Shift Run Stop

Episode 83: Adam Tandy – Christmas 2021 part 2

December 22, 2021 21:00 - 98.1 MB

It’s part two of our bumper double Christmas Special! True ‘heads’ will remember us chatting to TV producer Adam Tandy on episode 1 of Shift Run Stop, an astonishing 12 years ago. Well, he’s back with tales of his adventures in the intervening years, including making The Detectorists, Inside Number 9 and the recent League [...]

Episode 82: Helen Arney – Christmas 2021 part 1

December 22, 2021 21:00 - 105 MB

We have a special treat for you this year. A two-parter! Think of it as two halves of a glorious cracker, two stockings on a fireplace, two brussels sprouts rolling slowly under the fridge. In this episode we get to know comedian, writer, presenter and geek songstress Helen Arney of The Festival of the Spoken [...]

Episode 81: Christmas Special 2020

December 17, 2020 14:31 - 83.2 MB

You climbed into your hosts' laps and, in a small voice, politely asked for an episode that will make this dreary Christmas temporarily more fun. Well, ask and you shall receive! Ho ho ho! No need for social distancing in the SRS grotto. The gifts have been sanitised, the Amazons have been Primed, even the [...]

Episode 80: splendid isolation

May 18, 2020 14:57 - 30.5 MB

Isolation continues, but we continue to defy the microbe by finding fresh ways to connect with you across the airwaves. This time we take to live-streaming service Twitch for a special interactive episode of Shift Run Stop. Obviously it's not live now, but don't worry if you missed it: next time you're washing your hands [...]

Episode 79: lockdown special

April 03, 2020 09:42 - 66.2 MB

It's been a long time, but like your geek guardian angels or an unwanted announcement from a Government official, Leila and Roo can always be relied upon to emerge at times of crisis to interrupt your day. Whether you're staying in at home or staying in at home, this special isolation edition of Shift Run [...]

Episode 78: Easter special 2018

March 31, 2018 09:56 - 58.8 MB

The ice is retreating, finally. To celebrate Aslan's return, your hosts gather in a pub at a noisy train station on one of the snackiest times of the year, with chocolate animal parts, questionable caramel, and a surprisingly tricky Easter-themed movie quiz, specially created for Roo, by Leila and Lee. With only a gossamer thread [...]

Episode 77: Christmas special 2017

December 14, 2017 21:17 - 84.4 MB

What’s that I hear? Is it sleigh bells in the distance? Well, clear the snow off the roof and put a sherry out for Leila and Roo, and a carrot out for Lee, because another Shift Run Stop Christmas Special is about to land, and we’re ready to force some goodies down your ear chimney. For [...]

Episode 76: Christmas special 2016

December 12, 2016 18:45 - 79.3 MB

Yes, OK, it's been a little while. Alright a big while. Other podcasts have come and gone. World leaders have come and gone. But wait patiently enough, resist the urge to unsubscribe on iTunes, and when you least expect it there we suddenly are, streaking across your downloads like "dirty snowball" Halley's Comet, grit, chocolate [...]

Episode 75: novelty automata and serious snacking

February 22, 2015 13:21 - 40.8 MB

Yes, alright, it's been a while, but we're back with an earnest pledge to try to produce at least two shows this year. There are snacks, sickness and surprises, and Lee joins us again, of course. There's talk of fatherhood, films and the Marvel universe, a Minority Report from physicist Alby Reid, a real life field trip to [...]

Episode 74: cackle and pop

April 03, 2014 17:44 - 40.1 MB

Your hosts gather outside, once again, to take in the park's field sports and open-air cocktail artists. There's a field trip to the seaside, far too many sweets, an effervescent revival, and nothing short of a miracle as we carefully manage to avoid spoilers while chatting about recent geek movie releases. Here's one to try [...]

