The 10 most wonderful films by Studio Ghibli

Since its conception almost 30 years ago, Studio Ghibli has taken on iconic status across the globe both for its profound anime masterpieces and the legends surrounding its visionary director Hayo Miyazaki. But with Miyazaki's retirement and the studio's recent announcement of a temporary halt in production, there's not been much for Ghibli fans to smile about since the release of The Wind Rises back in May. Bearing that in mind, here's my take on the 10 most wonderful films by Studio Ghibli. 

                                                      10. Porco Rosso (1992)
Telling the story of a famed fighter pilot turned bounty hunter, Porco Rosso certainly doesn't sound like traditional Ghibli fodder. Then comes Miyazaki's twist: a curse has transformed Porco into an anthropomorphic pig. Making intelligent use of the culture and politics of its interwar setting, the film is a brilliantly entertaining yarn, but also uses its bizarre premise to make genuine, touching observations on the human condition.

9. Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Ghibli's most perfect love story, Whisper of the Heart is a charming account of growing up told through the eyes of a 14-year old. Rather than overplaying the usual fantasy and mysticism, the film revels in its own (comparative) normality; Shizuku Tsukishima is an ordinary girl with a love of reading, a disapproving family and a crush on a boy who's moving away. It's perhaps the studio's most relatable movie, and a heartfelt plea to pursue your dreams rather than settle for the ordinary. 

8. The Wind Rises (2013)
For the emotional farewell to studio founder Hayo Miyazaki, the biopic of the inventor of the Mitsubishi "Zero Fighter" initially seemed a strange choice of subject matter. However, Jiro Horikoshi's increasing despair as the planes inspired by his love of exploration become tools for slaughter is a perfect canvas for Miyazaki. Returning once again to themes of nature versus industry, scenes of the blissful Japanese countryside are wickedly contrasted with the war's destruction to make the conflict all the more moving. 

7. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
When the young Sophie is aged seventy years by an evil witch, she finds the legendary walking castle owned by Howl, the only wizard capable of returning her to youth. Making use of improved animation technology without abandoning Ghibli's hand-drawn roots, the film features some of the studio's most jaw-dropping art-particularly impressive is the moving castle itself; a colossal hulk of wheezing iron and escaping steam. Drawing inspiration from The Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, Howl is a rambling, expansive exploration in high fantasy. 


6. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Produced before Ghibli was even founded (but included in this list because the team behind it went on to found the studio), Nausicaä is remarkable in that it shares all of the morality, artistic vision and sheer beauty of the films Ghibli would go on to produce. Its story weaves the peaceful folk of The Valley of the Wind and their princess Nausicaä with an industrialized kingdom attempting to destroy a jungle of mutant insects; a thematically complex affair reflecting Miyazaki's already passionate environmental beliefs. As always with Ghibli films it's full of fantastic characters, but it's the sympathetic portrayal of the victimized insect Ohmu that stays longest in the mind. A startling intelligent anime, Nausicaä remains a gloriously thrilling picture while preaching its far-reaching messages. 

5. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
The most wonderfully innocent of all Ghibli films (and perhaps films full stop), My Neighbor Totoro follows two young girls whose mother is recovering from a long-term illness. Lonely and confused, the pair's outdoor exploration leads them to discover the magical creatures living in the forest near their house led by Totoro, the spirit of the forest who appears in the form of an enormous rabbit-like animal. Fear turns quickly to joy as Totoro helps the girls overcome their sadness (the film is at times startlingly reflective and poignant) and rekindle their scattered relationships with their parents, all told through strangely comforting art and music. A film of indescribable beauty and perfection, Totoro launched Ghibli's name and has served as the studio's logo and mascot ever since. 


4. Castle in the Sky (1986)
Borrowing heavily from Gulliver's Travels, Castle in the Sky is a hugely funny and tremendously entertaining movie. Bringing together a girl, a boy, a magical amulet, a floating city, a sinister government and a host of undeniably likable and hilarious characters, the film has all the elements of the perfect fantasy blockbuster, and uses them to the full. Filled with spine tingling set pieces and explosive action sequences, you'd be forgiven for assuming that Ghibli's traditional beliefs were left at the roadside on this one, but that's not the case at all. In fact, Castle in the Sky is arguably superior to most Ghibli films in its presentation of the struggle between man and the environment in that it portrays technology and nature working in cohesion, nature stimulating invention while machines help to sustain the natural environment. And, for my money, its music (particularly its theme) is the best in any Ghibli film. 

3. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
And now for something completely different. Grave of the Fireflies is a shockingly intense, utterly horrifying war film and is about as far from the usual Ghibli movie (and the usual war film) as it's possible to be. Rather than following the heroics of soldiers on the front line, the film presents a startling account of the lives of two Japanese children forced to cope with the loss of their parents, the threat of bombing raids and a constant battle with starvation during the final years of the Second World War. The usual Ghibli charm is totally absent here, it's a dark, brutally realistic portrait of the horrors of human conflict, but the studio's usual quality of animation, writing and direction makes it all the more powerful and frightening. For all Ghibli's belief in environmental sustainability this is by far their most meaningful film, the passion and faith of its anti-war message reflected in the terrifying changes hardship evokes in its characters. Moving to the point of tear-jerking, Grave of the Fireflies was a game-changing movie not just for Ghibli but for anime as a whole, giving animators the permission to explore topics far beyond their usual realms of gods, monsters and dystopian futures. Harrowing. 

2. Spirited Away (2001) 

Much like Lewis Carroll's novel, Hayo Miyazaki's take on Alice in Wonderland is a bizarre, spiritual and utterly gorgeous work of genius. When her parents are transformed into pigs in an apparently uninhabited theme park, ten-year old Chihiro delves into a ludicrous, regularly disturbing spirit world as she attempts to win them back. Miyazaki's phenomenal creativity is at its very best in the creation of a beautifully varied cast of characters, and artistically Spirited Away feels like a culmination of all Ghibli's work; each frame an explosion of colour and a masterclass in artistic craftsmanship. The art isn't just for aesthetic value either; the simplicity of the appearance of the spirit No Face makes him all the more scary by comparison to more detailed, elaborate creatures. It's a truly frightening film at times too, although the fearful tone is carefully lifted as the movie goes on as Chihiro becomes more and more at home in her new world. It's not as pushy in its messages as some, but this only furthers the fairytale atmosphere of the piece; this is art for art, not for politics. Deserved winner of the Oscar for best animated feature, Spirited Away is an exquisite film that truly justifies Miyazaki's status as a visionary. 

1. Princess Mononoke (1997)
For me, Princess Mononoke encapsulates everything Studio Ghibli films are about. There's an epic, hugely ambitious storyline of demons, gods and warriors. There's magnificent, perfectly drawn and painted artwork.. And there's a frank message on the harsh realities of environmental destruction. The film studies religion, the ruination of ancient culture and humanity's relationship with the animal kingdom (the titular princess was, rather wonderfully, raised by wolves) , but its moral values are only part of the picture. Princess Mononoke is a deliciously enjoyable tale of epic fantasy full of intense violence juxtaposed with natural imagery, and it's also technologically inventive and at times exceptionally witty. Described as "The Star Wars of anime", the film takes existing archetypes and themes and employs them to create the perfect hero tale without every seeming cliched. Intelligent, fast paced and thrilling, Princess Monokoke tells us almost as much about the futility of war as Grave of the Fireflies does, but remains a fiercely entertaining film. Like so many on this list, Princess Mononoke is a true masterpiece.  Not content to be one of the best anime movies around, it's up there among the greatest films ever made. 

The top ten Arctic Monkeys songs

So after compiling a list of the 25 best Muse songs, I fancied a go at another favourite band, Sheffield's own Arctic Monkeys. I managed to trim this down to ten without too much difficulty although I was forces to miss a few classics out, so without further ado, the top ten Arctic Monkeys songs.


10. R U Mine (AM, 2013)
Combining the ferocity of debut album cuts like The View From The Afternoon and I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor with the style and swagger of more developed tracks including Do I Wanna Know produced one of AM's true highlights and a riff that finally sold the band to every heavy metal magazine in the world.


