ShakeDown Radio Podcast

ShakeDown Radio with Chris Caggs — A 30‑Year Legacy in Australian Dance, Hip Hop & RnB Broadcasting

For nearly three decades, Chris Carragher—known professionally as Chris Caggs—has been one of Australia’s most enduring and influential voices in dance, hip hop, RnB, and electronic radio culture. Chris is also the son of Australian Olympian Gavin Carragher, who represented Australia in athletics at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and later represented Scotland at the 1958 Cardiff Wales Commonwealth Games. That legacy of discipline, performance, and national pride echoes through Chris’s own lifelong dedication to broadcasting and music culture.

With 30 years on air, 18 radio stations, and syndication across more than 200 community stations through the Community Radio Network (CBAA/ComRad Satellite), Chris has built a legacy defined by passion, resilience, and an unmistakable sound that continues to inspire audiences across Australia and around the world.

Chris’s radio journey began in July 1998 on Pump FM 99.3FM Sydney, Australia’s first Hip Hop & RnB community station. Co‑hosting with Mista‑C, he introduced late‑night listeners to slow jams, RnB classics, and the emerging urban sounds shaping the late‑90s music landscape. Pump FM later relaunched under new branding, helping fuel Sydney’s underground dance and urban movement.

In late 1998, Chris joined DJ‑FM 87.6FM, a 24/7 dance station broadcasting across the Sydney CBD and inner suburbs. Operated by the Roberts Media Group, DJ‑FM featured a powerhouse roster including Frank Chiment, Antonio Avati, Joe Avati, Susie Stapleton, Dave Einfield, Andre Waitsman, Joe Corte, and Rob Brizzi. Supported by major sponsors—Telstra, Central Station Records, SBA Music, Pulse Music, Carlton & United Breweries, Noizenet, and more—the station became a defining force in Sydney’s dance‑radio culture.

From 1999 to 2001, Chris became a key voice on Groove FM 96.9 & 94.5FM Sydney, broadcasting from the iconic Wild FM studios at Railway Square. He hosted the breakfast show, weekend mornings, and contributed to music programming. In August–September 2000, he expanded to Queensland, hosting the breakfast show on Groove FM 97.3 Brisbane from the Pulse FM studios in Coorparoo.

Chris continued his journey on 2RDJ‑FM 88.1, hosting Saturday Shakedown, Tuesday Shakedown, and Tuesday Overdrive, with national syndication through the Community Radio Network. He also hosted Thursday Flavours on 2NSB FM 99.3, bringing Hip Hop & RnB to Sydney’s North Shore.

Across his career, Chris has appeared on 16 permanent stations and 18 total, shaping the sound of Australian dance and urban radio while championing both classic and emerging artists. His voice has become synonymous with authenticity, energy, and a deep love for the culture.

Today, Chris brings his lifelong passion to ShakeDown Radio, a globally syndicated mixshow blending EDM, Dance, House, Hip Hop, and RnB. With listeners across Australia and worldwide, ShakeDown Radio continues the legacy of a broadcaster who has dedicated his life to the music that moves people.