Lewnatic
San Francisco, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2019 | INDIE
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As the music industry continues to evolve, independent artists are finding new ways to achieve success on their own terms. One such artist is Patrick Lew Hayashi, who has been making waves in the underground rock scene for over a decade. With his band Patrick Lew Band (PLB), and later as a solo act under the name Lewnatic, he has garnered a dedicated following thanks to his unique sound and DIY approach to music production. In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Patrick to discuss his journey.
Teenage Garage Band Member
Patrick Lew Hayashi, also known as Patrick Allan Lew, is an Asian-American multi-talented artist who was born in San Francisco in 1985 to a Chinese father and a Japanese mother of mixed descent. At the age of 15, while attending Wallenberg High School, he formed a band called the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) in his hometown. His early years in the indie music circuit were spent playing in a garage band, and in 2005, he was briefly signed to an indie label based in La Jolla, California.
In this interview, Patrick reminisced about his early music journey and how he started playing guitar at the age of 13, stating that “the guitar was my first instrument. I started playing at age 13 back in the Summer of 1999. I also played bass guitar and piano.” Over the years, he played in several local bands in San Francisco, including TheVerse, Benigneglect, and Crazy Loser in a Box. He also filled in as a bassist for his friend Johnny Lawrie’s punk band The Tortured back in 2016.
Patrick Lew Hayashi of Lewnatic Band
The Birth of Lewnatic
In July 2022, Patrick signed a 1-year deal with Bentley Records under his band name Lewnatic. Lewnatic had been a touring and live-streaming experiment until then, but with the release of their first album under a record label (and its third LP) titled Rapid Fire worldwide on August 19, 2022, featuring six all-new guitar-based instrumental rock compositions with a strong City Pop and Anime-like theme, the band became official.
Reflecting on the band’s success, Patrick boldly describes Lewnatic as “a one-man rock and roll machine.” The band’s unique sound, a fusion of City Pop and Anime-like themes, has garnered widespread recognition, especially in the Japanese music scene. Patrick is a digital creator within the music industry and records all his guitar parts through an inexpensive Digital Audio Interface from PreSonus hooked up to his 2012 MacBook Pro running Logic. He recognizes the perks and privileges of owning a home studio, saying, “I practically renovated my 2-Floor family house in the Excelsior District in San Francisco into my own rock star playground.”
Towards the end of 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.
Awards and Achievements
Being signed with Bentley Records was a significant moment in Patrick’s career. “When I signed with Bentley Records, I felt like the Patrick Lew Band saga was cemented officially. I got what I always wanted in my life,” he reminisces.
Patrick describes himself as “the type of music artist that cares less about algorithms and the number of likes/followers on social media. But most of the satisfaction I have comes from the places related to music that showcases what I do or did in Lewnatic or Patrick Lew Band for sure!”
He goes on to explain, “My happiest moment was when Top Music Japan showcased the EP Rapid Fire as a featured rock album in the Japanese music scene! Of course, I’m partially of Japanese descent and proud of it too. So, it means a lot that I got to share my name alongside other heavy hitters from J-ROCK and J-POP on that same website, like Miyavi and X Japan!”
Apart from his music, Patrick has also gained recognition for creating a virtual band member and bassist named Madeline Lew, marketed as his younger sister, through modern smartphone apps such as FaceApp and Reface, alongside other digital special effects and sophisticated editing, such as cosplaying. He also started an Only Fans account to allow fans to have more intimate and personal access to himself, alongside Madeline.
In addition to his band’s success, Patrick has also received personal recognition for his achievements. He is an inductee to the 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame Class of 2019 at his alma mater, CSU East Bay, as Patrick Lew Band (alongside Madeline Lew). He was also the first-place winner of the July 2016 Akademia Music Award for the best experimental rock song, “Game Changer.”