9. Fluorescent Adolescent (Favourite Worst Nightmare, 2007)

A rare moment of genius in the rather samey Favourite Worst Nightmare, Fluorescent Adolescent bounces along with an infectious melody and Morrisey-esque lyrical delivery. Indeed, the song often sounds like a homage to The Smiths, with its sugar sweet tune played alongside detailed observationalist lyrics such as "flicking through a little book of sex tips, remember when the boys were all electric".

8. Secret Door (Humbug, 2009)

A song in many ways synonymous with the more mature style which stemmed from a collaboration with Queens of the Stone Age man Josh Homme on third album Humbug, Secret Door showcases the Monkeys stripped of the heavy rock riffs, yet developing a more complex, layered style supported by another infectious tune.

7. When The Sun Goes Down (Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, 2006)

Among the darkest and most reality-checking singles ever to hit the UK number one spot, When The Sun Goes Down recants a dismal tale of prostitution on the streets of Sheffield told with a sly but poignant lyrical touch by Alex Turner. It's among the most intelligent tracks on the debut album, but it's still complimented by the usual suspects of a selection of brilliantly distorted riffs and an immortal shouted chorus.

6. Love Is A Laserquest (Suck It And See, 2011)

While Turner's lyrics are often dismissed as, well, a little naff, on Suck It And See the band hit almost poetic lyrical highs. Love Is A Laserquest is perhaps the album's highest point, as Turner sings a a tragic ballad of a character unable to move on from a lost love, similar in many ways to the brilliant Cornerstone. The drums and electric guitars are almost an annoyance here, as Turner's solo acoustic version does his words far more justice.

5. Mardy Bum (Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, 2006)

Inspiration for the Monkeys first album was taken almost totally from personal experience, which is surely why Mardy Bum's ode to domestic arguments was so identifiable for so many people. Its summery, instantly catchy tune compliments the conflicting lyrics in a style akin to The Smiths, although the sublime guitar solo is distinctly un-Johnny Marr-ish.

4. Do I Wanna Know (AM, 2013)

A perfect fusion of riffs and melodies, Do I Wanna Know is the undisputed highlight of recent album AM no matter how much you believe that "the one everyone knows is never the best." A single jarring tune evolves into a layered, textured musical landscape in one of the band's most finey crafted pieces to date.

3. 505 (Favourite Worst Nightmare, 2007)
He may have touched on it on Mardy Bum, but 505 was Turner's first full blown love song, and it's unconventional to say the least. From twisted macabre lyrics like "I'd probably still adore you with your hands around my neck" to the way the song explodes from sensual organ chords into a hail of heavy metal in its final moments, this is hardly a classic love ballad, but it's remains a shining example of a track remaing poignant and subtle without becoming a mockery of itself.


2. Cornerstone (Humbug, 2009)
Humbug's finest moment appears in the form of Cornerstone, a tragic, sensual song revolving around the life of a man unable to move on from the supposed death of the of the one he loves. Through the shifting use of the refrain "can I call you her name", Turner paints a shocking picture as his character fails to grasp the opportunity to love again and descends into an apparent madness, and it's perfected by acoustic backing, comimg-and-going melodies and a dreamy, shifting guitar solo.


1. A Certain Romance (Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, 2006)
One of the greatest guitar songs every written, A Certain Romance brings together all the elements of the greatest of Monkeys songs to create the best of them all. From slashed power chords to a tentative melody and stunning attacked guitar solo, the track merges almost every technique and inspiration that band have used to date; a feat even more impressive when it's considered that the song appears on their debut album. And with superb lyrics dissecting the rivalries between cliques, groups and genres, A Certain Romance really is a certain kind of genius.


I am truly, truly sorry that there was no space for Only Ones Who Know, Suck It And See, The View From The Afternoon, Crying Lightning and a few others, but on the whole I'm fairly pleased with the list. As ever, comment whatever feelings you have as you see fit.

The 25 best Muse songs

With my favourite band Muse hitting their 20th anniversary (you what?) this year, what a pleasant idea I thought it would be to cherry pick my ten favourite songs by the Devonshire trio to post on this blog. After some minutes of crying and ripping out my hair (for the most part metaphorically speaking), that list grew to fifteen, twenty and eventually twenty five classic tracks. It's not perfect, and it's inevitably missing a few from limited space, but here you go: for me the twenty five greatest Muse songs of all time.

