.
Patrick was previously engaged from a former toxic relationship. He is currently happily single and living with his family and dogs in the Excelsior District in San Francisco. He has also dated his PLB bandmate Madeline on-and-off. He also previously dated his bandmate Yandie/Madoku from their band Crazy Loser in a Box! briefly in 2018. Currently, Patrick is dating Instagram influencer Shon Tullie.
Patrick identifies himself as Agnostic. He is also friends with Bay Area bands Hemorage, The Tortured, The Residuals, Akai Sky, The Porno Riots and SourFlower. And he is also close friends with fellow EDM DJ Robert Pan.
In mid-2021, he achieved a lifelong dream by virtually interacting with Japanese porn star Yukari Orihara via Instagram.
Patrick's hobbies outside of music also include sports (mostly professional wrestling), video games, cats, commercial driving, reading and watching television.
The Future?
Patrick Lew Band (PLB) will continue making music and putting out fresh new digital content in the foreseeable future. We ain't going anywhere or deactivating the project any time soon.
However, our touring and live performances will have to officially go on an indefinite hiatus.
I work at Safeway full-time, and is more willing or open to tour and perform shows in any band outside of PLB when necessary and sporadically. Whereas, Madeline Lew is more of a Meg White type in the band when it comes to touring and playing live shows.
I've been performing and recording with the band PLB for 20 years already. As a matter of fact, 3/4 of my lifespan so far was dedicated to being PLB on social-media and doing PLB in the music scene! I was 15 years old when I created the band PLB back in high school. Now I'm 36 almost. So that's more than half my life in the world of indie music doing Patrick Lew Band on-and-off.
This isn't me or her saying the band PLB is gonzo or done for good. Not at all! It's me saying, "we're still together and rocking but moving onto a completely all-new chapter creatively in the PLB band saga." Something that is unpredictable and also exciting at the same time where the pressure ain't on us to be like other local bands out there perhaps.
The plan for PLB in the future?
It's up in the air really.
I think 2021 or 2022 could be it for the Patrick Lew Band. All me and my crossdressing alter-ego (little sister in fiction) Madeline promised was just one more album. That's all.
Plus, I think I accomplished and did all that I could with PLB. I only brought back Patrick Lew Band in March 2020 after a three-year sabbatical to finish some unsettled business and goals I had in mind in the music industry. And COVID too. I wanted to prove to everyone I still got what it took to put my PLB out there as much as I could really! Because when my mom died in 2017, that was the end of my full-time run with PLB but not the way I originally wanted to end my career and tenure with Patrick Lew Band!
Once PLB is done and calls it a day. And writes our final chapter in the saga. I plan on rebooting my music career under the "LEWNATIC" band name. And also, retire the Madeline Lew gimmick (breaking kayfabe) in my music, although Madeline helped me reach a new level of success in indie music.
Now that I've possibly reached as far as I had with PLB, you see man, I always wanted to end Patrick Lew Band on my own terms and when I'm on top of my A-game! I didn't want PLB (me and Madeline) to become old and way past our prime still doing the Patrick Lew Band. There's bands in their 50s and 60s still singing the same hit songs from 40 years ago! And we didn't want to do that.
The first thing I said to myself was, "I always wanted PLB to end our career in music on top of our A-game and at our very highest!"
Some teasers for my post-PLB music.
I was gonna revive the band and project Lewnatic and call our albums Rage in a Cage. But each album will be divided by Volume number. Lolz.
And all our music and songs will sound like Hardcore Wrestling and video game music and shit.
I don't have to prove anything to anyone musically and in the scene as a solo artist. Just have fun with it!
I'm thinking of doing more METAL type of music but not with PLB of course.
PLB is all about rock and roll spectacle and showmanship. And taking over. This idea I conceived for a metal band happened on July 2, 2019. It was to keep it hella underground and low-key.