Episode 73: The power of geeky hobbies

March 20, 2014 19:23 - 75.7 MB

It's Shift Run Stop al fresco season again so your hosts meet in a park to come clean about their geeky hobbies. Chat covers public lock-picking, 8-bit graphics, DIY effects pedals, Hack Circus and the meditative power of geekiness. Our resident Charlie Bucket, Lee stops by with some Wonka bars and edible pebbles, while fresh [...]

Episode 72: Whisky, lock picking and Red Dwarf

March 06, 2014 19:31 - 74 MB

The first episode of Red Dwarf; the first episode of Shift Run Stop since Roo became a dad, and the first outdoor recording of the year. Your hosts have watched a bit too much Red Dwarf over the years: finally an opportunity to share our knowledge and opinions. Stick on your H, pour yourself a lager [...]

Episode 71: Xmas Special

December 19, 2013 19:40 - 78.2 MB

Christmas comes around quickly in "Shift Run Stop years", and here we are again, just five episodes later, with holiday snackfood and 45 minutes of talking about, around and over an early episode of The X Files. Crackers! You won't believe your mince pies! It's time for films, games, festive chain cafes, and partially melted [...]

Episode 70: Halloween and Hack Circus

October 24, 2013 19:18 - 49.7 MB

With All Hallows' Eve nearly upon us, it's time for the yearly testing of seasonal spooky snacks. We learned that there are a lot of them. We also talk about Hack Circus, Iceland, Tom Cruise, costumes, listener correspondence and lots more besides. Links: Roo's newsletter | Leila's newsletter | The SRS forum | @ShiftRunStop | Hack Circus | Buy [...]

Episode 69: where do games come from?

August 29, 2013 18:55 - 58.2 MB

It's back to school time, and as the summer draws to a close, chat turns to our memories of school days. How is it possible your hosts both know the same playground games and rhymes despite growing up in different parts of the country? Do you know them too? Did your school have a haunted [...]

Episode 68: hot and sticky

July 25, 2013 15:17 - 50.1 MB

Your hosts Roo and Leila are joined by treat-spert Lee for unusual snacks in Parliament Square. Chocolate melts and and baked goods become uncomfortably sticky under our scrutiny and the hot British sunshine. Big news: Roo finally prepares to grow up. Hark: is that the sound of wedding bells in Leila's future? Plus: Big Ben, bum bags, hairdressers, [...]

Episode 67: Nat Buckley

May 23, 2013 18:46 - 50.4 MB

The beards theme continues in #67, an acoustically-diverse episode mixing cafe atmos, Other Podcasts, and a section recorded in a stairwell on a telephone. We chat to professional hacker (it's even on their business card) Nat Buckley about everything from Happenstance to Alarum to their hair and amazing dad. Digital Willy Wonka Lee Maguire returns with the [...]

Episode 66: Dogs and beards

March 14, 2013 19:34 - 52 MB

What does a beard sound like? How do you pronounce 'Gif'? Which is the worst episode of the X Files? What's the political significance of Tab Clear? Which major US interactive festival do none of your hosts want to go to, ever? Find out in this brand new, hairier than average episode of Shift Run [...]

Episode 65: Christmas Special

December 13, 2012 19:43 - 53.1 MB

Ho ho ho! Were you good boys and girls this year? Hush your lips! Obviously you were, hence this wonderful present. This year Lee Maguire joins us, and, like Magi of geek, the three of us bear anecdotes of obscure science fiction references and unexpected short-lived celebrity. The snacks don't disappoint, either. If you want to [...]

Episode 64: Leila and Roo

October 25, 2012 16:18 - 58.2 MB

Trick or treat? It's that time of year again, a time for celebrating all things spooky and autumnal, and sitting in silence in the living room with the lights off until they stop ringing the doorbell. You're never alone with us though. As the soundtrack for your hallowe'en, we've made you a very different kind of [...]

