About One Life Left:
One Life Left is Europe's only FM-broadcast videogame radio show. It goes out on Wednesday at 9PM GMT on 104.4FM across London, and then is repackaged as a podcast for people across the internet to download and consume a few hours later. It's presented by Ste Curran, Simon Byron and News Fox Ann 'Scoops' Scantlebury.
Top Five of Something: Five Reasons You Should Listen
1. We're new. One Life Left isn't just a couple of games journalists reading out content from a website. Everything on OLL is new that week, written for the radio, and the only place you will find One Life Left's content is by listening live or to the podcast.
2. We're different. We're not that interested in hot breaking news or definitive reviews, to be honest. Because there's no such thing as the latter and you're going to get the former from somewhere else, much quicker. We're interested in covering interesting things. We're interested in having fun.
3. We're not serious. One Life Left understands that videogames are often awesome but mostly ridiculous, just like the industry that makes them. It loves them, but it only takes them seriously when they do something to deserve that, which is almost never.
4. We're accessible. You don't have to love videogames to love One Life Left. Cookery, poetry, gambling tips, commuting stories and jungle adventures, fan fiction, chip music, songs and interviews -- OLL uses gaming as a start point, and you don't have to know anything about games to join us.
5. We're independent. We're not beholden to anyone. One Life Left isn't our job; it's something we produce as a hobby because we really enjoy it. And while we get sent things by PRs and plenty of industry insiders appear on the show in some guise or another, we've no reason to keep anyone sweet.
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The History
Commissioned by London's award-winning Resonance 104.4 FM in early 2006, One Life Left was only meant to run for six episodes. Take that, The Man. By the third season, which began in the new Resonance FM studios in October 2007, it was nearly 50 editions old and had grown from humbling, terrified, fumbling beginnings to become one of the station's most valued shows. Again, take THAT, The Man. Also take that, British radio standards.
A sweet blend of light-hearted discussion, game-related music, interviews and ridiculous features, One Life Left is unique in gaming and in radio. Guests and contributors include gaming industry legends past and present, many of whom produce regular features for the show under assumed names. Popular guests spots include Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right LA Start, Raina Lee's sweet penpal letters from America, and Traveller's Tales, ethereal reviews of commuter games.
OLL's industry respect has brought exclusive unbroadcastable broadcasts from the Develop Conference, Nottingham Game City and the Edinburgh Festival, as well as occasionally insightful coverage of a wide range of industry events both national and international. The team have even more exciting secret plans for the remainder of 2007 and 2008, and hope that you'll join them.
The Team
Ste Curran used to be Editor-at-Large at Edge Magazine, where he was predominantly responsible for writing wordy, over-earnest features, living life as RedEye, and acting like a petulant teenager. He now works as Creative Director at games studio Zoë Mode. He's written three books about videogames, most recently 'Game On!' with his Triforce co-authors. His favourite videogame is this one, not least because Robert can't get past the first screen.
The studio guest for the very first episode of One Life Left, Simon Byron's shot at the big time came after an unfortunate gaming accident left previous presenter Robert Howells verbally incapacitated. An industry veteran and current Sensible Soccer World Champion, Simon writes the popular Byronicman column for leading games industry magazine Develop, which he efficiently uses as a testbed for jokes he'll use for real on One Life Left. Simon lists his interests as Muse, Muse, Kieron Gillen and Muse.
Ann 'Scoops' Scantlebury once won a Nintendo DS on The Friday Night Project, and pronounces Shigeru Miyamoto with aplomb. She's responsible for three sections of the show in addition to her lovingly compiled news section: Ann Fiction, celebrity Annterviews, and regular competition Ann Art. We are grateful for her, but more grateful for her easily-punned name.
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