25. Dead Star
A rare example of Muse at full on metal mode, Dead Star's driving riff and polished chorus make for one of the band's heaviest and most unhinged songs.
Find it: Dead Star Single (2002)

24. Map of Your Head
Similar in many ways to the brilliant Unintended,  Matt Bellamy takes the style of The Smiths in the song's dark lyrics sung over an infectious, sugar sweet acoustic melody.
Find it: Hullabaloo Soundtrack (2002)


23.  Supremacy
The Bond theme that never was, Supremacy's explosive, pompous stomp and ludicrously high vocals are doubtless the highlight of The 2nd Law.
Find it: The 2nd Law (2012)

22. Time is Running Out
Perhaps the finest pop nugget from an impressive arsenal of classics, Time is Running Out's polished, progressive chorus helped push the band into mega-stardom on their third album proper Absolution.
Find it: Absolution (2004)

21. Falling Down
Before their lyrical themes turned interstellar, Muse wrote this wonderful anthem for the disaffected youth in which Bellamy paints a bizarre picture of destroying the small town the group grew up in.
Find it: Showbiz (1999)

20. Sing For Absolution
And on the album where the lyrics did hit the stars, this floating, piano led classic stands out as the band's greatest ballad. "Sing for absolution, I will be singing".
Find it: Absolution (2004)

19.  Sunburn
"Come waste your millions here" begins the first song on debut album Showbiz, a track which hinted of the band's prog influences in its recurring piano ostinato moving dreamily into a heavier guitar based chorus and solo.
Find it: Showbiz (1999)

18. Invincible
Another superb, progressive ballad, Invincible is a hidden gem as one of the more understated tracks on the epic Black Holes and Revelations.
Find it: Black Holes and Revelations (2006)

17. Blackout
Much has been made of the similarities between Muse and Radiohead over the years, and while Blackout could have been a standout on any post-OK Computer record, it comes with a stunning identity of its own as an early example of the orchestral influences which would eventually bring the band to write the phenomenal Exogenesis Symphony.
Find it: Absolution (2004)

16. Muscle Museum
Of all the songs Muse have cut from their live setlists over their career, Muscle Museum could well be the most unfortunate loss; it's a stellar track perhaps overshadowed by its legendary "guitar solo" which is actually sung.
Find it: Showbiz (1999)

15. Resistance

The almost-title track on the band's fifth album, Resistance evolves from a Pet Shop Boys influenced synthpop opening to its stunning chorus "love is our resistance" in one of their best tracks of recent years.
Find it: The Resistance (2009)

14. Unintended
The stunningly rare occasions of genuine love songs in Muse's career rarely mark the band's finest hours, but this simple acoustic anthem from their first album remains a fan favourite to this day and is a shining example of a band retaining their power while stripped of distortion and hundred-watt amps.
Find it: Showbiz (1999)

13. Hysteria
Aside from Plug In Baby, Hysteria is perhaps the song most synonymous with Muse's sound. As the lead single on classic third album Absolution, Hysteria sees the band managing brilliantly to write a guitar song for bass, resulting in an iconic riff and the ever catchy chorus of "I want it all, give me your heart and your soul".
Find it: Absolution (2004)

12. Bliss
Cited by Matt Bellamy as his favourite of the band's songs, Bliss's soft keyboard arpeggios smash into a headbanging guitar riff in a track summed up perfectly by the NME as "perhaps the catchiest song ever written about wanting to electronically download someone else's happiness into your own brain".
Find it: Origin of Symmetry (2001)

11. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist
A brilliantly meditative piece dissecting the confusion and fear of death inevitably present due to a lack of faith in an afterlife, Thoughts of a Dying Atheist is an example of superb observational lyricism supported by a great guitar melody and possibly the best solo in Bellamy's huge arsenal.
Find it: Absolution (2004)

perhaps the catchiest song ever written about wanting to electronically download someone else’s happiness into your own brain.

Read more at http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-big-picture/20-best-muse-songs-as-voted-by-you#hI7ax6HkmJdLZoYu.99

perhaps the catchiest song ever written about wanting to electronically download someone else’s happiness into your own brain.

Read more at http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-big-picture/20-best-muse-songs-as-voted-by-you#hI7ax6HkmJdLZoYu.99

perhaps the catchiest song ever written about wanting to electronically download someone else’s happiness into your own brain.

