Wong Ka Kui

Early life

As a teenager, Wong was fascinated by European and American music. At the age of fifteen, he acquired an acoustic guitar from his neighbour, which he repaired himself and on which he taught himself to play the guitar. From that moment on, he spent most of his time learning music while working at different jobs.^[2]

The formation of Beyond

In 1983, Wong met Yip Sai Wing in a piano company. After becoming friends, they formed the band Beyond and the lineup then comprised Wong (vocals, rhythm guitar), Yip (drums), William Tang (鄧煒謙) (lead guitar) and Lee Wing Chiu (李榮潮) (bass). In the same year, they won the Best Band in a competition sponsored by Guitar Magazine. In 1984, Wong Ka Keung, Wong's younger brother, replaced Lee on bass. In 1985, Paul Wong, who initially designed posters and record covers for Beyond, became the band's lead guitarist after former lead guitarist Chan Sze On (陳時安)'s departure due to the reason that he went abroad. Thereafter, Beyond remained an independent band, playing shows at nightclubs and schools. In 1986, Beyond self-published Goodbye Ideals (再見理想) on cassette. Their early styles mostly traversed hard rock, new wave, post-punk, experimental, and avant-garde.^[3] Leslie Chan, who later became their manager, attended one of their live performances and was impressed by their style. As a result, Chan invited Beyond to sign with Kinn's music. However, their musical style was not widely accepted by listeners in Hong Kong. Disappointing album sales presented Beyond with a dilemma.^[2]

In 1987, Beyond recorded and released their first album Arabian Dancing Girl (亞拉伯跳舞女郎). Their sound was softened with keyboards, but their album sales still did not meet expectations. They were also criticised by other rock bands for commercializing their original hard rock sound. In 1988, Beyond released the pop album Modern Stage (現代舞台). For the first time, they included some slow-paced love songs, as well as songs with satirical, socially-critical lyrics. Their album sales again did not live up to expectations leading their management company to threaten that no more opportunities would be provided to them if they failed again.

First success

Comprehending their situation, Beyond recorded and released their next album, Secret Police (秘密警察), with more songs in the popular genre. Songs such as "The Grand Earth" (大地) and "Like You" (喜歡你) from the recording Secret Police gained tremendous popularity, followed by Beyond's increased recognition and more frequent public appearances. After that, several of their compositions proved incredibly successful, with their receiving awards for "Truly Love You" (真的愛你) and "Social Party" (俾面派對). "Truly Love You" is a tribute song to mothers, and is one of the best-known songs from Beyond. "Social Party", a satirical song about the Hong Kong entertainment industry, is one alongside which musicians are often asked to appear in unrelated TV game shows.

Social concerns

Gradually Beyond became the most popular band in Hong Kong. This at the same time marked the turning point for their musical career. They paid more attention to social issues and the ongoing events around the world. Wong won the Best Lyrics award for his touching, inspiring lyrics in "Glorious Years" (光輝歲月), which is a tribute to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. In 1991, Beyond visited Kenya and witnessed the grinding poverty and misery there. Upon their return, a number of songs were written addressing the serious problems of Africa. The Beyond Third World Foundation was created in the same year with profits from the redistribution of an early album.

Career in Japan

Realizing the restriction on original music in Hong Kong, Beyond decided to redirect their career to Japan. In January 1992, Beyond signed a worldwide management contract with Japanese record label Amuse. During the year, they released an album called Continue the Revolution (繼續革命). In May 1993, Beyond returned to Hong Kong with a new album Rock and Roll (樂與怒). Wong's signature work "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" (海闊天空) won the Best Original Song award in Hong Kong. Before they went back to Japan, Beyond held unplugged live concerts in Hong Kong and Malaysia, which were Beyond's last concert with Wong Ka Kui.