Fans mark 30 years of legendary HK rock band
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail CNTV, July 2, 2013
2013 marks 30 years since the legendary band "Beyond" began making music. Starting out as a group of young men who had nothing but sheer passion for rock'n'roll, Beyond retain their legendary status among many.
Led by vocalist Wong Ka Kui, the band was formed in 1983, when the members were all still teenagers. At the time they presented the image of the typical bad boys of rock.
 |
|
The legendary band "Beyond" was formed in 1983, when the members were all still teenagers. At the time they presented the image of the typical bad boys of rock. |
Wong Ka Keung, the younger brother of the band's frontman, was the bassist of Beyond. He says the memories are still fresh for him.
"We were really crazy back then. At first we just played after work, but not long after that we all quit our jobs and made music full time. We played so hard that the neighbour had to called the police to stop us," Wong said.
After years of hard work and having penned many of their own original tracks, the band put together their very first concert. Rock music was not well received in Hong Kong at the time, and no record label wanted to sign them. But the band took a loan from the bank and made their gigs happen themselves.
"We were not thinking reasonably. We just wanted to share our music with more people, providing a new sound to the music scene, so we went along and did it. It was exciting but we ended up owing the bank 6,000 HK dollars."
They paid back the bank quick enough as a new record label signed them not long after the concert. Initial album sales were low as the music scene in Hong Kong was dominated by love songs and cover versions of Western tracks.
Gradually Beyond stood out with their fresh sounds. Smash hits like "Glorious Days", "Fond of You" and "Dark Track" rocked the music scene.
The band's music was widely considered to be original and usually touched on the themes of ordinary people's dreams, struggles and the reality of life. Their messages resonated with fans, and still do, even after 30 years.
Zhong Yuanyuan is a fan of Beyong. "I first listened to Beyond's songs when I was in middle school. I didn't know Cantonese back then, but the music really touched me. I think their music is timeless. A lot of people like me fell in love with music or even picked up the guitar because of them," she said.
"Beyond's music goes beyond borders and crosses language barriers. Not only in China: the band have had great success in Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. We think Beyond was one of the best rock bands in Asia. They have left us with so much to learn from," said indie rock musician Mr. Chelonian.
But in 1993 the band experienced a stark change of fortune. Frontman Wong Ka Kui was tragically killed following an accident on a promotional tour in Japan, at the age of just 31. Nevertheless the band continued to make music, but eventually broke up in 2005.
20 years since Wong Ka Kui's death and fans around the world are remembering him in their own ways. His younger brother and former bassist of Beyond, Wong Ka Keung, released a single "It's alright" in his honor.
"Ka Kui was a genius, a true visionary. He led the band through ups and downs with his passion for rock'n'roll. If he was still here, Beyond would still be making authentic rock music, and bringing music to more places around the world," Wong Ka Keung said.
Beyond may be no more, but the band's influence on Chinese rock and roll is beyond words. Their songs continue to inspire music producers and fans, keeping their spirit of rock and roll alive - what better way to remember this legendary group.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)