Read more at http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-big-picture/20-best-muse-songs-as-voted-by-you#hI7ax6HkmJdLZoYu.99

10. Ruled by Secrecy
Muse are at their best when flirting with brilliant prog insanity, and Ruled by Secrecy is doubtless one of the greatest examples of this rule. The song somehow finds a way for its simple drum beat and bass line to become an explosive wall of grand-piano dominated sound before fading into the sound of a beating heart in a short few minutes of music. Described by Bellamy as being about "this man who's come back from work and he's just shot everyone and killed everyone, and he's come back to his wife with a load of blood all over his hands going 'I've just blown it ... I lost it ... I lost the plot", it's clear that despite it's rich and textured music the song remains one of the band's darkest moments.
Find it: Absolution (2004)

9. New Born
As the opener to second album Origin of Symmetry, it seemed clear from the first few seconds of tinkley grand piano that the band had simply produced a carbon copy of debut album Showbiz. But moments later, New Born introduces a new era in a hail of distorted riffology and that screamed chorus "destroy the spineless."
Find it: Origin of Symmetry (2001)

8. Falling Away With You
The softest, most tentative song on this list, Falling Away With You is the band's most intimate moment, with Matt Bellamy whispering his vocals over a snail's pace acoustic movement. It's completed by some of their finest lyrics too, "staying awake to chase a dream, tasting the air you're breathing in" and "all of the love we left behind, watching the flashbacks intertwine, memories I will never find" being particularly thoughtful highlights. One of just three tracks Muse have never played live, we can only hope for a concert debut in the near future.
Find it: Absolution (2004)

7. Exogenesis: Symphony
Exogenesis is Muse at their preposterous, absurd best; a twelve minute piece divided into three movements played by a 40-piece orchestra telling the story of humanity leaving earth to populate another planet. It's easy to dismiss as ludicrously bloated just by its name, but its excessive nature actually presents the band's most meticulous and complex composition influenced by artists as widespread as Chopin, Rachmaninov and Pink Floyd. A true spine tingle.
Find it: The Resistance (2009)

6. Butterflies and Hurricanes
The centrepiece of the classic Absolution, Butterflies and Hurricanes rifles through sections as varied as a massive rock chorus and a romantic piano interlude in a song often cited as among the band's greatest works. Butterflies and Hurricanes is in some ways a spiritual successor to the greater still Citizen Erased; phenomenally beautiful and complex in its musical movements and yet still catchy and exciting.
Find it: Absolution (2004)

5. Space Dementia
We enter the top five with a song of suitably epic proportions; with a title referring to a mental condition caused by long spells spent in outer space, Space Dementia never aimed to be anything less than gigantic. With hammered piano the band would later adapt for Ruled by Secrecy and twisting, distorted guitar melodies, Space Dementia is one of the finest examples of modern prog and is a true experience to hear for the first time.
Find it: Origin of Symmetry (2001)

4. Knights of Cydonia
A song as complex and instrumental as Space Dementia or Butterflies and Hurricanes, Knights of Cydonia was a change in direction for Muse's epics in that's it's composed almost entirely around distorted guitar riffs. Taking elements from Queen's I Want To Break Free, early use of synthesisers and even the Doctor Who theme tune, Knights... has become one of the band's signature songs; the brilliant acapella call of "no one's gonna take me alive, the time has come to make things right, you and I must fight for our rights, you and I must fight to survive" seemingly designed for stadiums while the headbanging riff that follows it is perhaps the group's most memorable.
Find it: Black Holes and Revelations (2006)

3. Plug in Baby
Our big three begins with one of THE greatest riffs of all time; Plug in Baby's shrieking guitar opening is surely the most iconic musical moment in Muse history. It's not a one trick pony either, it's a brilliantly tight and well crafted rock song, which is even more impressive when you consider that it was apparently recorded while the whole band were on hallucinogenic mushrooms. The band's most successful song when it was released as the lead single for Origin of Symmetry, the track has remained a true fan favourite and has been played at almost every Muse concert since.
Find it: Origin of Symmetry (2001)