Episode 63: Dave Gorman

July 05, 2012 10:26 - 55 MB

Share our pleasure chatting about magic, coincidences and games with the fascinating Dave Gorman, then feel our pain as a tarry soft drink promotes the question: "What IS 'malt' anyway?" Yes, it's like a trip back in time to the early days of the show, as once again we find ourselves hijacking someone else's office without asking, scouring [...]

Episode 62: Dr Eben Upton and the Raspberry Pi

April 19, 2012 19:51 - 65.3 MB

We were slumbering, as usual, in our misty Shift Run Stop cryo-pods, when through the liquid nitrogen we heard it: the unmistakable call of a Raspberry Pi in the wild. So here we are again, temporarily reanimated for a very special and rare chat with credit-card sized computer creator, Eben Upton. As Eben reflects on a trajectory [...]

Episode 61: Ed Jefferson

February 02, 2012 10:29 - 25.4 MB

After a bit of a break, Shift Run Stop is back in your ears – on an occasional basis, at least. This month, we meet Ed Jefferson, aka Ben from @shippamspaste, Danny O'Brien (from episode 34) tells us about the life of an Englishman in New York and Lee Maguire is back with Snack Time. We also work [...]

Episode 60: Christmas Special – Stefanie Posavec, Sound Diaries, Jon Ronson, Joel Ronson and Lee Maguire

December 22, 2011 12:14 - 107 MB

Yes, we are back! Well, for a one-off Christmas special at least. As it's been so long, and you've been waiting so patiently, we've tried to make sure this episode is bursting at the seams. Put your feet up (yes, even if you're driving, it's Christmas!) and join us as we chat to journalist and [...]

Episode 59: Neil Forsyth and Rhodri Marsden

December 30, 2010 19:13 - 35 MB

It's the end-of-the-year show you've been waiting for. Spam-baiting humorist Neil Forsyth reveals how he winds up cyber crooks, and we track down the bootleg of our live spot on London's recent Radio Roundabout where, lest auld acquaintance Rhodri Marsden be forgot, we interview him. All that washed down with a cup of kindness from snacks expert Lee Maguire [...]

Episode 58: Jo Neary

December 23, 2010 19:48 - 40.5 MB

Happy Christmas or otherwise holidays! As you've been good this year, we've made you a very special extra-long holly-decked episode, featuring music, festive snacks and the glorious comedian Joanna Neary who tells us about everything from performing in Time Trumpet to her remarkable gloves. We're really pleased with this episode. Hope you like it too, and thanks [...]

Episode 57: John Graham-Cumming

December 16, 2010 15:53 - 33.8 MB

A modern nerd legend for you this week, as we chat to John Graham-Cumming about his new project, Plan 28, which aims to "finish Babbage's work" by raising the cash to build an Analytical Engine from original plans. John has previously successfully petitioned the Government to formally apologise for the treatment of Alan Turing, and [...]

Episode 56: Sarah Dobbs

December 09, 2010 19:05 - 33.6 MB

You know when you're on the train, and you think "Oh there's Jigsaw, just getting on at this stop. Hi Jigsaw!" You know. Usually happens the day after you watched all the Saw films in a row, like this week's guest Sarah Dobbs did recently. Luckily, she's a horror fan... she's also a journalist, and [...]

Episode 55: Minkette

December 02, 2010 19:16 - 34.8 MB

We chat to a games-creator this week, the talented Minkette, and hear about some of her extraordinary projects - which range from mindbending ARGs to a radio-transmitted theatre production on the Tube. All that plus Kinect hacking, real world point-and-clicks, and Rockband with Grannie in this foil-fresh square of your Shift Run Stop advent calendar. Now [...]

Episode 54: Dominic Wilcox

November 25, 2010 19:43 - 34.9 MB

Artist, designer, writer, and man of extraordinary imagination Dominic Wilcox calls in for a chat about his latest creations which include bread lampshades and helium-powered crisp packets. We also find out what Leila would've tweeted had she still been on Twitter, and Roo starts feeling festive at the South Bank's Christmas fair. Oh, and you [...]

Episode 53: R3PLAY special

November 18, 2010 19:31 - 31.8 MB

Leila went to R3PLAY, the enormous retro-gaming event in Blackpool, and has returned armed with interviews with loads of people, including Sensible Soccer creator John Hare, Adam from the National Museum of Computing, and retro computing enthusiast off-the-telly Iain Lee. Back at Shift Run Stop Towers, our snackfood correspondent Dave Green takes us on a gastronomical voyage [...]

Episode 52: Andy Nyman

November 11, 2010 18:43 - 38.6 MB

We welcome another ridiculously talented guest this week, in the form of acclaimed screen actor Andy Nyman. The horror aficionado joined us on his only night off from the West End hit Ghost Stories, which he wrote and stars in - though you might also remember his turn as the deliciously aggressive Patrick in Charlie Brooker's zombie satire [...]

Episode 51: Helen Keen

November 04, 2010 20:07 - 31.8 MB

It's all bionic legs, bananas and biplanes this week, as we meet the exuberant comedian Helen Keen, creator of acclaimed stand-up show and soon-to-be Radio 4 series "It IS rocket science". There's big news from Roo, inane comments about time travel from Leila, and your hosts finally get some decent food in them, via some [...]

Episode 50: Alice Bartlett

October 28, 2010 19:10 - 33.7 MB

Yes, we've reached episode 50. When we started a year ago we didn't really know what the show would be like, or how sustainable it could be, so we're pleased to have made it this far. Thanks for sticking with it (would a hug be inappropriate?) In this one-off, one-for-the-fans, where-are-they-now geekstravaganza, excellent early guest Alice [...]

Episode 49: Rhianna Pratchett

October 21, 2010 22:24 - 30.3 MB

Rhianna knows games. We meet the famous "narrative paramedic" behind Heavenly Sword, the Overlord series, Mirror's Edge and lots more - and discover it all began with Leisure Suit Larry. But that's not all! Your hosts discuss the great "Inventing the 21st Century" exhibition at the British Library over a beer somewhere, while back at Shift [...]

Episode 48: Robert Schifreen

October 14, 2010 18:35 - 29.1 MB

Robert Schifreen and Stephen Gold hacked into the Post Office/BT's Viewdata system 'Prestel' back in the 80s, gaining access to thousands of mailboxes (including Prince Philip's). It was the first high profile hacking case in the UK, and resulted in the passing of the Computer Misuse Act. We reminisce with Robert about the good old [...]

Episode 47: Margaret Robertson and Dominik Diamond

October 07, 2010 18:06 - 38.4 MB

Special episode this week - two guests, several locations and lots of meaty snacks. We went to the annual London games conference Playful and Skype-interviewed very funny former Games Master host-turned farmer Dominik Diamond on stage - hear the best bits in this episode. Games consultant and former editor of Edge magazine, Margaret Robertson was at [...]

Episode 46: Hayden Scott-Baron

September 30, 2010 19:17 - 30.5 MB

A return to video games chat this week, and who better to put our endless questions about narrative and puzzles to than friendly games maker Hayden Scott-Baron ("Docky"). Hayden is the man behind hit iPhone physics game Tumbledrop, and much of what you like about RollerCoaster Tycoon. He's a comic artist, too, so we exploited [...]

Episode 45: Simon Hickson

September 23, 2010 19:17 - 30.9 MB

This week as we talk to Simon Hickson, or to give him his full name: SIMON OUT OF TREVOR AND SIMON. He has one of those voices, and he uses it great effect in this nostalgic episode, revealing which of their characters were banned from Going Live, the thing that links Trev to Mad Men, [...]

