PureVolume

Patrick Lew's Band. Solo Grunge musician who promotes his music via Internet on websites like this. If you combined some early Green Day, with some rebellious Guns N' Roses attitude, a little recipe of some Aerosmith, Pearl Jam and Silverchair, a social smidgen or two of Motley Crue and White Lion, and add a little Bay Area multiculturalism and a deviant but unique Asian rock singer in Patrick Lew. You would basically cook up his sound.

Q&A

Why did you choose this name for your music or solo project?
Well, Patrick Lew is my REAL NAME. The BAND refers to the music and art I created either as a solo artist or playing guitar in my former local Bay Area garage bands. This is a solo musician adventure, and Patrick Lew is INDEED my REAL NAME.

The "band" in the music refers to the musicians who were involved in making rocking music with me in the studio. Patrick Lew's Band can also be an archival vault of recorded music I did since 2000 or 2001 as a San Francisco local musician who promotes himself constantly online on his computer. Such as outtakes, jams, unfinished music and studio album tracks. This is basically a portfolio to chart the progression and evolution that is me and my music.

Does your garage band play your music live?
Yes as a matter of a fact, I did. Duh! I mainly toured locally with my two former bands, Band of Asians and Silent Minister in my music career as an independent musician and sound artist. We played shows in recreational centers, bars, small nightclubs, Chinatown and EVEN. School. We did play a few gigs as talented yet starving Internet musicians in the Powell and Civic Center BART subway station in San Francisco and the streets of Downtown SF and Oakland at times. But we mainly promote our music via Internet and did focus on investing money into musical gear from the Guitar Center to make some rockin' music. Patrick Lew's Band along with OTHER former projects associated with my music career has been promoting our music and franchise via Internet since 2001. And we're passionate about music regardless what naysayers and corrupt music industry companies like major or indie record labels think about us.

Right now, I'm keeping everything LOW-KEY. For many reasons. I have college, family and other opportunities to jam with schoolmates and online friends because of boredom to show our passion for making and playing Rock music on our gear. I don't have a lot of time to play gigs because, I am busy with college and my personal life at this time. But music will always be a passion for me, either recording or playing it center stage.

How does MP3 change the music industry in general? Why?
Changes everything. Helps unknown people who CREATE music get heard. By setting up a website and, writing a story and showcase our music on a computer and the Internet. It changes everything. Before, there wasn't easy ways to get your band's music heard unless you played lots of shows, had your song played on MTV or Radio and had a CD or tape sold in record stores. Now anyone, regardless, can record their music at home and put it up online with today's technology. God bless reality.

Would I ever sign a record deal with a major or independent record label?
I would say, yes and no. Because, while I love being an independent rock musician after all. Promoting my songs and writing my story on websites like this. I still want recognition and make an IMPACT with whatever I am doing. But I say no, because I am a very complicated Asian guy who is against the traditions and politics of the music industry. I had many friends growing up in the San Francisco music scene who wanted to get signed to a major or indie record label, in bands, but many of whom didn't get far from just playing gigs at bars and clubs. I also am against people suddenly sucking up to me, after years of alienation and hardships I've experienced not only in the music industry. But in reality. But I still want success and recognition for my music and me. Yeah

My musical interests and influences...
Mostly the Beatles, 70's and 80's Hard Rock, Alternative Rock and Punk. Some METAL such as Metallica along the way. But I mainly create music with my own individuality. I been making music since I was 13, but my musical interests are always expanding. I like 70's and 80's Hard Rock like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Guns And Roses and Aerosmith. I like early 90's Grunge like Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I like Punk such as The Clash and Minor Threat. I even listen to underground Hip Hop. Everything man, as long as it's up my alley. I like all music.

My favorite spot in the world has to be...
East Bay, California. Anywhere else? School, only with the company of close schoolmates and friends. Other than that, home sweet home in Antioch, playing my Xbox 360. Reading and playing guitar in my room. And going on Facebook.com to keep in contact with friends online on my computer. And being in my home studio making crappy but interesting music, and playing a gig onstage when time permits me to do so. I love to entertain and give art and music to the people, and earn appreciation for what I do.

What musical equipment or gear do I use to make music with?
I basically use Fender and Epiphone guitars. As far as amp goes, I use Marshall and Fender practice amps. Along with Digitech RP50 and Boss DS-2 guitar FX pedals. I record on my computer laptop running Line6 Riffworks, and I use drum loops I find off websites to be the "virtual" drummer. Because, I don't OWN a drum kit at home. I use other recording software like, Cubase and some software guitar amps like Line6 TonePort GX or Guitar Rig to record my tunes.

Other Biographical Notes
My music and ideas in the studio, at home. A portfolio of my ART and Rock And Roll music. I’m a rebellious, deviant and outsider Chinese rock star from the Bay Area making music since 1999 or 2001, the actual time I started being a musician is debated in sources. But whatever! In this page, you will find recordings of songs and instrumentals I did with my former bands Band of Asians, Silent Minister and me solo.


Internet Musician SINCE 2001. Been in bands, played some shows locally, promoted my music online. Now studying music and doing it as a solo musician in college at Cal State East Bay.

I was born in 1985 in San Francisco, California. I am currently in college working on a BA degree in Philosophy and Music at the moment. My interests is mainly art and music, I am in fact as struggling local musician trying to make music, put it online and learn my ropes and odyssey for fame in the music industry. I am of Asian descent, meaning I am Taiwanese American. Though I don’t speak my ethnic languages. I mainly play guitar as a musician and write songs and make my music on the computer and put it up online. I’ve been through a lot of good and bad in my lifetime. But again, it’s all been worth it! After 24 years in my life, I am taking the time to do some evaulation to cleanse myself after years of turmoil. I think personally! I am living for today, but have a strong sense of missing the Nineties! It’s true.

I’ve been on Soundclick as a solo musician since August 2005, and I also been making music in garage bands. Getting ourselves noticed and heard to survive since 2001 locally and via Internet, on websites like this. We done some sporadic shows regionally in the Bay Area as musicians. I been making music since I started playing guitar at age 13, and I am a very unconventional musician and songwriter. Considering I know little about conventional music theory and etc. I love being a one-man band (Patrick Lew’s Band) because, more freedom, creativity and artistically. And I don’t work under timing issues. But I do miss playing shows. I mostly make Grunge, Hard Rock and Punk kind of music as a solo musician. With a few extra added electronics!