2. Citizen Erased
The Muse-Radiohead comparisons are at their strongest by far on this legendary Origin of Symmetry cut, because Citizen Erased is, without a doubt, Muse's Paranoid Android. And while the similarities between the two are there to be seen; multiple movements, contrasting sections of phenomenal volume and slow, chordal progressions, Citizen Erased is very much a song of its own. Opening with an explosion of funk metal, the piece builds into a colossal synth-chorus followed by electric arpeggios, a pounding guitar solo and a tantalizing acoustic chord progression. Fitting so many musical elements into 7 minutes is no mean feat, but the real success of Citizen Erased is in managing to turn so many distinct sections into one complete, perfect piece. It's at the very least a true equal to Radiohead's classic OK Computer opus.
Find it: Origin of Symmetry (2001)

1. Stockholm Syndrome
With an opening riff that sounds like a terrifying cross-breed between The Prodigy and System of a Down, Stockholm Syndrome is a heavy metal explosion which instantly sets itself far apart from most of the band's songs. As its tectonic riff reaches its climax, there's a sudden transition into one of the band's most striking choruses, as the violent guitar is overshadowed by a soft, beautiful keyboard melody before the band rev the engines and kick into the riff once again. Stockholm Syndrome is a shot of pure adrenaline, a burst of energy which remains fixed in the memory long after it's five minutes of total power come to an end. And it's completed by the most monstrous and original breakdown of the group's career to close a song which can, truly, be called Muse's best. And of course, when you play the chorus backwards you'll hear Matt singing "please save the night wind and high above, I lost to love". It wouldn't be Muse without the occasional hidden message, would it?
Find it: Absolution (2004)

I put some time and thought into this, but I'm sure you all completely disagree. Shocked by the lack of Supermassive Black Hole, Uprising or Neutron Star Collision (just kidding)? Insulted by Plug in Baby not being top? Leave a comment here.

The top 10 Grand Theft Auto radio stations

Any half-fan of Rockstar Games’ most popular franchise will tell you that radio stations are an integral part of the Grand Theft Auto experience. Since the original GTA was released in 1997, Rockstar has recorded dozens of stations crammed with superb licensed music, which don’t so much enhance gameplay as bring it to life. They’ve been in foreign languages, been hosted by world famous musicians and even catapulted real life DJ Lazlow to stardom through appearances on every GTA game since GTA III.  As an avid GTA fan myself, in this post I list my ten favourite GTA radio stations of all time.

10. Double Clef FM (GTA III)

I sometimes wonder why Rockstar never added an operatic radio station to a game after GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories, especially when Double Clef FM works so well. Hosted by Liberty Tree columnist Morgan Merryweather, Double Clef pokes fun at the pretentions of classical opera in its short 20 minutes of music and commercials. They may have never made another, but in Double Clef FM Rockstar created an absolute gem.

9. Channel X (GTA V)

It’s remarkable that Rockstar never made a station devoted completely to punk before the recent GTA V, the genre’s violent and rebellious nature fits right into the games the company builds. Hosted by legendary singer Keith Morris, who worked with many of the bands featured on the track list, Channel X includes classics by Black Flag and Circle Jerks, making for a superb playlist for the (albeit virtual) long and winding road.

8.  Chatterbox FM (GTA III)

Chatterbox was the first GTA radio station to be hosted by DJ Lazlow, who became an iconic figure in the GTA universe and appeared in every game in the series since.  Lazlow, who co-wrote the station’s script, presents a witty and sarcastic hour of talk as he interviews pacifist martial artist Reed Tucker and “cheap pimp” Fernando Martinez (a character who has also made an appearance in every game since GTA III).

7. West Coast Classics (GTA V)

Taking its cues from San Andreas’s brilliant Radio Lost Santos, West Coast Classics features an excellent, expletive-ridden set of 80s and 90s hip hop tracks. Hosted by the bizarrely named DH Pooh, the station makes a great backdrop for GTA V’s scenes of gang violence (also inspired by San Andreas) with songs from such legendary artists as 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.

6.  Flashback FM (GTA III)

Gosh, there’s a bit of a pattern developing here! Even so, Flashback FM is well worthy of its position here, being possibly the best 80’s pop station in the game’s history. Hosted by the brilliant Toni, the station’s use of songs from the Scarface soundtrack really shows the developer’s influences. Uses of She’s On Fire and I’m Hot Tonight are particularly effective.

