Radio Stations in GTA Vice City

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File:Vice City soundtrack GH.jpg
Artwork for the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City soundtrack Greatest Hits album.

Various radio stations can be received on radios in most vehicles in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The multi-CD soundtrack to the game was an instant best-seller.

The soundtrack of the game is popular not only with fans of the game, but also with lovers of 1980s music. In the game it is played on various "radio stations" the player can tune into after stealing a car, but it has also been released in a box set or seven separate CDs, with the European editions of the CDs containing a few extra songs that are not on the United States edition. The two talk radio stations (KCHAT, VCPR) have not been released separately.

Most radio stations play a mixture of music, DJ chat, and spoof advertising, however some of them are not included on the CDs. The stations each reflect one style of music intended to evoke the atmosphere of the time.

The player can listen to the following radio stations:

See also:


1 - not on soundtrack album
2 - on European soundtrack album only
3 - on Australian soundtrack album only

Wildstyle

File:Wildstyle.jpg

Wildstyle is hosted by famed DJ Mr. Magic, who was an actual rap DJ during the 1980s, when the game takes place. The station plays rap and period electro music. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set.

The following songs can be heard on the station:

  1. Trouble Funk - Pump Me Up1
  2. Davy DMX - One for the Treble
  3. Cybotron - Clear
  4. Hashim - Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)
  5. Herbie Hancock - Rockit
  6. Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
  7. 2 Live Crew - Get It Girl1
  8. Run-D.M.C. - Rock Box
  9. Mantronix - Bassline
  10. Tyrone Brunson - The Smurf1
  11. Whodini - Magic's Wand
  12. Zapp - More Bounce to the Ounce
  13. Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five - The Message
  14. Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
  15. Man Parrish - Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop) (Rockstar's remix)

Flash FM

File:Flash.jpg

Flash FM is hosted by Toni (voiced by Maria Chambers), and plays period pop and rock music. By 2001, Toni would be the DJ of Flashback FM, a radio station in Liberty City. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set.

The following songs can be heard on the station:

  1. Hall and Oates - Out of Touch
  2. Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
  3. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
  4. Laura Branigan - Self Control
  5. Go West - Call Me
  6. INXS - Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)
  7. Bryan Adams - Run to You
  8. Electric Light Orchestra - Four Little Diamonds
  9. Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart
  10. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star1
  11. Aneka - Japanese Boy 2
  12. Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It
  13. The Outfield - Your Love
  14. Joe Jackson - Stepping Out1
  15. The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another1
  16. Lionel Richie - Running With The Night (on the original PlayStation 2 version, removed from the Greatest Hits edition and the PC and Xbox versions.)

Some unique songs appear on the European version of the soundtrack which are not featured in the game.

These include:

Fever 105

File:Fever 105.jpg

Fever 105' is hosted by Oliver "Ladykiller" Biscuit (voiced by Julius Dyson) and plays soul and R&B. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set.

The following songs can be heard on the station:

  1. The Whispers - And the Beat Goes On
  2. Fat Larry's Band - Act Like You Know
  3. Oliver Cheatham - Get Down Saturday Night
  4. The Pointer Sisters - Automatic'
  5. René & Angela - I'll Be Good
  6. Mary Jane Girls - All Night Long
  7. Rick James - Ghetto Life
  8. Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
  9. Evelyn King - Shame
  10. Teena Marie - Behind the Groove
  11. Mtume - Juicy Fruit
  12. Kool & The Gang - Summer Madness
  13. Indeep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life2

V-Rock

V-Rock is hosted by Lazlow, who also scripted and produced many of the radio stations in the game, and features heavy metal music. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set.

The following songs can be heard on the station:

File:V-rock.jpg
  1. Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock
  2. Mötley Crüe - Too Young to Fall in Love
  3. Quiet Riot - Cum on Feel the Noize2
  4. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary1
  5. Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon
  6. Rockstar's Love Fist - Dangerous Bastard
  7. Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes To Midnight
  8. Loverboy - Working for the Weekend2
  9. Alcatrazz - God Bless Video1
  10. Tesla - Cumin' Atcha Live
  11. Autograph - Turn Up The Radio
  12. Megadeth - Peace Sells
  13. Anthrax - Madhouse
  14. Slayer - Raining Blood
  15. Judas Priest - You've Got Another Thing Comin'
  16. Rockstar's Love Fist - Fist Fury1
  17. David Lee Roth - Yankee Rose

On Grand Theft Auto III's Chatterbox FM chat show, which is set circa 2001, Lazlow claims that he hosts Chatterbox because he "got kicked off the rock station"; the V-Rock soundtrack CD features a hidden track at the end, in which you can hear Lazlow arguing with his superiors before vandalizing the studio and getting fired/walking out as a result.

In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which takes place in 1992, Lazlow interviews celebrities on a radio show called "Entertaining America" on WCTR. He mentions that he is still getting over the 1980s and is having trouble adjusting to the 1990s. In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, which takes place in 1998, Lazlow is finally the host of Chatterbox, but it's only a show on LCFR, not its own channel yet.

V-Rock was also the branding of WSTB, a radio station serving Streetsboro High School in Streetsboro, Ohio. Like it's virtual successor, V-Rock played heavy metal music; indeed, given the time period V-Rock was on the air (1991-1999), it's likely the on-air station played many of the same songs as the station in the video game. V-Rock signed off the air in the wake of the Columbine tragedy, and resumed that fall with a new brand and new format. (See also WSTB for additional information.)

Radio Espantoso

File:Espantoso.jpg

Radio Espantoso is a Spanish-language radio station hosted by Pepe (voiced by Tony Chiroldes) and plays Latin jazz. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set. On a trivial note, the radio station's name translates literally as "Terrifying Radius" or "Horrible Radius".

The following songs can be heard on the station:

  1. Cachao - A Gozar Con Mi Combo
  2. Alpha Banditos - The Bull Is Wrong1
  3. Tres Apenas como eso - Yo Te Mire1
  4. Eumir Deodato - Latin Flute
  5. Mongo Santamaria - Mama Papa Tu
  6. Mongo Santamaria - Me and You Baby (Picao y Tostao)
  7. Machito and his Afro-Cubans - Mambu Mucho Mambo
  8. Unaesta - La Vida es Una Lenteja
  9. Lonnie Liston Smith - Expansions
  10. Irakere - Aguanile
  11. Eumir Deodato - Super Strut
  12. Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra - Jamay
  13. Beny Moré - Maracaïbo Oriental
  14. Tito Puente - Mambo Gozon

Emotion 98.3

File:98.3.jpg

Emotion 98.3 is hosted by Fernando Martinez (voiced by Frank Chavez) and features power ballads. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set, and is the only radio station with all of its songs on the official CD.

The following songs can be heard on the station:

  1. Foreigner - Waiting For A Girl Like You
  2. Kate Bush - Wow
  3. Squeeze - Tempted
  4. REO Speedwagon - Keep On Loving You
  5. Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arms
  6. Roxy Music - More Than This
  7. Toto - Africa
  8. Mr. Mister - Broken Wings
  9. John Waite - Missing You
  10. Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme (Rockstar's edit)
  11. Night Ranger - Sister Christian
  12. Luther Vandross - Never Too Much

Fernando originally appeared as Lazlow's guest on Chatterbox FM in Grand Theft Auto III, and he also appears on the "Lonely Hearts" segment of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas's WCTR station.

Wave 103

File:Wave103.jpg

Wave 103 is hosted by Adam First (voiced by Jamie Canfield), and features New Wave and Synthpop music. An album of the songs from the station is available separately or as part of the Vice City soundtrack box set.

The following songs can be heard on the station:

  1. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes
  2. Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-111
  3. Gary Numan - Cars1
  4. The Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
  5. Blondie - Atomic
  6. Nena - 99 Luftballons
  7. Kim Wilde - Kids In America
  8. Tears For Fears - Pale Shelter
  9. Corey Hart - Sunglasses At Night
  10. ABC - Poison Arrow3
  11. A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away)
  12. The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
  13. Animotion - Obsession2
  14. Spandau Ballet - Gold
  15. Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive!
  16. Romeo Void - Never Say Never

Flash FM's Japanese Boy by Aneka also appears on the European Wave 103 CD album.

KCHAT

File:Kchat.jpg

KCHAT is celebrity talk station hosted by Amy Sheckenhausen (voiced by Leyna Weber). It is one of the nine radio stations in the game that are not represented in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Soundtrack.

Interviews

KCHAT runs live interviews with both local and national celebrities, along with listener call-in participation. During the broadcast played in the game, Amy talks with seven interviewees, some of whom appear elsewhere in the game.

One of the characters that appears elsewhere in the game is Jezz Torrent, of the fictional band Love Fist. After this segment is an interview with professor and exaggerated feminist Michaela Carapadis (Mary Birdsong). She is over-obsessed with hating men and even dresses as one. She also discusses her recently-published thesis, which describes an undercover experience on a construction site. She is later insulted by a caller on air after being told that her work is totally nonsense and is nothing but a "load of crap" as she says. Following that is an interview with Pat "Mr. Zoo" Flannerdy, an anachronistic Steve Irwin parody with an unconventional love for animals. He is later removed from the studio after molesting an animal by his doctor after he reveals to Amy that he is just a very mentally sick man and is taken to a mental clinic.

