...Calling All Stations...

by

Genesis

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Calling All Stations (titled ...Calling All Stations...) is the 15th studio album by rock band Genesis. It was recorded following Phil Collins' departure from the band in 1996, and was released in 1997. The album was an attempt by bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks to continue the Genesis name while returning, to a certain degree, to Genesis' roots as an album-oriented band.

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. Because Wilson was not a drummer, both Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard) were called in to supply the necessary percussion work.

But 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. Critics were derisive, and while Calling All Stations was notable for attempting to bring Genesis' progressive rock roots more to the forefront, many found the results somber and lacking the dynamics of their 1970s work. As a result of the slim North American sales, the American leg of the tour was cancelled. Although a European tour was undertaken in 1998, Banks and Rutherford put Genesis on an extended hiatus, leaving Calling All Stations as their 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.

Since the album's release there has been, among some Genesis fans, a belated appreciation for Wilson's contribution to the band's history. There is agreement even among many fans who dislike this album that Wilson was a strong vocalist. Bootleg recordings of the 1998 European tour have been sought-after downloads on peer-to-peer networks, if only for the opportunity to hear Wilson's rendition of older Genesis songs like "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway," "The Carpet Crawlers," and "Lover's Leap" (the opening section of "Supper's Ready").

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

Of the three singles excerpted from the album, only "Congo" met with a limited measure of success.

Music videos were made for "Congo", "Shipwrecked" and "Not About Us." "Congo" was a favourite among MTV UK, however, it had been played on America's MTV only once.

The music videos "Congo" and "Shipwrecked" featured Wilson and also Rutherford, Banks and Zidkyahu playing their respective instruments. "Not About Us," however featured just Banks, Rutherford and Wilson. Unlike "Congo" and "Shipwrecked", Banks and Rutherford were without the instruments.

Calling All Stations, which reached #2 in the UK where it remained in the charts for just 7 weeks. It was the only Genesis album to have been deleted in North America (until its 2007 re-release), having only reached #54 in the US in a brief chart stay. From a recent online interview, Calling All Stations has sold approximately 3 million copies worldwide to date (between 1997–2008).

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.