helterskelter.ca

SAIGON KICK
1991 - Saigon Kick.
1992 - The Lizard.
1993 - Water.
way more Helter Skelter.

February 12, 1991 - 2021: 30 years of: Saigon Kick.

Hardrock's not dead, it just when South.

Where SKID ROW pushed the low-end heaviness in hardrock with their 1989 debut Skid Row LP, another self-titled debut LP would also kick more un-kicked asses. Enter Florida's SAIGON KICK and their abrasive Michael Wagener produced debut album.

The bombastic tribal intro of "New World" sets the vibe and the louder and crunchier opening track "What You Say" breaks down walls on cue. The metal-vibe is afire on "What Do You Do" and "Suzy" and the headbanging "Acid Rain" and "Month Of Sundays" shall keep the front-row alive.

The band's primary influence is evident on the BEATLE-esque "My Life", while the powerful vocal unisons of "Colors" takes a hint from the almighty LEPPARD-catalog.

Wrong place at the wrong time and don't call them a glam band. 1991 is sadly the last year for arenarock, as by autumn, the crowd had move to new alternatives. SAIGON KICK are one of the last US band to provide some of hardrock's esthetics matched with a modern cutting-edge metal-sound. They will step-up and strike back in 1992 with The Lizard CD, before disintegrating.

Remember that it's always a party in 'Nam: Hanoi rocks and Saigon kicks !

*
What You Say = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ndAQoQIrKo
Saigon Kick = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oz3k3bWNN0&list=PLqX1PQNpcCZW6Q2KSnNwvo6a2zJTLPZar
Interview in Japan in 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOWPyUxyYkU
Live in Denmark in 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tby8KNag-PA

May 18, 1992 - 2022: 30 years of: The Lizard.

This ain't no white snake !

Los Angeles glam is getting it's ass kicked all the way to Saigon, by another East-Coast motley crew, here for some more red-knuckle action. The suave second release by these Miami-area rockers, this seamlessly tame lizard is of the lethal kind.

After the "Cruelty" intro, street-metal punches-in like a piledriver with "Hostile Youth". Raw power levels the ground with "All Alright", "Body Bags" and the slam-favorite 0:52sec punk-burst of "My Dog".

Melodic-rock is fully present on "World Goes Round" and on the beautiful epic "God Of 42nd Street" and the even more posh powerballad "All I Want" ...it's a shame nobody took notice of the later. Primitive harder fat-toned hardrock shoves with attitude on "Freedom" and on the metalized underground-hiding love-hunting title-track: "The Lizard".

Buying this tape in fast-changing 1992 was, for me, a relief in the hardrock-department. 53min+ of hard power did reach the RIAA-certified Gold plateau. The reptilian-rock of The Lizard is a challenging record and SAIGON KICK are a challenging band.

Sadly, inner conflicts would scar this unit, turn the gang into the Jason Bieler-led three-piece and eventually spring back with 1993's exploring Water CD.

*
Hostile Youth = video
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfg2y
All I Want = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q76R-wNTU1U
The Lizard = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKXxkcN7fIk&list=OLAK5uy_k-9oX05w3Fhv52Yfp9As7U_W6TN1Xv3aY
MTV interview and performance in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QWca6tyynk
Live in Brooklyn in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txLvPL0nbF4
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jko2RG-5Ur4

September 28, 1993 - 2023: 30 years of: Water.

...and then they were three.

Inner stress separated singer Matt Kramer from the band, no problem, as guitarist Jason Bieler would now front SAIGON KICK. Under the Seattle-cloud, it's by presenting deep various shades of rocknroll, that these young men would keep their heads above water.

A blunt metal-track pushes the competition aside "One Step Closer" to oblivion. Thrash with groove, an early 90s trick reprised by a hardrock band. The mosh continues with the audio "Torture" while they take an unexpected 90º twist with David Bowie's "Space Oddity" immortal-classic.

The title-track for "Water" climaxes with a gospel-choir, the primal "My Heart", the funk-bass driven "On And On", the bar-blues-ballad "The Way" and the 60s rockabillia "Sentimental Girl". Furthering the explorations, we get THE DOORS reptilian influenced "Close To You", the dreamy QUEEN-type "When You Were Mine" ...and Sergeant Pepper's long lost A.W.O.L. "Sgt. Steve".

A full rich 52min adventure throughout eclectic avenues of rock, sadly not enough for Atlantic Records, who soon dropped the band from it's roster. Their next venture would be 1995's darker diversified Devil In The Details CD.

Third album is a charm !

*
I Love You = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4C3Cin1rsI
On And On = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5H0Kd2M_g
Water = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjnmmwkFZGI&list=OLAK5uy_kei4CKEFYvbVhhnGXIBBBv7BAhULmHcgM
Live in 1993
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ijpCb9v1Aw
some band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXzaVaXyLWI