"To be frank, I liked playing saxophone better than guitar, but it wasn't
easy to own a sax, so I bought some books and learned guitar by myself.
My initial interest is just for fun rather than good techniques."

                                --Wong Ka Kui
                                  (translated by Raymond Kwan)

Ka Kui's owned his first guitar at the age of 17.  His neighbours were just
moving, and gave him a wooden acoustic guitar.  Up until that point, he had
an interest in music, but never really learned how to play music.  But,
rather than just wasting such an instrument, he took out some books and
learned to play the guitar by himself.

According to a "documentary" book on them, published shortly after Ka Kui's
death, the band Beyond was formed in 1983, and consisted of Ka Kui, Yip Sai
Wing, and Lau Chi Yuen.  This was roughly 4 years after he got his guitar,
which goes to show that with a little determination, anyone can learn more
than just the basics.  There may have been another (or two other) member(s)
of the band, but my knowledge is limited, and Chan See On may or may not
have been a part of the band.  To the best of my knowledge, though, he was.
 Ka Keung joined in 1984, and according to the "documentary" book, Paul
joined in 1985.

Beyond, as it was then, never really felt serious about producing music en
masse.  They had written their own songs, published their own music (on a
tape called "Joi Geen Lei Seung/Farewell Ideality"), and planned a concert
in 1986, all with their own money, but did not think that they would become
the superstars that they are today.  In fact, they were only doing this
truly out of interest.  As well, financial factors inhibited them from
doing any more of this.  I'll get back to this later.

In "Farewell Ideality", the music is very punk, very energetic in some
parts, and very melodic, very soothing in others.  Even though the quality
is not as great as many of the publishing companies (the quality can be
determined by listening to the CD that was re-published in 1991 of the
original work), the music was many rungs higher on the musical ladder than
a most of the stuff that was circulating (and are circulating).  In fact,
arguably, this is the best release by Beyond ever.  In this CD, you will
find the natural Beyond; the Beyond uninhibited by publisher's constraints.
 This is truly "their work".

Anyways, back to the problems that Beyond faced in the beginning.  They all
had lives to live, mouths to feed.  Without financial support and competent
people to manage their affairs while they focus on making music, all things
musical would have been pointless.  Enter Leslie Chan.  During their
concert in 1986, Leslie Chan (Chan Kinn Tim) was in the audience, at the
suggestion of a friend, Lau Cheuk Fai.  Initially, he had thought that
bands had no chance of succeeding in HK, and that the way to go (if you
wanted to make major money, that is) was with individual "pop" stars.
Beyond thoroughly amazed him.  Soon afterwards, Beyond signed their first
contract with an external publisher.