Calling All Stations

Calling All Stations
Studio album by Genesis
Released	1 September 1997
Recorded	January–June 1997 at The Farm, Surrey
Genre	Rock
Length	1:07:42
Label	Virgin (UK) Atlantic (US)
Producer	Nick Davis, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford
Genesis chronology
The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs (1993) Calling All Stations (1997) Genesis Archive 1967–75 (1998)

Calling All Stations, (also known as ...Calling All Stations...) is the 15th studio album by rock band Genesis. It was recorded following Phil Collins's departure from the band in 1996, and was released in 1997. The band returned, to a certain degree, to Genesis's roots as an album-oriented band.

Of the three singles excerpted from the album, all three made the charts,^[1] but only "Congo" was a major hit, breaking the top 40 in the UK^[1] and at least three other European countries.^[2][3]

Calling All Stations reached No.2 in the UK.^[1] It reached No.54 in the US during five weeks in the chart.^[4]

Background

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 vocals were more reminiscent of Peter Gabriel than Collins. Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard) were called in to supply the drums.

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.

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 all era Genesis songs on his solo tour, including touring a World of Genesis set.

The 1998 European tour had the songs from the Phil Collins era transposed to a lower key to accommodate to Ray Wilson's limited 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.

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.

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.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Blender	[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]

Track listing

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

1. "Calling All Stations" – 5:43
2. "Congo" – 4:51
3. "Shipwrecked" – 4:23
4. "Alien Afternoon" – 7:51
5. "Not About Us" (Banks, Rutherford, Ray Wilson) – 4:38
6. "If That's What You Need" – 5:12
7. "The Dividing Line" – 7:45
8. "Uncertain Weather" – 5:29
9. "Small Talk" (Banks, Rutherford, Wilson) – 5:02
10. "There Must Be Some Other Way" (Banks, Rutherford, Wilson) – 7:54
11. "One Man's Fool" – 8:46

• Note: The CD liner notes state that track 7, "The Dividing Line", is 8:59.

B Sides

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Papa He Said"		4:09
2.	"Banjo Man"	Banks, Rutherford, Wilson	4:22
3.	"Phret"		4:05
4.	"7/8"		5:13
5.	"Anything Now"		7:03
6.	"Sign Your Life Away"		4:45
7.	"Run Out Of Time"		6:36
8.	"Nowhere Else To Turn"	Banks, Rutherford, Wilson	4:35

"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

• Congo Maxi-CD

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

• Congo Enhanced CD

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.

• Shipwrecked CD1

1. "Shipwrecked"
2. "No Son of Mine" (acoustic)
3. "Supper's Ready (part i: lover's leap)" (acoustic)
4. "Turn It On Again" (acoustic)

• Shipwrecked CD2

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

• Not About Us CD1

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

• Not About Us CD2

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.

Personnel

• Ray Wilson – vocals
• Tony Banks – keyboards
• Mike Rutherford – guitar, bass

Additional musicians

• Nir Zidkyahu – drums on tracks 1–3, 4 (second half), 5, 7, 10–11
• Nick D'Virgilio – drums on tracks 4 (first half), 6, 8–9

Production

• Producers: Nick Davis, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford
• Engineers: Nick Davis, Assisted by Ian Huffam
• Recorded at The Farm, Surrey, England
• Technical Assistance: Geoff Callingham, Mike Bowen
• General Assistance: Dale Newman
• Sleeve Design: Wherefore ART?
• Photography: Kevin Westernberg, Peter Robathan

Tour

Dates

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

Date	City	Country	Venue
23 January 1998	Windsor	England	Bray Film Studios (Pre-tour warm-up gig)
28 January 1998	Budapest	Hungary	Sportshall (Warm-up gig)
29 January 1998	Budapest	Hungary	Sportshall
31 January 1998	Katowice	Poland	Spodek
2 February 1998	Prague	Czech Republic	Sportovní hala
4 February 1998	Mannheim	Germany	Maimarktgelände
5 February 1998	Leipzig	Germany	Messehalle 7
6 February 1998	Berlin	Germany	Velodrom
8 February 1998	Metz	France	La Galaxie
10 February 1998	Dortmund	Germany	Westfalenhalle
12 February 1998	Stuttgart	Germany	Schleyerhalle
13 February 1998	Zurich	Switzerland	Hallenstadion
15 February 1998	Vienna	Austria	Stadthalle
17 February 1998	Bologna	Italy	Palasport Casalecchio
18 February 1998	Rome	Italy	Palasport
19 February 1998	Milan	Italy	Filaforum
20 February 1998	Lyon	France	Halle Tony Garnier
23 February 1998	Paris	France	Palais Omnisports de Bercy
25 February 1998	Birmingham	England	National Exhibition Centre
26 February 1998	Birmingham	England	National Exhibition Centre
27 February 1998	London	England	Earls Court Arena
1 March 1998	Glasgow	Scotland	Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
2 March 1998	Newcastle	England	Telewest Arena
4 March 1998	Cardiff	Wales	Cardiff International Arena
5 March 1998	Cardiff	Wales	Cardiff International Arena
6 March 1998	Manchester	England	Nynex Arena
8 March 1998	Dublin	Ireland	Point Theatre
10 March 1998	Brussels	Belgium	Forest National
11 March 1998	Rotterdam	Netherlands	Ahoy
13 March 1998	Lille	France	Le Zénith
15 March 1998	Angers	France	Amphitheatre 4000
16 March 1998	Bordeaux	France	Patinoire de Meriadeck
18 March 1998	Pau	France	Le Zénith
19 March 1998	Madrid	Spain	Palacio de los Deportes
20 March 1998	Barcelona	Spain	Palau Sant Jordi
22 March	Marseilles	France	Le Dome
23 March 1998	Clermont Ferrand	France	Maison des Sports
24 March 1998	Caen	France	Le Zénith
26 March 1998	Strasbourg	France	Halle Rhenus
27 March 1998	Munich	Germany	Olympiahalle
28 March 1998	Erfurt	Germany	Messehalle
30 March 1998	Hamburg	Germany	Sporthalle
2 April 1998	Oslo	Norway	Spektrum
3 April 1998	Stockholm	Sweden	Globe Arena
5 April 1998	Helsinki	Finland	Hartwall Areena
30 May 1998	Nürburgring	Germany	Rock am Ring Festival
31 May 1998	Nürburgring	Germany	Rock am Park Festival

Personnel

• Ray Wilson – lead vocals, percussion, harmonica
• Tony Banks – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
• Mike Rutherford – guitar, bass, backing vocals

with

• Anthony Drennan – guitar, bass, backing vocals
• Nir Zidkyahu – drums, percussion, backing vocals

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Genesis UK chart history, The Official Charts. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
2. ^ "Chartverfolgung / Genesis / Single" (in German). Music Line. Germany: Media Control Charts. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Genesis/8604/single. Retrieved 9 November 2011. 
3. ^ "Congo" chart history, Dutch Charts.nl. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
4. ^ Calling All Stations USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
5. ^ Blender magazine
6. ^ Wild, D. (2011 [last update]). "Genesis: Calling All Stations : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. http://web.archive.org/web/20080502021152/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/genesis/albums/album/274795/review/5946902/calling_all_stations. Retrieved 25 July 2011.