K-DST

"When all your buddies from the '70s have gone to rehab, we strongly encourage you to stay on... «The Dust»."

— K-DST

"Tommy Smith, formerly with 1970s progressive rock act, Crystal Ship, has now taken up residence on the home of driving rock radio. K-DST 'The Dust' plays non-stop classic rock and roll."

— GTA San Andreas Website

K-DST ("The Dust") is a classic rock station in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which is hosted by Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith (voiced by Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose) and based in Los Santos.

Description

K-DST has the identity of a classic rock station that has been airing its music "sucessfuly for 22 years" according to one of the radio stingers, suggesting it was first broadcast in 1970. As such, there are somewhat nostalgic comments in the radio stingers, such as "music never gets old, just a little *cough* dusty" and mentions to "buddies from the '70s [who have] gone to rehab". The stingers also mock the current music trends of the time, such as grunge and gangsta rap.

"The Dust", the station's nickname, is a reference to the drug phencyclidine, commonly known as "angel dust". As such, the station's stingers take a new meaning when taking into account the references to the drug, like the obliviousness to pain ("if the police can't stop you *sounds of gunshots and police sirens* you must be on «the dust»").

The station appears to have a gonzo sense of humor, as evident in several jingles; When all your buddies from the 70s have gone to rehab, we strongly encourage you to stay on; The Dust, and in some of Smith's lines of dialogue, such as "You can cry about the miscarriage or keep drinking, rock on." and "For those of you coming to consciousness in a strange bed next to an ugly chick with beer cans and underwear across the floor, run the hell out and get to the clinic" or even "It's not every day you hear that record-- wait, yes it is. I love it.", the latter being an apparent reference to the ever-looping songs of the in-game radios.

K-DST's host, Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith, is a washed-up former member of the fictional 1970s progressive rock act Crystal Ship. He holds misogynistic views and thinks highly of himself and his music. He frequently gets lost in random musings when he voices his opinions. Three callers call into the station, and all of them criticise Smith for his DJ skills ("No-one understands what the hell you're saying"), and his seemingly underwhelming music career ("My God you were crap, you really sucked"), causing Smith to angrily insult them.

Playlist

* - This song is missing from the re-released versions of the game.

Foghat - "Slow Ride" (1975)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Green River" (1969)
Heart - "Barracuda" (1977)
Kiss - "Strutter" (1974)
Toto - "Hold the Line" (1978)
Rod Stewart - "Young Turks" (1981)
Tom Petty - "Runnin' Down a Dream" (1989) *
Joe Cocker - "Woman to Woman" (1972) *
Humble Pie - "Get Down to It" (1973)
Grand Funk Railroad - "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1974)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird" (1973)
America - "A Horse with No Name" (1971)
The Who - "Eminence Front" (1982)
Boston - "Smokin'" (1976)
David Bowie - "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1975)
Eddie Money - "Two Tickets to Paradise" (1977)
Billy Idol - "White Wedding" (1982)

Gallery

Video

Trivia

A real life radio station named KDST (minus the hyphen) broadcasts from Dyersville, Iowa. It has been named "KDST" since 1988, though it plays country music rather than classic rock.
The station's nickname is a reference to PCP, commonly refered as angel dust. This is evidenced by the jingle above and Smith's consumption of such referenced in lines such as "I'm on the dust." and "You know what fog is? Clouds on the ground. That's why I try to stay as high as possible".
The Who's "Eminence Front" was featured in the Xbox trailer of GTA San Andreas.
K-DST plays inside Binco and Zip clothing stores.
Humble Pie's "Get Down to It" is featured whenever the player starts a stadium competition.
K-DST is the default radio station for most aircraft, the exceptions being the Andromada (which plays Radio X), Skimmer (which plays CSR 103.9) and Hydra (which plays Master Sounds 98.3).
This is the favorite radio station of Mike Toreno, the Mafia and San Andreas Bikers, and one of the favorite stations of the Los Santos Vagos.
Sometimes, after playing Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Green River", Smith may say "This is a plaid shirt free zone. We're rockstars, people. Not lumberjacks". Ironically, Creedence Clearwater Revival's lead singer, John Fogerty, often wore plaid shirts during concerts, and is commonly seen wearing them in publicity photos.
During the San Andreas Anniversary Weekend, it was possible to find a T-Shirt with the K-DST logo in the Special Crate drops in Grand Theft Auto Online.

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