5.  Radio X (GTA San Andreas)

Simply as a set of songs, Radio X presents possibly my favourite radio station in GTA history. As an alternative rock and heavy metal station, Radio X features superb tracks from world-famous bands including Depeche Mode, Guns N’ Roses and Rage Against the Machine (the use of Killing in the Name being surely one of the best musical decisions in gaming history). There’s excellent talk to be heard here too, with the station being hosted by escaped mental patient Sage. For me, only Nirvana is missing from this musical classic.

4. Radio Los Santos (GTA San Andreas)

Often cited as San Andreas’s best radio station, the gangsta rap and hip hop provided by Radio Lost Santos was the main inspiration for West Coast Classics and the modern incarnation of the station heard in GTA V. As the favourite station of the iconic Grove Street gang, Radio Los Santos provided much of the soundtrack for the Balla Vs Grove Street violence seen in the game. Packed with brilliant songs from rappers including 2Pac and Dr Dre, it remains a firm fan favourite.

3. VCPR (GTA Vice City)

I’m surprised that I’ve managed to go this long without listing a station from GTA Vice City, which surely has the best soundtrack of any GTA game. VCPR is, without a doubt, the best talk station ever recorded for a GTA game; it’s brilliantly entertaining, utterly hilarious and regularly bizarre. Hosted by the wonderful Maurice Chavez (who made it onto my list of favourite GTA characters), VCPR satirises everything from religious fundamentalism to protective parenting to public radio in its Pressing Issues program. Maurice meets some great characters along the way too, including the quite insane Pastor Richards.

2. K-Rose (GTA San Andreas)

The surprise favourite of GTA San Andreas, this country station hosted by the murderous Mary-Beth Maybell was a hit with players worldwide. Mary, who is believed to have killed all of her six previous husbands, intersperses a brilliant playlist including The Desert Rose Band and Mickey Gilley with frequently hilarious dialogue. But K-Rose (and San Andreas itself) is best remembered for George Strait’s All My Ex’s Live in Texas, a song that became synonymous with Rockstar’s games achieved iconic status among GTA players.

1.   V-Rock (GTA Vice City)

The second station to be hosted by DJ Lazlow, V-Rock provides one of the best GTA playlists featuring heavy; thrash and glam metal, and is also hilarious in its dialogue. Made all the more amusing by the fact that Lazlow knows essentially nothing about metal music, V-Rock became an iconic station and soundtracked much of my GTA Vice City playthrough.  Packed with metal classics from Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet  Riot and even GTA’s fiction rockers Love Fist, the station was an instant hit with gamers. Rockstar clearly loved it too, creating the V-Rock Hotel in San Andreas and referencing the station regularly after Vice City.

As ever, be sure to comment if you agree with (or despise) my choices! 

List time! The 10 greatest Grand Theft Auto characters.

Bloggers love lists. In fact, we all like a good list every one in a while (that or it's just me)! So with the GTA V hype barely unabated more than a week since the game's release and my review of the game landing very soon (tomorrow hopefully) I took the opportunity to list my ten favourite GTA characters of all time. As an affectionate of the classic PS2 era of GTA games there's plenty of characters from the classic trilogy, but I've included a few of my favourites from the time I've spent with Rockstar's latest instalment too.

Number 10: Maurice Chavez
Not a character in the conventional sense of the word, Maurice is the self-obsessed presented of political talk show Pressing Issues on Vice City Public Radio in GTA Vice City. Despite making no in-game appearance, Chavez makes the list for his frequently hilarious banter with goths, priests and politicians on what is surely the greatest talk station of any GTA game. In a single episode of Pressing Issues, he offends countless guests and listeners, violently grapples with a naturist and is held at gunpoint by an insane televangelist named Pastor Richards. Chavez embodies the stunning sense of humour with dominates modern GTA games, and I was glad to see him honoured in a GTA V Easter egg.


