Formed from the ashes of Crisis when the bands lead singer and guitarist Paul Rowan split from the band in early 1980. Paul’s departure from the band and the arrival of new member Eamonn Keyes heralded a change in musical direction for the band. Now operating as Saigon, the band line up was Eamonn P. Keyes- guitar and lead vocals, Tom Clyde- keyboards, Ross McClelland- bass and Michael Sands- drums and backing vocals. Saigon gigged extensively for a number of years on the local circuit and recorded a number of demos which were broadcast on local Downtown radio one of which, Cracking Up appeared on the 1982 Downtown Radio compilation album Now In Session. Michael Sands eventually left the band to front the Chevys and his replacement on the drum stool was Barry Walker. Like a number of bands at the time they secured a slot on the prestigious BBC Northern Ireland Green Rock series but alas, their planned live recording, bizarrely supporting Matchbox, never took place due to the death of Hunger Striker Bobby Sands the night before the scheduled show at the Ulster Hall. The BBC eventually pulled the plug on the project.

Keyboard player Tom Clyde left the band around this time. However, the band continued as a three piece with Eamonn taking care of the keyboard parts. In 1981 the band recorded a single Times Like These / Rip It Up And Start Again and they released it on their own Heartbeat Records label (see above). The band regrouped the following year and added another new member, this time guitarist and vocalist John Bleakley. John’s arrival saw Eamonn switch permanently to keyboard duties and this new line up set about writing a lot of new material with a much poppier feel. In May 1982 they recorded 5 tracks; Alone Again, Listen To Me, Sending Out Signals (SOS), Walking A Minefield and Hire Purchase Life at Mudd Wallace’s Homestead Studios in Ahoghill, which still remain unreleased. The band eventually split in 1982, with the rhythm section forming the nucleus of VHF.

If anyone has any further information or photographs of this band, then please DO get in contact via spit77to82@aol.com