Metal isn't supposed to be mainstream typically, that's why I conceived an extreme metal band. To showcase my least impressive song ideas, because when I do rock out and jam on most days, it sounds like bad Norwegian black metal. Nothing like how PLB does it in the recording studio. PLB is a very ambitious and meticulous studio band.
But it could either be a revival of my Lewnatic gimmick or even with another brand spanking new band in-the-future. Like if I write 30 songs a year again, and all of them ain't good...They're going to be put into another band or project of mines. I save all my best ideas for PLB for sure. Lol.
Lewnatic (pre-Benigneglect) was intended to be a Death/Thrash Metal project of mines. And all the songs I wrote stored somewhere on my cloud storage and hard drive were a pile of crap compared to PLB's worst albums even. And 98% of those demos never got posted online.
Of course, nothing will ever top PLB. That's the band that put me on the map to the moon and back on everyone's smartphones or computers online. This idea I had for a metal band wasn't intended to have bangers and hits like PLB had.
Almost every song I wrote in pre-Benigneglect then known as Lewnatic were very crappy death metal songs.
Spoiler for this idea...There won't be a Sister Madeline in this project. She's cool with it though.
We'll see how this plans out. When I cross that line, I will let you know how that goes.
I think there's a lot of grind mentally to do PLB always, because everything has to try and be THE BEST IN THE WORLD when it comes to my first major band. Doing Lewnatic again would be great, because I get to showcase my crappiest songs I wrote and it would still get the mosh pit going!
Again, we'll have to wait and see.
The main plan for Patrick Lew Band (PLB) is to keep it exclusively a studio recording type of multimedia project.
Patrick and his Sister Madeline decided against touring behind PLB, but will remain active in the studio like our childhood idols The Beatles did later on in their careers! We will use the studio not only as a musical arsenal, but to broaden what PLB could possibly be as a platform! The possibilities are endless, especially with live streaming and advancements in digital technology!
We've been thinking of other digital platforms for PLB. Like music videos, we are currently working with local photographer James Conrad for those projects. Releasing some mini-documentaries about what we do. And Madeline will entertain you all with her sleek, sexy and bubbly persona online.
The music was just too sophisticated to bring as a live act. We don't want to invest in an ensemble or orchestra to go out and tour as PLB after the pandemic almost fully winds down. It's not a feasible option for us. We also didn't appreciate being in the limelight at times, because some people took us for granted on social-media, especially during 2019 and 2020.
Because of that. We're retreating from potentially commercial fame, we're pulling back from being swallowed by the mainstream. Instead, we are putting all our energies to making PLB more than just about the music...But as a global entity that transcends all platforms and mediums.
For touring purposes, Patrick (yours truly) will go on tour and play live shows under the nickname "LEWNATIC415" and maybe even with other bands, if available or open to the idea, depending on the circumstances.
LEWNATIC415 is intended strictly as a one-man rock showm, some side-men involved too maybe. With the advancements of today's musical and digital technology, and Patrick's guitar playing skills. This would be the touring format for Patrick as a live performer and entertainer. There will be synths, guitars, drum machines, vocals and other gadgets all being manipulated by one man onstage...Patrick Lew. Lol.
Madeline does not (kayfabe) want to tour. Shifting her main focus on plus-sized modeling, photography and other ventures. But will remain a key member in PLB in the studio. In short, she hasn't quit the Patrick Lew Band or was fired from it. She has different preferences when it comes to being a musician.
Despite musical and creative differences, there's no beef between me and the sista Maddie. Our relationship and morale is stronger (kayfabe) now than it was just a few years back!
Currently, there are no plans to tour and play shows with Patrick and Madeline's other band Crazy Loser in a Box! But the two will continue making some unique music with the band and putting it out there, despite their grueling scheduled appearances and occasional rigorous activity in PLB.
Sincerely,
Patrick Lew, Madeline Lew and Co. (on behalf of PLB)
No comments:
Post a Comment