Lewnatic Biography

Lewnatics call himself the Asian-American guitar hero and punk rock DJ.

Patrick Lew Hayashi, born Patrick Allan Lew on November 15, 1985, in San Francisco, California, to a Chinese father and Sino-Japanese mother, grew up immersed in rock and grunge. Inspired by Nirvana, Metallica, and The Beatles, he began playing guitar at age 13 after discovering his cousin’s old Fender and amp. He graduated from Raoul Wallenberg High School and Soko Gakuen Japanese School in 2004 and earned a B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in Music Composition from California State University, East Bay in June 2011. These formative years shaped his DIY recording approach and online hustle

Patrick’s first major project was Band of Asians, which self-released REVENGE on his 21st birthday in 2006. He soon rebranded to the Patrick Lew Band (PLB), a revolving internet-based collective where members recorded parts remotely and sent them to Patrick for final production.
Between 2009 and 2012, PLB self-released

Jump! Rattle! And Roll!!! (2006; retconned in 2019)
Curb Your Wild Life (2009)
Let It Rise and Against (2009)
Murder Bay (2011)
EP: Angry Yellow (2012)

Patrick led all aspects of sound, crafting grunge and pop-metal anthems. The group went on hiatus in late 2012 due to creative differences.

In 2015, Patrick revived PLB as an online “virtual rock band,” introducing Madeline Lew—his cross-dressing M2F alter ego using VOCALOID and AI vocals. Madeline rebooted the band’s image, earning blog features, press coverage, and a Bay Area FM radio mention

During this time, PLB released:

14 full-length home-recorded albums
1 live album
Several EPs and singles

Patrick’s consistent output and Madeline’s viral appeal established PLB as a prolific bedroom-producer collective.

Birth of Lewnatic as a Duo (2019–2020)
In Summer 2019, Patrick and friend Ahmed formed Lewnatic, originally a rap-metal duo. They held monthly residencies at San Francisco’s DNA Lounge until the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020. The name “Lewnatic” combines his surname and “lunatic,” reflecting Patrick’s bold genre-mixing style.

Solo Lewnatic & Bentley Records (2022–Present)
In early 2022, Lewnatic was retooled into a solo act. On July 19, 2022, Patrick signed a one-year Artist Development deal with New York-based Bentley Records. He released three EPs under the Lewnatic name in 2022–2023 and relaunched live-stream shows on YouTube.

He toured Japan virtually, ran a CD/QR promo tour in Los Angeles (May 2024), and appeared on Luke Sauer’s podcast (Memorial Day 2023) featuring performances and discussions of his artistic path.

Musical Style, Gear, and Influences
Patrick fuses 90s grunge, pop-metal riffs, and classic rock. He performs with a Fender Telecaster into a Marshall CODE50, using backing tracks and A.I. instrumentals from his laptop.

Influences:

• Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Silverchair
• Metallica, Guns N’ Roses
• Oasis, The Beatles
• X Japan, Miyavi
• BTS, J-Pop/Chiptune hybrids

His lyrics center on alienation, resilience, and identity in the digital age.

Beyond the Music
Patrick has managed a YouTube channel with over 400 videos since 2007 and stays active on Instagram. He funds his music through his day job at Costco and participates in the Asian-American arts scene, gaming, and underground wrestling.

He continues to push boundaries with PLB’s upcoming Forbidden Door (2024) and Lewnatic’s evolving rock journey.

Connect with Lewnatic
Website
YouTube
Instagram
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