In conclusion, Patrick Lew’s journey in the music industry is a testament to the power of determination, talent, and hard work. From his early beginnings in the San Francisco Bay Area to his current status as a rising star in the global music scene, Patrick’s story is one of perseverance and passion for music. With multiple successful projects under his belt, including the acclaimed Patrick Lew Band and his latest venture, Lewnatic, Patrick has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his craft and his fans. As he continues to grow and evolve as an artist, it is clear that Patrick Lew is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, and we can only expect more great things from him in the future. - MUSIC PR JAPAN
Lewnatic, a dynamic Asian-American rock band hailing from San Francisco, is the brainchild of the exceptionally talented Sino-Japanese-American musician, Patrick Lew Hayashi. Initially formed in 2019 as the musical predecessor of the Patrick Lew Band, the group began making waves in the indie music circuit and beyond, captivating the hearts of the Japanese-American community and online music enthusiasts in just a few short months.
In December 2019, Lewnatic welcomed Filipino-American rapper, multi-instrumentalist, and beatmaker, A.K.AYE, who made his electrifying debut at the band’s unforgettable performance at San Francisco’s legendary DNA Lounge. Together, the duo rebranded Lewnatic into a high-octane rap-metal band, BenignNeglect, transforming the project from a solo venture into a fiery, sonic force that transcended genres.
Despite their successful residencies at DNA Lounge during the COVID-19 pandemic, BenignNeglect was eventually put on indefinite hold, while Patrick returned to touring, performing, and recording full-time with the Patrick Lew Band (PLB). However, in 2022, Lewnatic was rebranded as a spin-off of the PLB and underwent a dramatic overhaul. With renewed vigor, Lewnatic released new music independently, culminating in the long-awaited major album release, Rapid Fire!, on August 17, 2022, under the esteemed record label, Bentley Records.
What Lewnatic is All About
The band’s name Lewnatic is a direct spoonerism of his father’s surname Lew and the word “Lunatic.”
Hayashi’s musical journey has been nothing short of remarkable, having released numerous EPs, singles, and two full-length albums under his solo project Lewnatic since its inception in 2019. He has also ventured into acting, having made a brief cameo appearance in Season 4, Episode 1 of Amazon’s critically acclaimed series The Man in the High Castle. In 2019, the Patrick Lew Band was inducted into the prestigious 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame at their alma mater, CSU East Bay.
Following the indefinite postponement of BenignNeglect, Patrick reformed Lewnatic as a live-streaming and solo touring experiment, rapidly producing new music and digital content.
From a Self-taught Musician and Performer
Despite being largely self-taught, Hayashi quickly established himself as a versatile musician, teaching himself how to create his own music as a bedroom producer, utilizing his guitar-playing skills and adding angst-filled lyrics related to alienation and abjection.
In addition to his solo endeavors, Patrick toured, recorded, and performed with the San Francisco-based shoegaze band, TheVerse, between 2015 and 2019, releasing one EP during his tenure with the group. He also played guitar with his then-girlfriend Madoku Raye’s Silicon Valley-based Post-Rock band, Crazy Loser in a Box, occasionally since 2018.
Despite Lewnatic’s sporadic live performances, the band has cemented itself as one of the most prolific internet-based virtual rock bands of their time, producing cutting-edge music and digital content that continue to captivate audiences worldwide. As Patrick continues to pursue his musical journey with both PLB and Lewnatic, his dedication to delivering unique music and innovative digital content remains unwavering.
Owing to his YouTube channel, Patrick has gradually become a renowned influencer and digital creator, alongside his cross-dressing alter-ego, Madeline Lew. Patrick and Madeline embarked on a thrilling journey that propelled the Patrick Lew Band to become Asian-American icons on the Internet, gaining extensive coverage in digital music magazines, blogs, and the press.
