Fans still hoping for new Beyond line-up
HONG KONG: It’s been 25 years since the death of Wong Ka-kui, the frontman for Canto-rock superstars Beyond, but fans are still hoping for a new lineup to revive his legacy.
But radio deejay Wong Chichung figures the chances of another band like Beyond emerging are slim given Hong Kong’s fragmented music culture.
“But I think we now have many local indie bands that share some of Wong’s spirit and influences,” he added.
Wong Ka-kui had collaborated with Yip Sai-wing in 1983, and that started the evolution of the distinctive Beyond sound.
As a four-member band, they first performed together in 1985, introducing songs such as Footsteps of the Old Days and Arabian Dancing Girl.
Beyond became one of very few Hong Kong grassroots rock bands to cross over to the mainstream and succeed in the Hong Kong music industry. Veteran music promoter Terry Wong said that one of the unique things about Beyond was that they constantly reinvented themselves musically.
“Whenever they released an album, they’d always add new ideas and blend new genres into their own music, such as funk or influences from bands such as Pink Floyd. This was very inspiring for many young local musicians. Back in those days, everyone knew how to play Beyond’s music.”
After the death of their frontman, the three remaining members of Beyond – Wong’s younger brother and bassist Wong Ka-keung, guitarist and vocalist Paul Wong Koon- chung and drummer Yip Sai-wing – struggled to continue for several years.
Then they split. Three years ago, Ka-keung said that a reunion was impossible and it would be “meaningless” to continue without his elder brother.
Radio deejay Wong Chi- chung, who was among the first DJs to play the band’s self-financed cassette debut Goodbye My Dreams on the radio in 1986, said Wong remains one of Hong Kong’s greatest musical heroes.
“Wong’s voice represents youth and rebellion, especially among the grass roots and the underdogs.
“His presence and impact went beyond the boundaries of Hong Kong. He had a talent for fusing many different styles of music and transforming them into accessible and yet quality Cantorock,” he said.
Whenever they released an album, they’d always add new ideas and blend new genres into their own music, such as funk or influences from bands such as Pink Floyd. Terry Wong, veteran music promoter