In Part 2, we take up the story in the early 70s when Vietnamese bands were evolving into fully-fledged original rock bands complete with Vietnamese language lyrics. We also meet the man who's spent the past 25 years attempting to resurrect Vietnam's rock music scene to its former glory, including bringing Bob Dylan to Saigon in 2010 and Jack White in 2022.

Want to learn more? Check out these links:

1. Do the Saigon twist! Meet Phuong Tam, Vietnam's first rock 'n' roll star

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/oct/28/saigon-twist-meet-phuong-tam-vietnam-first-rocknroll-star

2. Saigon's Wartime Beat

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/intothemusic/saigon27s-wartime-beat/4404544

3. Long lost 1960s Vietnamese rock

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/phuong-tam-vietnamese-rock-geoffrey-lancaster-fortepiano/13671698

4. Phuong Tam Magical Nights: Saigon Surf Twist & Soul (1964-1966)

https://sublime-frequencies.bandcamp.com/album/magical-nights-saigon-surf-twist-soul-1964-1966

5. Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974

https://sublime-frequencies.bandcamp.com/album/saigon-rock-soul-vietnamese-classic-tracks-1968-1974

6. Saigon Supersound

https://saigonsupersoundcompilations.bandcamp.com/album/saigon-supersound-vol-1

7. Yoko Cafe Saigon

https://www.facebook.com/Yokocafesaigon

8. Loud Minority Saigon

https://www.facebook.com/loudminorityvietnam

Special thanks to Sheila Ngoc Pham, Tran Hoai Anh, Rod Quinton, and Jan Hagenkoetter

Follow me on Instagram @mattcowanasia

Feel free to comment and tell me what you thought of the episode on Facebook & Instagram at @tickettoridevn

I love going to see live rock bands perform,  but when I came to live in Saigon, I was surprised and majorly disappointed by the lack of original rock bands and live shows. So what happened?

Want to learn more? Check out these links:

1. Do the Saigon twist! Meet Phuong Tam, Vietnam's first rock 'n' roll star

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/oct/28/saigon-twist-meet-phuong-tam-vietnam-first-rocknroll-star

2. Saigon's Wartime Beat

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/intothemusic/saigon27s-wartime-beat/4404544

3. Long lost 1960s Vietnamese rock

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/phuong-tam-vietnamese-rock-geoffrey-lancaster-fortepiano/13671698

4. Phuong Tam Magical Nights: Saigon Surf Twist & Soul (1964-1966)

https://sublime-frequencies.bandcamp.com/album/magical-nights-saigon-surf-twist-soul-1964-1966

5. Saigon Rock & Soul: Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974

https://sublime-frequencies.bandcamp.com/album/saigon-rock-soul-vietnamese-classic-tracks-1968-1974

6. Saigon Supersound

https://saigonsupersoundcompilations.bandcamp.com/album/saigon-supersound-vol-1

7. Yoko Cafe Saigon

https://www.facebook.com/Yokocafesaigon

Special thanks to Sheila Ngoc Pham, Tran Hoai Anh, Rod Quinton, and Jan Hagenkoetter

We're continuously told that Vietnamese food is so healthy and nutritious – but is it really? Vietnam is on the verge of a public health crisis thanks to its insatiable love affair with salt and sugar but no one seems to care.