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GENESIS

MARK III IS UNDERWAY

While Collins, who fronted the group from 1976 to 1996, had drummed for six years before stepping forward, 28-year-old vocalist Ray Wilson is more of an unknown quantity. He has enjoyed some fame, however, since he fronted Levi's ad band Stiltskin whose Inside topped the singles chart in 1994.

Stiltskin split before releasing a second album. "I was offered a solo deal by Stiltskin's label, Virgin Germany," says Wilson. "But then I found there was interest from Genesis. You can wait all your life for these things." For Banks, it was a question of finding the right person. "We needed someone who fits as many of the things you require as possible ­ being able to improvise with the kind of music we write and also someone capable of jumping in at the deep end and fronting a band," he says.

Far from being simply the founder members' mouthpiece, Wilson has three writing credits on the new album, Calling All Stations, released by Virgin in September. "I was given half-a-dozen pieces of music to go and write lyrics and melody for," he says. "I am credited with three songs, and obviously next time around I will be involved at an earlier stage. That open-mindedness has really helped me to feel like part of the band, whereas I could have felt like a paid extra."

Calling All Stations opens with an atmospheric title song awash with trademark keyboards before Congo, Shipwrecked and Alien Afternoon showcase the band's more radio-friendly side. But it is tracks seven to eleven, all five to nine minutes in length, that see the momentum build to the climax of the Banks-penned One Man's Fool. "The first track suggests the heaviness to come," he says. "Towards the end the songs become a bit more elongated and more Genesis, with a real depth."

Five further tracks were recorded but dropped from the final running order, leaving just under 70 minutes of music that, by consciously covering the cult and commercial bases, should offer something for everyone. Genesis open their world tour in North America on November 7, arriving in Europe next February. Before that Calling All Stations will, if its predecessors are anything to go by, have topped the UK chart, its fortunes boosted by the single Congo and its Waterworld-style video directed by Howard Greenhalgh.

Genesis's period as a street-credible band ended with Peter Gabriel's departure, and Rutherford concedes their new young singer could restore some of the edge lost as Collins veered towards the middle of the road. "Phil had such a well-known face and he was at the front of the band. I think this is going to change people's perspective," he says. Banks is under no illusions that the band's usually hostile press reception will change, but is more concerned about UK radio. "We know Radio One has a policy of not playing groups of our era: that presents a problem because it is a very important way to tell people our record is out," he says.

He believes Genesis can still be relevant, drawing surprising comparisons with Mansun and Radiohead. "There are little moments of parallel playing, I can see some similarities," he says. "With Ray at the front, I think we have an interesting combination of new and old." Israeli drummer Nir Z, who appears on the album, will also tour with the band as will guitarist Anton Drennan (ex-The Corrs and Paul Brady). Yet, despite the presence of three new faces on stage, Rutherford has no doubt they will receive the traditional Genesis welcome.

"I feel good about Britain because there's an awful amount of history going back many years," he says. "Tickets went on sale without anyone hearing anything and have sold really well, which says something to me." Unlike John Lennon, who hoped he'd passed the audition, Genesis seem likely to sail through their MOT with few problems.

Micheal Heatley

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© Miller Freeman Entertainment 1997.