Calling All Stations

Background and recording

Vocalist Ray Wilson, who had fronted a short-lived but popular grunge-influenced outfit called Stiltskin, was brought on board after a lengthy auditioning period. Wilson's darker, theatrical vocals were more reminiscent of former Genesis singer Peter Gabriel than Collins's more pop/rock vocals. Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard) were called in to supply the drums.

The music videos for "Congo" and "Shipwrecked" featured Wilson, Rutherford, Banks and Zidkyahu surrounded by extensive use of water imagery. "Not About Us", however featured just Banks, Rutherford and Wilson.

Commercial performance

Calling All Stations became the first Genesis' album not able to peak the number 1 since ...And Then There Were Three... (number 3 in 1978)

Critical reception

Steve Knopper reviewed the album in the Chicago Tribune, calling it "a formless blob of synth sounds" and asserting that new singer Ray Wilson has "no confidence or personality, let alone the vision to stave off his bandmates' meandering ideas". Both AllMusic and Rolling Stone commented that Ray Wilson was a fitting vocal replacement for Collins, but that the album is wholly lacking in good material. Both also commented on the album's odd mix of art rock and pop, saying that it failed to capture any of the likeable elements of either genre; Rolling Stone summarised it as "a Mike and the Mechanics artrock album". In 2014, Stevie Chick of The Guardian dismissed the album as "inexplicable".

Sales

While Calling All Stations sold well throughout Europe, it failed to find an audience in the United States, despite an elaborate publicity launch at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

2007 reissue

A SACD / DVD double disc set (including new 5.1 and Stereo mixes) was released in September 2007 and was re-released as a CD/DVD double disc in the US and Canada in November 2007.

Track listing

All songs written by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, except where noted.

B-sides

"Papa He Said" and "Banjo Man" are from the single "Congo". "Phret" and "7/8" are from the single "Shipwrecked". "Anything Now", "Sign Your Life Away" and "Run Out of Time" are from the single "Not About Us". "Nowhere Else to Turn" is an unreleased track from the sessions.

Singles

1. "Congo" (single version)
2. "Papa He Said"
3. "Banjo Man"

1. "Congo"
2. "Second Home by the Sea" (instrumental version)
3. Enhanced feature with interviews, video of "Congo" and the upcoming Calling All Stations World Tour.

1. "Shipwrecked"
2. "No Son of Mine" (acoustic)
3. "Lover's Leap" (acoustic)
4. "Turn It On Again" (acoustic)

1. "Shipwrecked"
2. "Phret"
3. "7/8"

1. "Not About Us" (single version)
2. "Anything Now"
3. "Sign Your Life Away"
4. "Run Out of Time"

1. "Not About Us"
2. "Dancing with the Moonlight Knight" (acoustic)
3. "Follow You Follow Me" (acoustic)
4. "Not About Us" (acoustic)

A total of seven previously unreleased songs were included on the single releases as B-sides. One other song recorded at the time, "Nowhere Else to Turn", was never officially released.

Tour

The 1998 European tour had the songs from the Phil Collins era transposed to a lower key to accommodate Ray Wilson's lower vocal range, something Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford had to work out during the rehearsals. In the 2007 reunion tour this was done again, but with Phil Collins on vocals.

As a result of the slim North American sales, the American leg of the tour was cancelled. Following the conclusion of the European tour 1998, Banks and Rutherford put Genesis on an extended hiatus, leaving Calling All Stations as the band's last studio release. Ray Wilson was keen to continue and has continued to include Genesis songs from all eras on his solo tour, including touring a "World of Genesis" set.

Dates

Rehearsals for the 47 date European tour took place at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England between 5 and 25 January 1998.

Set list

Part 1:

1. "No Son of Mine"
2. "Land of Confusion"
3. "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"
4. "Calling All Stations"
5. "The Carpet Crawlers"
6. "There Must Be Some Other Way" (sometimes alternated with "Alien Afternoon")
7. "Domino"
8. "Shipwrecked"
9. "Firth of Fifth"
10. "Congo"
11. "Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea"

Acoustic medley:

1. "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight"
2. "Follow You Follow Me"
3. "Lover's Leap"
4. "Not About Us"

Part 2:

1. "Mama"
2. "The Dividing Line"
3. "Invisible Touch"
4. "Turn It On Again"

Encore:

1. "Throwing It All Away"
2. "I Can't Dance"

In addition, "Hold on My Heart", "That's All", and "Small Talk" were rehearsed for the tour but were not played. "Shipwrecked" was dropped in favour of "Not About Us" in Mid-February.

Tour band

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