Beyond (band)
Encyclopedia
Beyond was a rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

 band formed in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 in 1983. The band became prominent in Hong Kong, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, Malaysia. They were also very popular in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

. The band was, and still is, widely considered as the most successful and influential Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...

 band from Hong Kong. In 1993, the group's founder and key vocalist Wong Ka-kui
Wong Ka Kui
Wong Ka-Kui was a Hong Kong composer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and the founder of the Hong Kong rock band Beyond....

 died due to an accident while filming a show in Japan. Beyond continued to perform and record after Wong Ka-kui's death. In 2005, the remaining members Paul Wong, Wong Ka-keung
Wong Ka Keung
Steve Wong Ka-Keung is a Hong Kong musician, composer and the songwriter. He was one of the members of the now disbanded, Hong Kong rock band Beyond. Steve Wong plays bass guitar and provides vocals...

, and Yip Sai-wing
Yip Sai Wing
Yip Sai Wing is a songwriter, singer and the drummer of the Hong Kong rock band Beyond. He is the only remaining original member of Beyond.In 1983, Sai Wing, along with the late Wong Ka Kui and a few other friends, formed Beyond....

 decided to pursue their own solo careers, and Beyond officially disbanded.

Early years

In the early 1980s, Wong Ka-kui and Yip Sai-wing started out as young musicians and both had interests in Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

's progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

. In 1983, they decided to join a music contest for "Guitar magazine", and they decided to form a band. A guitarist William Tang (鄧煒謙) wished the band's name to convey a feeling of surpassing or going beyond themselves (超越), so the name "Beyond" was chosen. However, the band name was not definite at the time. The band's musical style was still experimental. Wong Ka-kui and another musician Joey Tang (鄧建明) formed a temporary group called the "NASA band" that did art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...

 style of music with English pop
Hong Kong English pop
Hong Kong English pop are English language songs that are made, performed and popularized in Hong Kong. Known as simply English pop by Hong Kong people...

.

In 1984, Ka-kui's younger brother Wong Ka-keung
Wong Ka Keung
Steve Wong Ka-Keung is a Hong Kong musician, composer and the songwriter. He was one of the members of the now disbanded, Hong Kong rock band Beyond. Steve Wong plays bass guitar and provides vocals...

 joined the band. At the time, the group had four members: Wong Ka-keung, Wong Ka-kui, Yip Sai-on and Chan See-on. Chan See-on soon had to leave the country, leaving the band without a guitarist. In 1985 Paul Wong joined the band to take the guitarist role.

In the early years, time was difficult for the band. They had to do everything themselves, including organizing its finance, selling tickets, performing and buying their own equipment. They rented out Caritas Hong Kong
Caritas Hong Kong
Caritas Hong Kong is a charitable organisation of Caritas founded by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong in July 1953. It started with relief and rehabilitation services to the poor and the distressed after the Second World War. It nowaday expands to involve social service, education service,...

 for a mini concert called "Forever waiting concert" and invited people. Not a single record company showed up, and the audience was indifferent to the band. Someone stepped in as their manager to help them raise HK$16,000, but the group was soon left with only HK$1000.

In 1986, the group rented a studio to record the album "Goodbye my Dreams" (再見理想). Lau Chi-yuen then joined Beyond. Small island (小島) & Beyond was invited to perform during the 1986 Pan-Asian Music Festival in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...

 Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

. A compilation cassette tape was released in Taiwan soon after their appearance for the Pan Asian music Festival which included the recordings by Small island (小島), Tat Ming Pair
Tat Ming Pair
Tat Ming Pair is a Hong Kong singing group, which consists of Anthony Wong Yiu Ming and Tats Lau . The group was formed in 1985 and enjoyed success until 1990 when the group decided to disband. Anthony proceeded as a solo artist while Tats went into acting. The group had a short reunion stint in...

 and Beyond. Beyond was well liked and they joined another festival that same year. They would then sign with Kinn's Music record company.

Commercial success

In 1987, Beyond produced several albums. The album "The Arabian Dancing Girl" was one of the band's first commercial hits. They soon were in a new music underground trend along with a few number of groups such as Tai Chi
Tai Chi (Band)
Tai Chi is a Chinese rock band formed in Hong Kong in 1985 by Patrick Lui , Joey Tang , Gary Tong , Ernest Lau , Ed Sing , and Ricky Chu . They are joined by the 1980s "Band-booming Era" along with Fundamental, Beyond, Tat Ming Pair, Blue Jeans, Small Island, Raidas, Citybeat...

, Cocos and Raidas. One member Lau Chi-yuen left the band in 1988, leaving the group with only four members.

In 1989, Beyond became the first Hong Kong band to perform in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

 at the Capital Indoor Stadium
Capital Indoor Stadium
The Capital Indoor Stadium is an indoor arena in Beijing, China that was built in 1968. It hosted matches between national table tennis teams of China and the United States in 1971; these matches were part of the exchange program known as ping pong diplomacy.Capital Indoor Stadium recently...

. Since Beyond's songs were in Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...

 (instead of Mandarin), the performance was not well received by the audience. Before the stadium was filled, half the people have already left. However, they still considered the concert a success. After a couple of flops, Beyond started to gain popularity following the release of the hit song "Dai Dei" (大地). They would soon win their first musical awards, the 1988 Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation and 1989 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
1989 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards
The 1989 RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards was held in 1989 for the 1988 music season.-Top 10 song awards:The top 10 songs of 1989 are as follows.-Other awards:-References:*...

.

In 1990, they released one of the band's signature songs called "Glorious years" (光輝歲月). The song was about racism and the struggle of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...

 in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. The song was a huge hit, and had a fresh sound that stood out from the sea of love songs that dominated the Cantopop scene in Hong Kong. The song was from the band's album "Party of Fate", which sold extremely well, achieving triple platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...

.

In 1991, Beyond released another critically acclaimed song "Amani" from the album "Hesitant". The song was written during Beyond's trip to Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...

. Part of the song lyrics was in Swahili language
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...

. The title of the song "Amani" means peace. As suggested by the title, the song is about the plight of war-ravaged Africa and the yearning for world peace. The song is still often used by Hong Kong's human rights groups to spread the message of peace.

In the same year, Beyond made their first appearance on Japan's NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....

 station. They immediately signed with record company Amuse. Beyond started to become a more international band, and began to focus more time in Japan and Taiwan. The album Continue the Revolution
Continue the Revolution
Continue the Revolution , is a 1992 album by the Hong Kong rock band Beyond.-Track listing:...

 achieved commercial and critical success. In May 1993, Beyond released the album Rock and Roll
Rock and Roll (Beyond album)
Rock and Roll , is a 1993 album by Hong Kong rock band Beyond.-Track:#我是憤怒 #爸爸媽媽 #和平與愛 #命運是你家 #全是愛 #海闊天空 #狂人山莊 #妄想...

 which included the song "Boundless Oceans Vast Skies" (海闊天空). That song would become Wong Ka-kui's last song with the band.

Death of Wong Ka-kui

On 24 June 1993 Beyond appeared at a Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

 Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....

 game show (ウッチャンナンチャンのやるならやらねば!). The stage platform was 2.7 to 3m high. Actor Uchimura
Teruyoshi Uchimura
, half of the Japanese comedy duo Utchan Nanchan, is one of the most famous and influential comedians in the owarai community. His nickname is Utchan , and his partner, Kiyotaka Nanbara, is known as Nanchan. He was born on July 22, 1964 in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto. Though he has worked for years as a...

 and Wong Ka-Kui both fell off a broken stage and sustained massive head injuries. Wong was sent to the Tokyo Women's Medical University hospital. He fell into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...

 and died one week later at aged 31.

The death occurred at the prime of the group's career. Especially with the tremendous success of the song "Boundless Oceans Vast Skies" released at the time of Wong Ka-kui's death, the remaining members would be propelled into legends. His funeral procession caused traffic in various major streets in Hong Kong to come to a standstill, and almost every famous Hong Kong Cantopop singer attended and paid tribute at the funeral. Criticisms followed that the Japanese were having too many late night shows of this type, and the TV station crews were overworked.

Post Ka-kui era

There was a lot of debate as to whether the remaining three members should continue to record and perform as Beyond. Eventually, they reappeared on 30 November 1993 in Hong Kong at the Composer's Tribute Night concert. In the new era their albums have a more alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 feel, unlike the progressive rock sound of previous albums. Beyond's first album in the post Ka-kui era was "2nd Floor Back Suite" (二樓後座). In 1997 the album "Please Let Go of Your Hands" also made a reference to Hong Kong's cultural changes after the handover of Hong Kong to China.

In November 1999, the three remaining Beyond members announced that they would pursue their own solo career after a world tour. In 2003 for the group's 20th anniversary, they came out to embark on a world tour. The tour included stops in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, and various cities in mainland China. The band officially disbanded at their last stop in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

. In 2005, they played their last concert under the name Beyond and announced a final split.

Two members of the band (Yip Sai-wing & Paul Wong) held a concert called "Beyond Next Stage Live 2008" on 11 Oct 2008 in Genting Highlands
Genting Highlands
Genting Highlands otherwise known as Resorts World Genting is the flagship integrated resort developed by Genting Group. It is nestled on a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia...

, Malaysia and later on 8 Nov 2008 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium
Singapore Indoor Stadium
Singapore Indoor Stadium is an indoor sports arena, located in Kallang, Singapore.It was completed in 1989 and was officially opened by the, then, prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, on 31 December 1989. The building was built at a cost of S$ 90 million...

.

Legacy

The song "Boundless Oceans Vast Skies" (海闊天空) has been used in many charity events. For example, the song's lyrics was modified and used for the massive Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign was a major fund raising campaign held in Hong Kong for the victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The concert was held on June 1, 2008, and began at 2:28pm, the time the earthquake had struck Sichuan on May 12...

 after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...

.

The song "Glorious Years" (光輝歲月) was often used as the theme song for Hong Kong's political activities. For example, the song was used for Hong Kong's Five Constituencies Referendum
Hong Kong by-election, 2010
The 2010 Hong Kong by-election is an election held on 16 May 2010 in Hong Kong, triggered by the resignation of five pan-democrat Legislative Councillors in January of the same year....

 where the pan-democrats
Pro-democracy camp
Pro-democracy camp, pan-democracy camp or pan-democrats refer to the politicians and social activists in Hong Kong who support increased democracy and may work together in areas of common interest or by not fielding candidates against one another in elections.Democratic activists are usually...

 tried to push for a by-election.

Band members

  • Wong Ka-kui
    Wong Ka Kui
    Wong Ka-Kui was a Hong Kong composer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and the founder of the Hong Kong rock band Beyond....

     lead vocals, guitar [1962-1993]
  • Wong Ka-keung
    Wong Ka Keung
    Steve Wong Ka-Keung is a Hong Kong musician, composer and the songwriter. He was one of the members of the now disbanded, Hong Kong rock band Beyond. Steve Wong plays bass guitar and provides vocals...

     vocals, bass
  • Paul Wong Koon Chung vocals, lead guitar
  • Yip Sai-wing
    Yip Sai Wing
    Yip Sai Wing is a songwriter, singer and the drummer of the Hong Kong rock band Beyond. He is the only remaining original member of Beyond.In 1983, Sai Wing, along with the late Wong Ka Kui and a few other friends, formed Beyond....

     drums, vocals

Discography

  • Goodbye My Dreams (再見理想) (1986)
  • Forever Waiting EP(永遠等待) (1987)
  • New World EP(新天地) (1987)
  • The Arabian Dancing Girl (亞拉伯跳舞女郎) (1987)
  • The Lonely Kiss EP (孤單一吻) (1987)
  • Modern Stage (現代舞台) (1987)
  • Yesterday's Footprints (舊日的足跡) (1988)
  • Secret Police (秘密警察) (1988)
  • Beyond IV (1989)
  • The Real Testament (真的見證) (1989)
  • If Heaven Have Feelings EP (天若有情) (1990)
  • The Grand Earth (Mandarin album) (大地 [國]) (1990)
  • Victorious Against Personal Demons EP (戰勝心魔) (1990)
  • Party of Fate (命運派對) (1990)
  • Glorious Years (Mandarin album) (光輝歲月[國]) (1991)
  • Hesitant (猶豫) (1991)
  • Continue the Revolution
    Continue the Revolution
    Continue the Revolution , is a 1992 album by the Hong Kong rock band Beyond.-Track listing:...

     (繼續革命) (1992)
  • Beyond Belief (Mandarin album) (信念 [國]) (1992)
  • Rock and Roll
    Rock and Roll (Beyond album)
    Rock and Roll , is a 1993 album by Hong Kong rock band Beyond.-Track:#我是憤怒 #爸爸媽媽 #和平與愛 #命運是你家 #全是愛 #海闊天空 #狂人山莊 #妄想...

     (樂與怒) (1993)
  • 2nd Floor Back Suite (二樓後座) (1994)
  • Sound (1995)
  • Beyond Splendid EP (Beyond 得精彩) (1996)
  • Please Let Go of Your Hands (請將手放開) (1997)
  • Surprise (驚喜) (1997)
  • Until You Arrive (不見不散) (1998)
  • Action EP (1998)
  • Good Time
    Good Time
    Good Time may refer to:* Good Time , a 2008 album by Alan Jackson**"Good Time" , the title song* "Good Time" * "Good Time", a song by Brazilian Girls from New York City...

     (1999)
  • Together EP (2003)
  • Beyond 20th Anniversary 2003 Live (2003)
  • Beyond: The Ultimate Story (2004)
  • Beyond The Story Live 2005 (2005)
  • Beyond No. 1 Compilation (2006)
  • Beyond 25th Anniversary (2008)

Filmography

  • The Banquet
    The Banquet (1991 film)
    The Banquet , also known as Party of a Wealthy Family, is a 1991 Hong Kong comedy film...

     (1991) (cameo)
  • Beyond's Diary (Beyond日記之莫欺少年窮) (1991), comedy film with Faye Wong
    Faye Wong
    Faye Wong is a highly successful and influential Chinese singer-songwriter and actress who is usually referred to as a diva . Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong . Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and rose to stardom in the early 1990s by singing...

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film)
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 1990 American live-action film adaptation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise directed by Steve Barron. The film was followed by three sequels: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in 1991, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III in 1993, and...

    (1990) (Cantonese voice dub)
  • Happy Ghost IV (1989)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK