Saigon Kick
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Coral Springs, Florida , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, singles |
Saigon Kick is a hard rock group originating from Coral Springs, FL, established in 1988. The founding members consisted of lead singer Matt Kramer, lead guitarist Jason Bieler, bassist Tom Defile, and drummer Phil Varone. Presently, the band features Jason Bieler, Steve Gibb, and Phil Varone.
Their most notable work is the sophomore album, The Lizard, which reached number 80 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s prominent single, "Love Is on the Way", climbed to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking their only entry on that chart. Both the album and its hit single earned gold certification.
Formation and rise to prominence (1988–1992)
Vocalist Matt Kramer and guitarist Jason Bieler formed Saigon Kick alongside bassist Tom DeFile and drummer Phil Varone, cultivating a local fan base that secured them a deal with Third Stone Records in 1990. Their debut, self-titled album was released in 1991 but experienced limited commercial impact despite extensive touring efforts.
Their follow-up album, The Lizard, was recorded swiftly and released in 1992. It featured their only US hit single, "Love Is on the Way", which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Before embarking on the supporting tour, bassist Tom DeFile was replaced by Chris McLernon, formerly of Cold Sweat. By 1996, The Lizard had sold over half a million copies and received gold status—the band’s sole album to achieve this milestone.
Subsequent years and disbandment (1993–2000)
In 1993, Saigon Kick traveled back to Sweden to work on their third album, Water. During these sessions, lead vocalist Matt Kramer departed due to disagreements over creative direction and finances. Guitarist Jason Bieler took over vocal responsibilities and completed the album with additional recording in Tampa, Florida. For the 1993 tour, guitarist Pete Dembrowski joined the lineup. Commercially, Water fell short of matching its predecessor’s success, resulting in Atlantic Records dropping the band in 1994.
By 1995, Saigon Kick had signed with CMC International and released their fourth studio album, Devil in the Details, featuring Bieler, McLernon, Varone, and Dembrowski. Despite extensive touring worldwide—particularly across Southeast Asia—they were unable to replicate the US success experienced with The Lizard.
In July 1997, the band briefly reunited with original vocalist Kramer returning and new drummer Ricky Sanders replacing Varone. This five-piece lineup contributed "Dizzy's Vine" to the compilation Moments from the Fringe. However, this reunion was short-lived as Bieler left after performing two shows.
The last studio album under the Saigon Kick name, Bastards, was recorded by Bieler, Dembrowski, and Sanders for an Asian market release in 1999. Subsequently, they retired the Saigon Kick moniker to form Super TransAtlantic.
In 2000, original members Kramer, Varone, and DeFile briefly revived Saigon Kick for a short tour with guitarist Jeff Blando stepping in for Bieler. Following this tour, the band officially dissolved.
Post-breakup period (2001–2011)
Following the band's initial split, Bieler, Dembrowski, and Sanders collaborated with bassist Pat Badger from Extreme to create Super TransAtlantic, which produced a single album titled Shuttlecock in 2000. Their track "Super Down" was featured on the American Pie movie soundtrack.
In 2002, Matt Kramer ventured into solo work with the release of his album War & Peas, and later authored a poetry collection called An American Profit in 2007.
Phil Varone became a member of Skid Row in 2000 after participating in bassist Rachel Bolan’s project Prunella Scales. He contributed to Skid Row's Thickskin album before departing in 2003 due to personal issues. Subsequently, Varone shifted his focus towards film promotion and comedy, eventually entering adult entertainment video production and launching a personalized adult toy product line.
Chris McLernon and Ricky Sanders founded Two Heads Music, a company dedicated to creating music for television, film, and advertising campaigns.
Jason Bieler, together with his brother Aaron, manages Bieler Bros. Records, a recording label and studio based in South Florida.
Ricky Sanders also toured as the drummer for Brian Howe, former vocalist of Bad Company.
Beginning in 2011, Jason Bieler initiated Owl Stretching, a studio-exclusive project with its music distributed through Bandcamp and iTunes.
Reunion era (2012–present)
On September 21, 2012, Saigon Kick revealed via their official Facebook page that all original members—Matt Kramer, Phil Varone, Jason Bieler, Tom Defile, and Chris McLernon—were reuniting with intentions to perform live and possibly produce new material.
By February 25, 2013, Tom Defile had exited the reunion lineup. The group conducted a series of shows in March and April 2013 across cities including Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City. Additional performances were arranged for December 2014 in Las Vegas and St. Petersburg; these concerts marked the return of original bassist Tom Defile filling in for Chris McLernon. The Las Vegas event was particularly significant as it featured four original members performing together for the first time in 22 years.
Drummer Phil Varone left the band on May 12, 2015, with Jonathan Mover stepping in for live appearances throughout that year. Shortly thereafter, bassist Chris McLernon also departed from the group.
Current lineup
- Jason Bieler – lead guitar and vocals
- Steve Gibb – rhythm guitar and bass
- Phil Varone – drums and backing vocals
Previous members
- Matt Kramer – lead vocalist
- Tom Defile – bass guitar
- Chris McLernon – bass, backing vocals, occasional guitar
- Pete Dembrowski – guitar and backing vocals
- Ricky Sanders – drums
- Jonathan Mover – drums
Former live performers
- Jeff Blando – lead guitarist
- Atom Ellis – bassist
Chronological overview
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Studio albums
| Year | Album | US | Sales / certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Saigon Kick | — | Over 100,000 copies sold |
| 1992 | The Lizard | 80 | US: Certified Gold (more than 500,000 units) |
| 1993 | Water | — | Sales exceeding 70,000 |
| 1995 | Devil in the Details | — | More than 15,000 copies sold |
| 1998 | Greatest Mrs.: The Best of Saigon Kick | — | Over 5,000 units sold |
| 1998 | Moments from the Fringe | — | Not available |
| 1999 | Bastards | — | Not reported |
| 2000 | Greatest Hits Live – Around the World 1991–1996 | — | No data available |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart rankings | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. Mainstream Rock | U.S. Mainstream Top 40 | |||
| 1992 | "Love Is on the Way" | 12 | 8 | 9 | US: Gold certification |
| "All I Want" | — | 15 | — | Not certified | |
| 1993 | "I Love You" | — | — | — | No certification |
| "One Step Closer" | — | — | — | ||
External links
- Official website (archived)
- Band biography at furious.com