Patrick Lew Hayashi, the creator of Lewnatic and Patrick Lew Band, has been a key figure in the Asian-American rock music scene in recent years. Through his self-taught musical skills and his use of digital technology, he has been able to create unique and cutting-edge music that has gained recognition both in the indie music circuit and in the online community. While Lewnatic has gone through several iterations, Patrick continues to explore new musical territories and push the boundaries of what is possible in the digital age. With his passion for music and his dedication to his craft, he is sure to continue delivering exciting music and innovative content for years to come. - Vents Magazine
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Patrick Lew Hayashi (better known by his stage name LEWNATIC) is a guitarist, DJ, songwriter, and YouTuber. He is also a recording artist on New York City’s Bentley Records. He is perhaps best known for his tenures with the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) and more recently, with LEWNATIC. He has also played music and toured sporadically for other musical projects locally in Northern California. Born 1985 in San Francisco as Patrick Allan Lew, Patrick was raised in the Bay Area to a Chinese father and Japanese mother of mixed descent. He became a passionate fan of Grunge, Punk, J-ROCK, and American and British Classic Rock music as a child. His favorite bands growing up were Nirvana, The Rolling Stones, X Japan, Green Day, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue, The Beatles, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Silverchair, BEYOND, B’z, and Led Zeppelin. He began playing guitar at the age of 13 and studied guitar and music composition at Vibo Music Center and California State University East Bay (B.A., 2011). While attending Raoul Wallenberg High School in San Francisco during the early 2000s, he formed what would become the first incarnation of the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) with his classmates. While a student in college in 2007, he began uploading online content on YouTube related to his music. Patrick graduated from Raoul Wallenberg High School in 2004, and also graduated from Soko Gakuen Japanese School that same year. By the early-to-mid 2000s, the Patrick Lew Band began putting their music online on many different websites. In 2005 at the tender young age of 19, the group was briefly signed to Statue Records. The group would relocate to Antioch, CA during the late 2000s, and would perform and record locally in Contra Costa County’s garage band circuit. After many false starts on-and-off, personal struggles, and a rotating line-up of sidemen and potential band members, the Patrick Lew Band briefly took a two-year break from making music by the end of 2012. In 2015, he officially introduced his fictitious relative Madeline Lew (his M2F cross-dressing alter-ego) as a virtual band member and mascot of the Patrick Lew Band. That same year, he also rebuilt and rebranded the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) as an Internet-based virtual rock band, performing live sporadically, but more focus on home recording and producing unique music that’s been described, “as a dynamic and anthemic fusion of classic rock, J-Pop, and grunge.” After Madeline’s arrival in the project, PLB began achieving exposure in the local music scene that long eluded them. By 2020, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) became relatively prolific in the indie music community and on the Internet, as numerous press and bloggers began curating PLB and writing about them. Madeline’s singing voice was created on VOCALOID and A.I. singing technology, whereas, her likeness is mainly created by Gender Swapping on very popular iPhone/Android smartphone apps, alongside Photoshopping. The Patrick Lew Band was inducted in the Akademia Music Hall of Fame in September 2023. A few years earlier in 2019, Patrick adopted his mother’s maiden name Hayashi (林) legally into his name, and created a touring and live-streaming solo project as a musician under the stage-name LEWNATIC, touring Japan and performing live shows once-a-month at San Francisco’s historic DNA Lounge, until the COVID-19 pandemic happened a year later. By 2022, he reactivated his solo project LEWNATIC and quickly began making music and live-streaming as a recording artist on social-media. By July that year, he signed with Bentley Records and quickly produced and released three mini-albums (EPs) during 2022 and 2023. He rebranded LEWNATIC as a more simplified version of the Patrick Lew Band, and as the spin-off/offshoot band related to the PLB. Most of LEWNATIC’s music tends to be Instrumental Rock, with some lead vocals on Patrick’s behalf on selective songwriting ideas. During 2023, Lewnatic performed a few live-stream performances on Patrick's YouTube channel. And also, performed and were interviewed extensively for Luke Sauer's podcast at San Francisco's Edge Studios streamed worldwide on Memorial Day. 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! Expect more from the Sino-Japanese rock and roll pariah and icon himself. The Lewnatic is coming to town!
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