Number 9: Frank Tenpenny
GTA has seen many villains, some ridiculous, some hilarious and some downright terrifying. But the series has never created an antagonist quite as chilling as corrupt police officer Frank Tenpenny. As the main villain in GTA San Andreas, Tenpenny harbours a barely controlled hatred for the game's hero CJ, which comes to a dramatic climax during the game's final mission. Voiced by legendary actor Samuel L Jackson, Tenpenny's careful stalking makes him one of GTA's most memorable characters.

Number 8: Lance Vance
The two-faced Lance Vance first appears in GTA Vice City as a helpful yet troubled criminal eager to prove himself to the game's protagonist Tommy Vercetti. As the game progresses however the player witnesses a bizarre and gradual change in Lance's persona until he eventually comes to despise Vercetti and attempts to put him out of action for good. Lance was one of the first truly three-dimensional characters in video game history, the hatred that overcomes the goodness in his heart making him a brilliantly believable character.
























Number 7: Trevor Philips
Easily the most psychotic protagonist in GTA history, Trevor is the wild card of GTA V. The third playable character the player comes across, Trevor is a former bank robber who now spends his time cooking meth and battling with biker gang The Lost from his home in Blaine County. As we learn more about his dark, troubled character, we see past Trevor's manic levels of violence and he becomes a deeper, more interesting person. One of the true greats.


Number 6: Big Smoke
A member of the Grove Street Boys gang in GTA San Andreas, Big Smoke becomes the game's second major villain when he betrays CJ for his own gain. Full of fantastically written dialogue, Big Smoke is featured as major player in the game's early stages before becoming elusive for the middle segment and reappearing towards the game's climax. Despite this, Big Smoke is the character GTA San Andreas players remember, as much for his appearance as his humorous speeches.


Number 5. Maccer
As lead singer of the English band The Gurning Chimps, Maccer was perhaps San Andreas's most humorous character.  Voiced by Shaun Ryder of The Happy Mondays, Maccer provided a strange mixture of references to British music and bizarre, drug addled comments such as "Pabsy! I'm a Raspberry!" And Maccer was to The Gurning Chimps what Kurt Cobain was to Nirvana, with Kent Paul commenting "drummers and keyboardists are ten-a-penny anyway" when referring to the rest of the band.


Number 4: Ken Rosenberg
Drug addicted layer and champion of awful suits Ken Rosenberg made two appearances in GTA games, one in Vice City when he became Tommy Vercetti's right-hand man in his efforts to take over the town, and again in San Andreas as a washed out friend of Kent Paul and Maccer. Rosenberg's scheming nature and bizarre tendencies made him a cult favourite in Vice City, and fans were gratified for his return in CJ's story. Clearly based in both personality and appearance on David Kleinfeld's  character in Carlito's Way, Rosenberg remains a personal favourite.


Number 3: Michael De Santa
Possibly the most important of GTA V's three protagonists, Michael's story is the classic tale of the rich and retired band robber who returns to a life a crime. But what might have been a clichéd character takes on more depth as his history and relationships with his family and the other main characters are fully explored over the game's long campaign. While many players leaned towards Trevor, Michael was the character I truly connected with in GTA V. A brilliantly likeable protagonist.


Number 2: Tommy Vercetti
As the protagonist of GTA Vice City, Tommy was a convicted criminal sent to Vice City by his mafia bosses to complete a major drug deal. When the deal went wrong and Tommy lost the cash, he began an epic quest to regain the money and to take revenge on the boss who had set him his arrest ten years ago. Tommy was the first GTA protagonist who felt like a real person, rather than the unspeaking pawn you played as in GTA III this character had a personality; he was violent, cruel and frequently very funny. Tommy was a revolutionary milestone in GTA games, the man who laid the foundation for all the sarcastic,psychotic characters of the future games.


Number 1: Kent Paul
No, he's not a protagonist, or even a real main character. But for me, cockney band manage Kent Paul, who made appearances in Vice City and San Andreas, is the single most humorous, interesting and brilliant character the GTA universe has ever seen. Voiced by Danny Dyer, Kent managed legendary metal band Love Fist in Vice City and steered the Gurning Chimps through their disastrous American tour in San Andreas. With superb dialogue poking light fun at the British music scene and packed chock full of references to real bands, Kent Paul is one of my favourite characters across the whole of entertainment.



Disagree? Think I missed someone out? Feel free to leave a comment informing me of the error of my ways!