After Mr. Zoo is removed from the studio, Amy interviews a New Age priestess by the name of Gethsemanee Starhawk Moonmaker. During this interview, a caller makes lewd comments to Gethsemanee, asking her for punishment in a BDSM manner; this same caller calls the host on Chatterbox FM, the talk radio station in Grand Theft Auto III, asking to be spanked by a nanny. The next interviewee is BJ Smith, an aggressive and overzealous American football legend (voiced by real-life legend Lawrence Taylor). Late in the game, Tommy Vercetti, through the player's choice, is able to buy a used car dealership from Smith.

The final two interviewees appear in commercials on other radio stations in the game. The first is Claude Maginot, a classically-trained actor who is ashamed at his recent forced career change, a successful audition for the part of the father in Just the Five of Us, a fictional sitcom with a ridiculous premise involving a "mixup at the adoption agency" and "three zany new house guests". Both this sitcom and his unsuccessful interpretive dance performance, In the Future, There Will Be Robots, are advertised on other stations. Finally, Norse deity Thor (or a reincarnation, impersonator or channeler of him — it is not explained which in the game) appears to further explain and sell his series of self-help tapes, which give very ancient (and often violent) answers to common personal problems. He is critical of women, exampled in his treatment of the host - "Go and live in a chimney, ya troll!" and "Wench Amy" - and he is known to speak in the third person.

VCPR

File:VCPRlogo.jpg

Vice City Public Radio, abbreviated as VCPR, is hosted by Maurice Chavez (voiced by Philip Anthony Rodriguez), with supervisors Jonathan Freeloader (Patrick Olsen) and Michelle Montanius (Kelly Guest). Along with KCHAT, the other talk radio station in the game, VCPR has not been released as part of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Soundtrack.

On VCPR are the frequent donation drives by Michelle Montanius and Jonathan Freeloader, who between shows beg for support money (as VCPR is a public show, it relies on donations) and try to make the listener feel as guilty as possible about listening yet not supporting Public Radio.

Pressing Issues

Much like KCHAT, VCPR features live interviews; unlike the celebrity interviews on KCHAT, however, the show broadcast on VCPR within the game is called Pressing Issues, and focuses on exactly that—particular issues are chosen, and Maurice Chavez mediates an informal debate between selected guests. Three such issues are broadcast within the game.

Morality

The first issue deals with issues of general morality. The three guests for this debate are firebrand Pastor Richards (David Green), harried activist, mother and wife Jan Brown (Maureen Silliman), and naturist Barry Stark (Renaud Sebbane). Pastor Richards is a corrupt and wholly insane televangelist, who promises salvation (in the form of a radiation proof giant living space/effigy of Richards) to all those who pay him very large donations (he later reveals that he was actually planning on using the money to build himself a palace mansion in Hawaii). Jan Brown is an overstressed, overattentive mother who is cheated on (constantly) by her husband. Barry Stark is a naturist and a liar, with sexuality issues (he gets erections several times during the debate). By the end of this segment, Pastor Richards snaps, and, disgusted by Stark's nudism, pulls a gun on him and shoots him in the genitals, while Brown passes out. Pastor Richards also ends up claiming the station as his own for a short while.

Barry Stark also appeared as a caller on Chatterbox FM in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Storiesnd Theft Auto III]], where he makes similar comments about nudity.

During the interview, Pastor Richards complains that "[American] newspapers are owned by Canadians with an agenda". This could be a reference to the mockumentary The Canadian Conspiracy, which details how the Canadian government is subverting the United States by taking over its media, and came out in 1985, one year before the setting of the game.

There is a perception amongst some gamers that Pastor Richards is a caricature either of former televangelist Jim Bakker or Pat Robertson. Rockstar Games has set up a toll-free telephone line that, when called, plays a recording of Pastor Richards discussing his "Salvation Statue." The number can be reached by calling 1-866-9-SAVE-ME (972-8363).

The interview goes awry when Pastor Richards pulls a gun on Barry Stark for being immoral and shoots him in the groin. Barry survives and "is in need of a proctologist". The show then cuts away to Jonathan and Michelle.

Perception and Positive Thinking

The second issue is that of perception and attitude. The three guests for this debate are exaggerated gothic artist Konstantinos Smith (voice artist credited as Konstantinos.com), positive thinker, motivational speaker and shyster Jeremy Robard (Peter Silvestro), who claims that his 3 step program called "Think Your Way To Success" has changed people's lives and made him very rich, and Jenny Louise Crab (Mary Birdsong), a woman driven crazy by the murder of her foster parents, but seemingly addicted to high strength mood elevators in an effort to block the memory (as such, she is insanely hyperactive and scarily cheerful).

