THE DIVIDING LINE STANDOUT TRACK OFF CALLING ALL STATIONS

A very long time ago i wrote a blog reviewing the 1997 GENESIS album CALLING ALL STATIONS, the only post 1974 Genesis album not to feature PHIL COLLINS on drums and lead vocals and the last ever GENESIS studio album. In his place come vocalist RAY WILSON, who had fronted an obscure grunge band named STILTSKIN, and his grandiose and theatrical approach, as opposed to Phil Collin's more pop style, was reminiscent of PETER GABRIEL when he was the band's eccentric lead singer. Although CALLING ALL STATIONS was a lot more assessible and radio friendly than anything from the Gabriel era it still sounded dark and brooding on most tracks, nothing like the final Genesis album with Collins WE CANT DANCE. I decided to write about the album again because last time i couldn't download my favourite track off the album THE DIVIDING LINE, in it's place i posted a live performance of the title track. Although the title track is up there in my bucket list of best songs off the album, the brilliant and dynamic and multi tracked twin drumming of NIR ZIDKYAHU and NICK D'VIRGILIO on CALLING ALL STATIONS is nothing short of extraordinary, like having JOHN BONHAM and GINGER BAKER team up together for a jam session. NIR ZIDKYAHU performs the epic drum solo for the song. It's easy to forget about guitarist MIKE RUTHERFORD and keyboardist TONY BANKS because the drum track just has so much impact, but Rutherford churned up a few of the most meaty riffs of his career for THE DIVIDING LINE, especially in the intro to the song. The album got panned by music critics and sales of the album were so poor even the american leg of their world tour was cancelled, but there were a few great tracks off CALLING ALL STATIONS, including CONGO and ALIEN AFTERNOON, but this song is the standout one for me and the second best GENESIS song of all time behind ABACAB. Considering the album's lowly critical reception and commercial lemon status that's a big call on my part but if any hardcore Genesis fan disagrees they can always drop me a line.