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Zane Lowe

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File:Zanelowe.jpg
Zane Lowe as seen in a promo for his BBC Radio 1 show.

Zane Lowe, full name Alexander Zane Reid Lowe, is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand, before coming to the UK . He currently presents BBC Radio 1's flagship evening show, where he plays a variety of alternative music, including rock, punk, drum and bass, and British hip hop. He is also the presenter of the MTV2 Europe show Gonzo, having been a former VJ on MTV since 1997, where he presented Brand:New.

Before becoming a radio DJ, Zane was in hip-hop act Urban Disturbance. He is currently a member of Breaks Co-op (with Andy Lovegrove and Hamish Clark), who have released two albums in New Zealand - Roofers (1997) and The Sound Inside (2005).

Before working for the BBC, he worked for many years at London's XFM, showcasing similar styles of music. He has hosted his Radio 1 show since June 2003, taking over from Colin Murray (whose show acted as a stopgap after Steve Lamacq ended his Evening Session radio show). His show initially went out three nights a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:00-10:00pm but moved to four nights a week with the additional slot on Mondays from 7:00-9:00pm in July 2004 as part of a dramatic revamp of Radio 1's evening schedule where it remains today.

Zane is also notable for his live appearances, especially the Home Taping tour in 2005.

Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1

Lowe's radio show can be heard on Mondays to Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm. Past and present features on his show have included:

  • on Mondays, Fresh Meat where the show's chatroom rate three songs from three upcoming bands; the winning track is played throughout the rest of the week
  • The Hottest Record In The World Today, where a song from a hotly-tipped band or new album is played
  • Sunsetter where a more mellow track is played as the sun sets each night,(seasonal)
  • Encore, when listeners can text in to request a repeat of a track that has already been played, the winning track being the track most requested. (discontinued)
  • U-turns, a phone-in request slot (signified by 'the screech and the beat'), also discontinued
  • Crowd Rocker, where an anthem from the past is played
  • Mixtape, a ninety minute themed mix which only broadcasts to listeners in England while the rest of the UK do their regional shows
  • live performances and interviews with bands and artists

Lowe's method of DJing is rather enthusiatic and fast-paced, similar to many hip hop DJs, with samples of radio stations, interview clips and Radio 1 stings thrown in between songs, along with the occasional sound of Lowe singing along to the music. Some find his technique off-putting and rowdy, whereas others welcome his style, saying that it fits in with the music being played.

He is extremely dedicated to new music, and many of the bands or musicians who win Fresh Meat went to be very successful; Editors, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and the Kaiser Chiefs are examples of bands who have benefited.

In November 2005 Zane Lowe played 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley for the first time on radio. The song was frequently played on Radio 1 thereafter, helping it to reach number one in the charts on April 2 2006. 'Crazy' was the first song in British history to go to number one based on sales of legal downloads alone; the download was made available a week before physical copies went on sale. The song also featured in Zane Lowe's TV advert, which aired in early 2006.

Zane Lowe on MTV2 Europe

Lowe started his career on MTV Europe presenting shows such as Up 4 It and Brand:New in 1997, and since 2002 he has presented Gonzo, MTV2's flagship music show, in which time the show has evolved from a two-hour random collection of presenting and clips, to a primetime (7pm) show featuring regular musical guests and interviews. The show is presented solely by Lowe, with the studio effectively being a blue screen and the infamous 'Brown Couch'. His presenting manner on Gonzo is more laid back than on his radio show. The show features music videos, along with news (usually ripped from the NME; Lowe can often be seen reading the news straight from the magazine) and input from the channel's message boards. Occasionally, moderators of the boards (chosen on Gonzo and by the members) contribute; one member even filled in for a week when Zane was ill and unable to present.

Awards

Both The Zane Lowe Show and Gonzo have won numerous awards including Best Radio Show and Best TV Show repectively at the NME Awards 2006. Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles has jokingly referred to The Best Radio Show award as The Zane Lowe Award due to Lowe's repeated success.

Zane won the Gold Award in The Specialist Music Programme Award and Music Broadcaster of the Year categories at the 2006 Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Trivia

  • Zane Lowe's nickname is 'Zipper'.
  • His first son Jackson was born April 20 2006.
  • Zane keeps a pet ferret incase his newborn child steps out of line - zane is a bad man.
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