During the show, Robard persistently tries to sell his motivational tape series. This series is advertised elsewhere on Vice City radio, and it's worth noting that the initials for each program spells out the name of a popular illegal drug: "Motivate, Demonstrate, then Motivate Again" spells out "MDMA", the scientific abbreviation for Ecstasy; "Learn, Start, Doing" spells out "LSD", the abbreviation for lysergic acid diethylamide; "Think, Hold that thought, Complete" spells out "THC" the abbreviation for Tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary chemical in marijuana. Later in his dialogue he mentions, "And if you want to think *really* fast, try my crank-it-out program" (Crank is slang for Methamphetamine).

Near the end of the show Maurice eventually sees that Jeremy Robard's program is worth nothing, that it hasn't got him anywhere, that he is not a rich successful business man, that he hasn't changed anyone's lives, and that he is nothing but a poor desperate fraud. Maurice and Jeremy breaks his nose with a 'heavy paperweight' on the air.

Public Safety

The third "debate" on the station concerns public safety, particularly in the context of the rising tide of crime promoted in no small part by Tommy Vercetti, the game's protagonist. The three guests during this segment are Congressman Alex Shrub (voiced by Chris Lucas), an extremely right-wing, cocksure politician who is also the youngest congressman elected by the city. He believes that America needs to accept it's okay to be rich and forget the poor, and during the course of the debate he also reveals past facts about host Maurice Chavez (how he used to work as clown, his failed attempts to be an actor, suffering from anxiety, attending group therapy, wanting to get a sex change etc). Social activist and extreme liberal Callum Crayshaw (Sean Modica) is a stereotypical concerned rich boy who wants to "help the poor" in completely unfeasible ways with an organization he formed called "Speaking for the Underdog", and often talks about his trips to other continents (funded by his wealthy businessman Dad, who doesn't seem to care about the same issues at all). The last panel member is secessionist and last-minute panel replacement (The previous guest was carjacked and decided to stay at home arming himself to the teeth.) John F. Hickory (LJ Gansen), an extremely radical native Floridian (though it is revealed he only moved to Vice City recently) who believes that by digging a suitably large river Florida can break free of the American mainland, and finally put a stop to the people flooding in from the northern states.

Of note is the common (but unofficial) perception that Alex Shrub is a caricature of presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as Florida governor Jeb Bush. His last name Shrub would add to this, as a shrub is basically a bush.

Other Songs

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City includes a few songs present in the game, through various cutscenes, that are not featured on any radio station.

These include:

Two unidentified songs in Café Robina, not played on Radio Espantoso, can be heard in the cutscenes to the missions Naval Engagement and Trojan Voodoo.

Commercials

Main article: Commercials in GTA Vice City

In addition to music and interviews, the stations also include fictional commercials such as the Degenatron, a fictional video game console ("Save the green dots with your fantastic flying red square!") - a likely parody of the Atari 2600. The commercials and the game setting are consistent: Degenatron advertisements appear on billboards, and ads air for stores in which the player can actually shop, such as Ammu-Nation.

The publicities that match elements of the game are:

The publicities that aren't related to in-game elements but are mentioned on the radio stations are:

  • Jeremy Robard's "Think Your Way To Success" program, which he will shamelessly plug during his interview on VCPR.
  • The Domestobot, which is a robot designed to help people to do household chores.
  • The Degenatron, a fictional video game console, which Jan Brown will blame for her kids' problems on VCPR.
  • BJ Smith's "Fit for Football" program, which he'll mention during his interview on KCHAT.
  • The "Pastor Richards Salvation Statue" will be mentioned by Pastor Richards during his interview on VCPR.
  • The "Knife After Dark" movie preview; on VCPR, Jan Brown will mention that she won't let her kids watch that movie.
  • Rusty Brown's Ring Donuts. Toni on Flash FM will dedicate a song to them.
  • Giggle Cream, which will be the topic of one of the questions asked to Alex Shrub on VCPR.
  • The show "Just the Five of Us" and the theatre performance "In the Future, There Will Be Robots". The star of both shows, Claude Maginot, will have an interview on KCHAT.
  • Thor's self-help tapes. Thor himself will appear in an interview on KCHAT.
  • Sissy Spritz, a hair-care saloon, is mentioned by the hosts of V-Rock and Flash FM.

Some of the abovementioned items would reappear in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas:

External links



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