Chris Caggs ‘I Run the ShakeDown Radio Podcast’

“As the music industry develops, DJs are soaring to the top of the entertainment list. Headlining major concerts, festivals and a range of events, DJ’ing is more popular than ever and Chris Caggs is leading the way”

If you are in any major city around the world, headlining major concerts, festivals just to name a few, DJs are at the top of the music world in our modern society. You don’t just go to nightclubs and parties to watch DJs perform.

Chris Carragher, known as Chris Caggs, is continuing to take on the Australian music scene and is hitting the Australia radio industry by storm. Thanks to his loyal listeners who can’t get enough of Chris’ unique broadcasting techniques, Chris is going to new heights with his mix of the best Hip-Hop, Dance and RnB tunes and his new Shakedown Radio Podcast. Shakedown Radio Podcast is available on iHeart Radio, ITunes and Tune In app.

Chris Caggs started his radio career in July 1998 on Sydney’s Pump FM 99.3 in Killara on Sydney’s North Shore – hosting a program with Cameron Griffiths (Mista-C) called “Bedroom Vibes” on a Tuesday Night. This show consisted of a music format known as Slow Jam RnB on a station to claim themselves as the first Hip Hop and RnB Community Station in Australia. The station then relaunched 99.3 FM in August 2000 to Dance FM 94.5FM.

With the passion and drive to develop his career, Chris wanted more airtime so he approached a 24/7, 365 day a year station launching in late 1998 called DJ-FM 87.6 Dance Radio. The station was home to Frank Chiment, Antonio Avati, Joe Avati, Frank Iuston (Frankster) and Robert Iezzi who hosted on the dance radio service with its two transmitters in Kings Cross and Darling Harbour. It serviced the population in the Sydney CBD and Inner Suburbs.

Many record labels supported DJ-FM with music such as Central Station Records, Dancenet, Colossal, Pro DJ, SBA Music, Universal Music Group, Sony Entertainment, Warner Music and Emi Records and this station also attracted sponsors such Telstra, Carlton & United, Noizenet, Rocksteady Nightclub, Central Station Records, SBA Music (Pulse Music Dance CDs) and the station broadcasted out of little Italy in Norton Street Leichhardt from an company known as RM Media Group.

In October 1999 Chris Caggs was put to air on a new station called Groove FM 96.9 FM by Mike Scott, Lawrence Johnson, Stacy Q, Darren Leigh, Yozi and Aaron Eaton, where he presented the breakfast show.

In May 2000 on Groove FM 94.5 Chris hosted the Weekend Mornings show with Osher Gunsberg (Channel Ten The Bachelor, Hit Network). It was during his time at Groove FM 94.5 & 96.9FM Sydney, where Chris met Osher Gunsberg (Channel [V] , Rodney O (Rods Block Party/KIIS 1065) Zoe Naylor (MTV) , Yvette Duncan (MTV) Bessie Bardot (Foxtel/2day FM) Natasha Zuvela (MTV) Rene Rivkin (The Rivkin Report) and by answering phone calls, DJ Nino Brown, DJ Sefu, MC Waxx, Ian Spicer (Gas Nightclub) Organised Noise team, Lani Richmond (Mocha at Hunter Bar) Doug Williams, Helen Ryan (Channel Manager of MTV)  Dave Eastgate (Channel 9’s Doctor Doctor/Comedian) Sam Boutros, Joe Tannous, Maxine Cohen alias DJ MS Hennessey (Red Room) along with many more working on the final Sydney broadcast on 94.5 FM in December 2000 to January 2001.

Chris Caggs with Darren Leigh launched Groove FM 97.3 in Brisbane in August/September of 2000 where he was the host of the breakfast show and helped program the music playlists as he previously did at Groove FM 94.5 Sydney. The station Groove FM in Brisbane was seen to by DJs Remo and Milton (80’s funk DJs), the biggest project in 20 years.

During his career, Chris worked alongside great announcers and DJs such as Scott Ferris (Magic City Nightclub), Patrick Donohue (Famous Nightclub), Dimitri from Paris (Club DJ), DJ Kina, Kristian Hernandez, Klever C, Fez Lateef (Added Flava and Number 1 Club Level 5 Hilton Hotel Brisbane) Dustin and Anna and Steve Foy.

However, it was the great career highlight where Chris Caggs interviewed his Dad, Gavin Carragher, Australian Olympian at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Scotland for track sprinting.

After his time at Groove, Chris moved onto 2RDJ 88.1 FM Burwood, playing Hip-Hop, RnB and Dance on Tuesday Overdrive, Tuesday Shakedown and Saturday Shakedown from 1999 to 2006 as well as spending one year on the programming committee. Frank Iuston (Frankster) had trained Chris to do all his own radio imaging and his shows were transmitted right around Australia via satellite on the Community Radio Network (CBAA Comrad Sat). Chris did this all while broadcasting on Northside Radio 2NSB FM 99.3 FM Chatswood for two years filling in for Georgina Reed “Soulscope” hosting Thursday Flavours of Hip Hop and RnB. During this time, Chris won a community radio award for best new show in 2002.

Since then, Chris has done internet radio for ICR Radio, where Vic Meli trained Chris how to multitrack a podcast episode and mix down to MP3. Chris has also worked at Mix It Up Radio commencing in 2012, run by Anthony and Kate Puleo. STR8OUT Dance Radio in 2012, where he did Saturday Night radio show of EDM dance and house. Mixxbosses Radio in 2015 run by DJD and broadcasted on Urban Movement Radio, owned by Sean Conrad Small aka DJ Soulchild.

Over his 20 year career, Chris has met Anthony Mundine (Boxer), Mike Whitney (Sydney Weekender) DJ KCB, Alex K, Jimmy Z, Wild FM Crew, Hitz FM Melbourne Crew, Timmy Byrne of Kiss FM Dance Music Australia, Radio Dex crew, Pulse FM, Free FM, DJ Moto, Fly Girl Tee, DJ Lenno, Sam Boutros, has interviewed RnB Singer Joe, was trained by Donte D’One at the DJ/MC Boot Camp and did gigs with D’One Entertainment.