Calling All Stations
Untitled | |
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Calling All Stations (stylised as ...Calling All Stations...) is the fifteenth and, to date, final studio album by rock band Genesis. Released in 1997, the album was recorded following the departure of longtime drummer/vocalist Phil Collins from the band in 1996, leaving only keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford from earlier incarnations of the band.
Of the three singles excerpted from the album, only "Congo" broke the top 40 in the UK.[1] It achieved a top 40 placing in at least three other European countries.[2][3]
Calling All Stations reached No. 2 in the UK.[1] It reached No. 54 in the United States 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, 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.
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 Genesis songs from all eras 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 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.
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.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [5] |
Blender | [6] |
Chicago Tribune | [7] |
Entertainment Weekly | C−[8] |
Rolling Stone | [9] |
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".[7] 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".[5][9] In 2014, Stevie Chick of The Guardian dismissed the album as "inexplicable".[10]
Track listing
All songs written by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, except where noted.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
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" | 8:58 |
Total length: | 67:42 |
- Note: The CD liner notes state that track 7, "The Dividing Line", is 8:59.
Personnel
Members
- Ray Wilson – lead vocals
- Tony Banks – keyboards, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Mike Rutherford – guitars, bass, backing vocals
Guests
- Nir Zidkyahu – drums (on track 1, 2, 3, 4 [second half], 5, 7, 10 & 11), percussion
- Nick D'Virgilio – drums (on track 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
B-sides
No. | Title | 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 |
Total length: | 40:48 |
"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
- "Congo" (single version)
- "Papa He Said"
- "Banjo Man"
- Congo Enhanced CD
- "Congo"
- "Second Home by the Sea" (instrumental version)
- Enhanced feature with interviews, video of "Congo" and the upcoming Calling All Stations World Tour.
- Shipwrecked CD1
- "Shipwrecked"
- "No Son of Mine" (acoustic)
- "Lover's Leap" (acoustic)
- "Turn It On Again" (acoustic)
- Shipwrecked CD2
- "Shipwrecked"
- "Phret"
- "7/8"
- Not About Us CD1
- "Not About Us" (single version)
- "Anything Now"
- "Sign Your Life Away"
- "Run Out of Time"
- Not About Us CD2
- "Not About Us"
- "Dancing with the Moonlight Knight" (acoustic)
- "Follow You Follow Me" (acoustic)
- "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.
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
France (SNEP)[11] | Gold | 100,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[12] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV)[13] | Gold | 50,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[14] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] | Gold | 100,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Tour
Dates
Tour by Genesis | |
Associated album | Calling All Stations |
---|---|
Start date | 23 January 1998 |
End date | 31 May 1998 |
Legs | 2 (1 cancelled) |
No. of shows | 47 |
Genesis concert chronology |
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 | Zürich | 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 | Zénith de Lille |
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 1998 | 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 |
Set list
Part 1:
- "No Son of Mine"
- "Land of Confusion"
- "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"
- "Calling All Stations"
- "The Carpet Crawlers"
- "There Must Be Some Other Way" (sometimes alternated with "Alien Afternoon")
- "Domino"
- "Shipwrecked"
- "Firth of Fifth"
- "Congo"
- "Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea"
Acoustic medley:
- "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight"
- "Follow You Follow Me"
- "Lover's Leap"
- "Not About Us"
Part 2:
- "Mama"
- "The Dividing Line"
- "Invisible Touch"
- "Turn It On Again"
Encore:
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
- Tony Banks – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
- Mike Rutherford – guitar, bass, backing vocals
- Ray Wilson – lead vocals, percussion, harmonica
with
- Anthony Drennan – guitar, bass, backing vocals
- Nir Zidkyahu – drums, percussion, backing vocals
References
- ^ a b Genesis UK chart history, The Official Charts. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ "Chartverfolgung / Genesis / Single". Music Line (in German). Germany: Media Control Charts. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ "Congo" chart history, Dutch Charts.nl. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ Calling All Stations USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Album review, AllMusic. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
- ^ Blender magazine Archived 19 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Knopper, Steve (26 September 1997). "Calling All Stations review". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^ Schinder, Scott (5 September 1997). "Calling All Stations review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ a b Wild, David (10 December 1997). "Genesis: Calling All Stations : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Chick, Stevie (3 September 2014). "Genesis: 10 of the best". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- ^ "French album certifications – Genesis – Calling All Stations" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Genesis; 'Calling All Stations')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 1998 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Calling All Stations')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
- ^ "British album certifications – Genesis – Calling All Stations". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Calling All Stations in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.