Reflections of Darkness - Music Magazine - Ray Wilson & Stiltskin

Details: Written by: Nicole Kizina; Published: 20 November 2008

Zeche, Bochum, Germany
12th November 2008
Ray Wilson & Stiltskin

First of all Ray Wilson is well known as the singer of STILTSKIN who got already their breakthrough in the early 90's with ‘Inside’, the song that was used for an advertisement clip of Levis. Ray joined GENESIS for a short time in 1997, did solo stuff and reformed STILTSKIN. A man with a voice that you recognized at once under thousands and that makes you shiver, because he knows how to use it and his musical talent. After the astonishing STILTSKIN comeback in 2006 with the album ‘She’, Ray Wilson & STILTSKIN came to present the new album ‘Propaganda Man’ again to Germany. First and last time I saw STILTSKIN was in 1996 on the Gurtenfestival in Switzerland and now I stood in the Zeche after so many years just to see that nothing changed. There's still the same magic in the air, four great musicians who know exactly how to catch people and took us with them on this musical journey.

Ray Wilson (born 8 September 1968 in Dumfries) is a Scottish musician, best known as vocalist in the grunge band STILTSKIN and in GENESIS for their 1997/1998 album and tour. Ray started off in a band called GUARANTEED PURE in the early 1990s. They released an album called ‘Swing Your Bag’, the title track of which was included on a compilation album on the label of FISH entitled 'The Funny Farm Project: Outpatients '93'. He then joined STILTSKIN; they released one album and had a number one hit in the UK with the single ‘Inside’. In 1997, Wilson joined GENESIS following the departure of former vocalist and drummer Phil Collins. Interestingly, GENESIS was formed in 1967 but Ray Wilson was born a year later in 1968. Other musicians who have joined bands that were formed before they were born include Jonathan Noyce of JETHRO TULL and Jerome Froese of TANGERINE DREAM. The arrival of Ray Wilson marked the decline in GENESIS record sales, which had been phenomenal during the era of Phil Collins. The band went on hiatus after one album, ‘Calling All Stations’, and a tour with Wilson. Ray went on to record a solo project called "Cut_", which he has described as sounding bad.[citation needed]. The album ‘Millionairhead’ was released under this name. It was re-released in 2007 (re-mastered) including three additional songs.

In 2003 he released a solo album under his own name titled ‘Change’. The next year he released another studio album entitled ‘The Next Best Thing’, which included a cover of ‘Inside’. In 2006, Ray Wilson and STILTSKIN were (re-) formed. Band members Ray Wilson, Ali Ferguson, Lawrie MacMillan and Ashley MacMillan along with Ray's fellow writer / guitarist Uwe Metzler embarked on a European Tour to promote the album ‘She’, an album receiving rave reviews from magazines such as Musix, Melody and Rythmus and CRS and saw Ray return to his Rock roots. The band was touring again in the autumn of 2007 and was also be performing songs from Ray's solo career. The new album of Ray Wilson which was released in 2008 is called ‘Propaganda Man’. http://www.raywilson.co.uk/ / http://www.myspace.com/raywilsonmusic

Music & Performance
Ray and his lads decided to do an acoustic set first and later a rock set. They kicked off the show with 'Another Day' from Ray's first solo album 'Change' followed by a cover version of the one and only 'Major Tom'. Ray mentioned the new album 'Propaganda Man'. Ray is not only a good musician as well a funny entertainer. So he told the audience about it when he started with 'Jägermeister' (German drink) and how he became Jäger Wilson. They have chosen to play 'Follow You Follow Me' from GENESIS because Ray always enjoyed playing this song live. The acoustic set also went back to the first STILTSKIN album with a song like 'Rest in Peace'. The song 'Alone' reminded Ray of his home land Scotland where he does not live anymore. The introduction of 'The Brakes Are Gone' was another funny story about brakes that don't work, though it had nothing to do with the song. After the first break when the rock part started it was time for three songs from the first STILTSKIN album followed by three songs from the last STILTSKIN album. Of course it was now also the time for the big hit 'Inside'. Big applause and a great laugh got the legendary ‘Airport song’, which Ray wrote drunk at the Malaga airport. Everyone was singing along. Ray wondered why he had written this song.

Before it was time for the second break, the title song of the new album was played 'Propaganda Man'. Another break and three encores more came along. The show ended with a mix of 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' and 'No Woman No Cry'. This was an evening when we got the proof again that you don't need a big show to have a great evening. Good musicians, good music and a fantastic sense of humour are enough.

Setlist
01. Another Day
02. Major Tom (David Bowie Cover)
03. Lemon Yellow Sun
04. Cosmic Baby (new song)
05. Change
06. Follow You Follow Met (Genesis Cover)
07. Sarah
08. Rest in Peace
09. Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel Cover)
10. Beautiful Child
11. Alone
12. Constantly Reminded
13. The Brakes Are Gone
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14. She
15. Taking Time
16. Sick and Tired
17. Sunshine and Butterflies
18. Footsteps
19. Inside
20. Frequency
21. The Airport Song (Flughafen Blues)
22. Propaganda Man
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23. Razorlite
24. ?
25. Knocking On Heaven‘s Door / No Woman No Cry