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Saigon Kick

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Love Is On The Way - Guitar Lesson

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Band Overview

Saigon Kick emerged from Miami, Florida in the late 1980s and became one of the more musically ambitious Hard Rock acts of the early 1990s. Formed in 1988, the band blended hard rock, progressive elements, and surprisingly lush acoustic balladry into a sound that defied easy categorization. Their guitarist and primary songwriter Jason Bieler was the creative engine of the group, crafting riffs and arrangements that drew from Classic Rock, Glam Metal, and even Beatles-influenced pop. While they are best remembered for the massive 1992 ballad "Love Is On The Way," their catalog is packed with far heavier and more technically demanding material that rewards serious study. For guitarists, Saigon Kick offers a masterclass in versatility. Jason Bieler's playing spans crunchy, palm-muted rhythm work, soaring melodic leads with expressive vibrato, and delicate fingerpicked acoustic passages. He is not a shredder in the traditional sense, but his phrasing is tasteful and intentional, often favoring melody over speed. His rhythm playing is tight and precise, making use of open chord voicings, arpeggiated clean sections, and punchy power chord progressions. The dynamic range within a single song can shift dramatically, requiring the player to command both soft, clean tones and driven overdriven crunch. The overall difficulty of learning Saigon Kick material varies significantly. A song like "Love Is On The Way" is approachable for intermediate players due to its open chord shapes and straightforward strumming pattern, making it an excellent piece for working on dynamics and clean tone control. However, deeper cuts from their albums feature complex arrangements, key changes, and lead work that will challenge advanced players. If you want to build your ability to switch between acoustic sensitivity and electric intensity within the same song, Saigon Kick is an underrated resource. Bieler's songwriting also teaches guitarists how to serve a song rather than showboat, a critical skill that separates good players from great musicians.

What Makes Saigon Kick Essential for Guitar Players

Jason Bieler's rhythm playing often features open chord voicings and arpeggiated clean passages that demand precise right-hand control. Practicing his acoustic parts will sharpen your fingerpicking accuracy and dynamic sensitivity.
Bieler's lead style emphasizes melodic phrasing over sheer speed. His solos use a mix of pentatonic and natural minor scale runs with wide, expressive vibrato, making them ideal for guitarists working on making fewer notes say more.
The band's heavy sections rely on tight palm-muted power chord progressions with occasional open-string drones. Nailing these parts requires a locked-in downpicking technique and careful muting discipline to keep things punchy without muddiness.
Saigon Kick songs frequently shift between clean and distorted tones within the same track. Learning their material forces you to master volume knob dynamics and quick pickup switching to handle these transitions smoothly.
Their use of layered guitar harmonies in studio recordings showcases double-tracking and harmony lead techniques. Studying these parts teaches you how to arrange guitar layers that fill out a mix without stepping on the vocal melody.

Did You Know?

Jason Bieler wrote "Love Is On The Way" as an acoustic ballad almost as an afterthought, yet it became the band's biggest hit, reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992. The guitar part is deceptively simple but demonstrates how dynamics and tone can carry a song.

Despite being lumped in with hair metal bands of the era, Saigon Kick's musical influences were far broader, pulling from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and even classical music. Bieler has cited Queen's layered guitar arrangements as a major inspiration for his recording approach.

Bieler handled most of the guitar work in the studio, often layering multiple guitar tracks with different amp settings and tunings to create the band's rich recorded sound. This makes their albums a study in guitar production techniques.

The band's self-titled debut album (1991) was produced by Michael Wagener, known for his work with Metallica, Skid Row, and Dokken. Wagener's approach to capturing guitar tones gave the record a muscular, punchy sound that still holds up.

Jason Bieler later became a respected producer and gear enthusiast, designing his own signature instruments. His deep knowledge of guitar tone and recording has informed every phase of Saigon Kick's discography.

The band's second album, "The Lizard," features some of their heaviest and most progressive material, with odd time signatures and key changes that challenge even experienced players. It is a hidden gem for guitarists who want to go beyond the hits.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

The Lizard 1992

This is the album every guitarist should start with. It contains "Love Is On The Way" for working on clean acoustic dynamics, but deeper cuts like "The Lizard" and "Cruelty" showcase heavy riff work, complex song structures, and expressive lead playing that will push intermediate and advanced players alike.

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Saigon Kick 1991

The self-titled debut is rawer and heavier, with a more straightforward hard rock approach. Tracks like "Coming Home" and "New World" feature tight, palm-muted rhythm parts and pentatonic-based solos that are great for building foundational rock guitar skills. Michael Wagener's production gives the guitars a thick, punchy tone worth studying.

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Water 1993

The band's most experimental record leans into progressive and alternative territory, with unusual chord voicings, clean arpeggiated passages, and textural guitar layering. It is perfect for guitarists looking to expand beyond standard power chord rock and explore more nuanced arrangement ideas.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Jason Bieler has been associated with a variety of guitars throughout Saigon Kick's career, including Les Paul-style humbucking guitars for heavier sections and quality acoustic guitars for the band's cleaner material. In more recent years, Bieler has used custom instruments and his own designs. For the classic Saigon Kick era, a mahogany-bodied guitar with a set neck and dual humbuckers gets you in the right ballpark for the heavier tones, while a solid spruce-top acoustic handles the ballad work.

Amp

The classic Saigon Kick guitar tone is rooted in tube amp crunch, with Marshall-style amps being the primary platform. Think JCM800 territory with the gain pushed to get that tight, saturated rhythm tone without excessive fizz. For clean sections, the amp's clean channel (or a separate cleaner amp) provides the headroom needed for the band's dynamic acoustic-to-electric shifts. The key is moderate gain with strong midrange presence.

Pickups

Humbuckers are essential for the Saigon Kick sound, particularly medium-to-hot output PAF-style pickups that deliver warmth and sustain without compressing the signal too much. The bridge humbucker handles the crunchy rhythm work and singing lead tones, while the neck pickup is used for smoother, warmer clean passages and melodic solos. Keeping the output in the moderate range (around 8-10k ohms) preserves the dynamic response that Bieler's playing style demands.

Effects & Chain

Saigon Kick's guitar tone is relatively straightforward in terms of effects. A good chorus or light modulation adds depth to clean arpeggiated sections, while a touch of delay (analog-style, short slapback to medium repeats) fills out lead lines and adds dimension. Reverb is used tastefully on cleaner parts. The heavy tones are mostly amp-driven with minimal pedal coloring. A wah pedal appears occasionally for expressive lead moments. The philosophy is tone from the amp and hands first, with effects as subtle seasoning.

Recommended Gear

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Jason Bieler's go-to for Saigon Kick's heavier sections, the Les Paul Standard delivers the mahogany warmth and dual humbucker bite needed for tight, saturated rhythm tones. Its set neck construction provides the sustain and response that defines the band's signature crunch without sacrificing dynamic clarity.

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's thicker body and premium construction give Bieler even more midrange presence and sustain for Saigon Kick's most expressive lead passages. This instrument handles both the band's heavy riff work and smoother melodic solos with equal conviction.

Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800 is the foundation of Saigon Kick's guitar tone, providing the tight, controlled crunch with strong midrange that defines the band's rhythm attack. Pushed moderately for gain, this amp delivers saturated power without fizz while maintaining enough headroom for clean dynamic shifts.

How to Practice Saigon Kick on GuitarZone

Every Saigon Kick song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Love Is On The Way - Guitar Lesson