Episode 44: Kevin Cecil

September 16, 2010 19:30 - 33.5 MB

Kev Cecil, Kev Cecil. Rings a bell, doesn't it? You've definitely come across Kev's work, because he's written for everything. Black Books, Little Britain, Armstrong and Miller, Katy Brand, Harry & Paul, Armando Iannucci... wherever you go, there he is, often teaming up with writing partner Andy Riley. Most recently, the pair co-created the three-part [...]

Episode 43: Kim Plowright

September 09, 2010 19:26 - 26.2 MB

Kim Plowright is an inspiration. She turns up in all the best projects like a digital Bill Murray, and instantly makes everything a million times better. This week we learn why Hypercard games were so weird, how to voice a Numbers Station, and what it was like sharing a school with our Dave, who returns [...]

Episode 42: Elizabeth Sparrow

September 02, 2010 19:34 - 32.5 MB

Elizabeth Sparrow is President of the Chartered Institute for I.T. In this week's fun-packed episode, we find out about being in charge of geeks, use the phrase 'digital native', and ask our guest whether kids should be forced to use Facebook. We also get the scoop on a film competition you can enter - with [...]

Episode 41: Alex Bellos

August 26, 2010 19:46 - 36.1 MB

We chat to Alex Bellos this week. You must have seen his popular maths book (illustrated by SRS guest Andy Riley); Alex's Adventures in Numberland is everywhere at the moment. But is maths really that interesting? How many loaves of bread does it take to change a bell curve? What's 'God's Number' and is it [...]

Episode 40: Reiner Knizia

August 19, 2010 19:03 - 35.9 MB

This week's guest is a prolific game designer. So prolific, in fact, that if you like games you probably already have something he's created in your house. So it was an honour to talk to Reiner Knizia about German board games, the iPhone market, whether German telly really is rubbish, and lots more. And your hosts [...]

Episode 39: Denise Wilton

August 12, 2010 18:25 - 33.5 MB

Denise Wilton, co-founder of B3ta and creative director at Moo, joins us this week to discuss creativity, community, Chris Morris, Commodore PETs, cross stitch, corpses, Community Chests and cheating. Meanwhile, your hosts become angry and confused about popular culture and Leila badly wants to believe something Roo still can't bring himself to stomach. Are you prepared [...]

Episode 38: Ali Cook

August 05, 2010 19:13 - 31.8 MB

Magicians are massive geeks and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Ali Cook's lonely adolescence in this enchanting episode. Your hosts also find a moment on a park bench to discuss the toaster/Kryten overlap in Red Dwarf and share details of the idiotically simple video games they've been wasting their brains, time and 21st century computing [...]

Episode 37: Ivo Gormley

July 29, 2010 18:14 - 35.4 MB

Film-maker Ivo Gormley drops in this week to tell us about his new projects, as well as the ones he's probably best known for - Us Now and the brilliant new documentary about live gaming, Playmakers. He's an inspirational and interesting chap - why not follow him on Twitter? We also enjoy some unusually tasty [...]

Episode 36: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock

July 22, 2010 18:15 - 33.1 MB

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock tells us how to make a telescope, where you can launch a satellite, and why people STILL haven't gone back to the moon, in this week's show. Maggie leads the optical instruments group at Astrium and communicates big ideas in an accessible way through her own company Science Innovation Ltd. She must [...]

Episode 35: Dr Sue Black

July 15, 2010 18:29 - 39.5 MB

Meet the esteemed computer scientist, academic and Bletchley Park campaigner Dr Sue Black, and find out how she fell in love with the birthplace of British computing, and why the 1980s classroom BBC Micro is more dangerous than you think. Elsewhere, your hosts discuss everything from the 'Hide and Seek' live gaming event that took [...]

Episode 34: Danny O’Brien

July 08, 2010 18:50 - 38.3 MB

It was only a matter of time before we had this Original Internet Celeb on the show. Danny O'Brien is of course Dave's former partner in crime from the world-famous geek newsletter NTK. He's been involved with the EFF, the ORG and loads of other stuff in recent years but has never forgotten his early [...]

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