（Paul的專訪）
Beyond the past
Rock star Paul Wong Koon-chung regards himself as more than a musician;
he's a journalist and commentator. The former Beyond guitarist and vocalist's
work records the lives of ordinary people and expresses discontent with
society's injustices.
In his eponymous debut solo album released last year, Wong criticised the
Government for failing to bring Hong Kongers a better life. He repeats the
theme in his second solo album, Black And White, scheduled for release this
week. Dressed casually in a purple jumper, brown trousers and a pair of
worn-out boots, 37-year-old Wong sinks into the sofa, lights up a cigarette
and says:
''But this time I will go further. With more powerful lyrics and anger
I try to discuss people's daily life from various perspectives but in a
straightforward way, so that people can understand the messages conveyed
in the songs more easily.''
Part of the anger in Wong's music comes from his disappointment with Chief
Executive Tung Chee-hwa.
''He's useless,'' Wong says. ''You can tell how bad Hong Kong is since he's
taken charge. He should be our representative but he's merely a messenger
for the mainland Government. Every time he comes out for a public speech
he doesn't take a stand or offer any solution. He just talks some crap,
trying to calm us down. He's irresponsible, always taking back what he
said before.''
He then makes fun of Tung by imitating the way he talks.
Wong says his inspiration comes from newspapers and television news.
''This is very important to me because, apart from looking for lyrics ideas,
I would feel scared if I were out of touch with society. I write lyrics
like writing news stories. They are made up of different perspectives or
stories that I have heard from friends. My role is to record them in an ob
jective way, just like news reporting.''
Wong sets the bar high, always aiming to improve his work and expand his
creativity. On the new album he tries his hand at a new discipline.
''Apart from composing the songs and writing my own lyrics, I have done
the string arrangements. The songs include a 40-strong orchestra and some
tracks that I recorded on my own. I wanted to add elements of classical
music to rock'n'roll, because of my childhood musical influences.''
He was introduced to classical music when he was 10, listening to his
father's collection.
''I used to lie down on the floor and raise the hi-fi's volume,''
he recalls. ''My first impression on hearing it was, Wow! This is great!'''
His favourite composers include Mozart, Beethoven and Igor Stravinsky.
''Their music has inspired me a lot. I believe that if Mozart and Beethoven
were born in the modern times they would play rock'n'roll, while Stravinsky
would make progressive music.''
The new album also has Wong playing the double bass, viola and violin as
well as guitar. How difficult was it taking on these extra responsibilities?
''Working hard makes everything easy. I just concentrate on working.
I think about it constantly even when I'm eating or in the shower.
I believe that if you work really hard on one thing you will finally
achieve something.''
He admits he's exhausted from the seven-day working week required to
produce the album over the past year, but he's proud of the results,
saying it offers a comprehensive picture of his personality.
With a smile on his face, he quips: ''I think I'm better than Yo-Yo Ma.''
His career with Beyond started in the early 1980s. Tragedy struck in
1993 when lead singer and guitarist Koma Wong Kar-kui died after falling
from the stage during a rehearsal for a Japanese game show. The remaining
three members of the group eventually disbanded in 1999.
Painful memories: Paul Wong, right with Steve Wong, says the last few
years in Beyond were painful because the band were not allowed to make any
new music. Photo: SCMP During the past year, Wong has been playing live shows
with his new band Hann, from large-scale gigs to intimate bar performances.
He's performed more times in the past 12 months than in the post-Koma Wong
days.
''The last few years in Beyond were painful,'' Wong says. ''Being in Beyond
was a heavy burden for us. We really wanted to carry on making new music
but we were not allowed. The public wanted to listen to our old stuff
because they could not move on from our previous success.
The record company did not let us experiment with new musical styles
because they wanted to follow the formula.''
Wong is speaking in Beyond's studio in Prince Edward, where he is
surrounded by old pictures and the band's awards. He falls silent for a
few moments and looks down at the floor, then raises his head and says:
''People can't forget about the glory days, I can't either. But nobody
thinks about it from our point of view. No musician in this world wants
to repeat the same old tune everyday. If the band's name is Beyond, we
should go beyond the past.''
The pressure proved too much in the end and Wong, together with fellow
band members drummer Yip Sai-wing and bassist Steve Wong Kar-keung, the
younger brother of Koma Wong, decided to go their separate ways.
Yip released his solo EP this summer and Steve Wong is working on a music
project as well.
Paul Wong has also branched out into tuition, running guitar and drum
classes for more than 30 students.
''They come from all walks of life, from junior secondary school students
to businessmen in their 40s. I'm so glad that these classes can gather
music-lovers together,'' he says.
Although he doesn't teach them himself, he keeps a close eye on each
student's progress.
''I'm very impressed by the girls because I see them from the time they
don't know how to hold a guitar pick correctly to when they are able to
play a song. It's great that we can teach those who really want to learn.''
Another source of happiness has come from Wong's love life. He is dating
actress Athena Chu Yan, a former girlfriend of comedy king Stephen Chiau
Sing-chee. Wong and Chu have been together for three years.
He grins when asked about the relationship. ''She trusts me,'' he says.
''We understand each other very well. She supports me and recognises my
work. She's just different from other girls from showbiz, who like labels
and dining at expensive restaurants. She can be just as happy if you take
her to a dai pai dong.''
Wong grew up in Kowloon City with his father and two younger brothers.
His parents divorced when he was 12. He says his father, originally the
boss of a toy factory, had a hard life bringing up the children and trying
to make ends meet after losing a lot of money in the stock market.
Wong wants to buy a bigger flat for his father, with whom he lives, but is
feeling the bite of negative equity.
''You can tell that I don't make much money. I haven't appeared in any
movies or commercials recently. My earnings rely on record sales,'' he says.
''But my financial situation is not that bad. I still have enough money
to pay my instalments and bills.''
Wong says he would consider another venture on to the big screen if a role
came up. His last movie his eighth was The Boss Up There in 1999.
''I love films and I think acting is fun,'' he says.
''If there was a good script I would love to do it. More importantly, I can
make money out of it. I need money to support my studio and my family.''
Wong also hopes to make a film of his own: a musical. ''I would like to write
a script that combines sound and vision. I have many fun story ideas,''
he says.
It's obvious Wong is determined not to be a has-been. ''I haven't put down
my guitar for 20 years and I practise every day, unlike other singers who
just rehearse before shows,'' he says.
''That's why I'm better than all of them. I will always be around making
music and if that makes me stubborn then yes, I'm stubborn.''
Strong determination: ''I haven't put down my guitar for 20 years and I
practise every day,'' says Paul Wong. Photo: David Wong
來源：Feature