CHSR FM hosts Ferocious Coasts on Sunday nights.
“Radio has been a constant in my life,” said Brendan MaGee, host of Ferocious Coasts, a new program on CHSR FM, dedicated to exploring the ever-reaching scope of Canadian music. “There’s such an influx of new music and great emerging acts, that I really wanted to hone in on this [all-Canadian] format.”
MaGee’s love for radio first landed him a job at Bell Media shortly after finishing high school.
“My introduction came by way of a job at 105.3FM The Fox,” he said. “It was a perfect coincidence that arose out of my passion for music and complete aloofness to the industry. Right out of high school I started firing off emails and resumes to anyone I thought would listen. Tom Blizzard was the station manager then and he put me on weekend nights. I’d come into this mammoth studio that was completely empty, and I had the run of the place. I eventually left that job to try my hand at production, but I’ve always missed the feeling. It’s a funny thing, to be talking to yourself in an empty room with any number of people listening in.”
A devote musician and music lover, MaGee attributes his passion for Canadian music to endless hours spent absorbing CBC’s online music programming.
“I owe so much of my musical palette to the CBC listening I did in my teens,” said MaGee. “Radio 3 was, from 2008 until the budget cuts went overboard, a shining example of public broadcasting. There was so much talent there, and I was downloading podcasts every other day. Sessions was probably the best ever show of its kind, and I still scroll through old episodes of Track of the Day on my iPod. That exposure, and the ease of discovering new talent, sort of permanently biased me in terms of musical geography.”
Ferocious Coasts debuted on Sunday November 2, 2014. Produced, recorded and edited by MaGee, the program’s slick production and well-planned execution is a testament to his love of radio as a medium to both share and connect with an audience.
“The beauty of community radio is that you can play whatever music you want,” he said, “and outside of CRTC regulations, you don’t have any real rules to follow. Suffice to say, I’m under no pressure, corporate or otherwise. With that in mind, there’s very little in the way of expectations on my end. I’m just happy to share music that I like, and that I think others will enjoy or do already.”
“It’s all about sparking conversation. Friends have been really nice about sharing the show around Facebook and Twitter and I hope to continue to refine it. Currently, I have only one sort of unique segment called Takeback Throwback – predicated on the idea that nostalgia shouldn’t be confined to Thursdays. I’d love to work up some other crackpot ideas and continue to grow the show, potentially outside of Fredericton.”
MaGee has found his calling behind the mic. His beautifully delivered introductions and mid-show banter exude all the confidence of a seasoned on-air veteran. Paired with the broad range of music presented each week and the convenience of having new episodes available in podcast format, Fredericton can confidently claim yet another treasure on the national music front. Take note. Ferocious Coasts is on the air.
Ferocious Coasts airs Sundays at 9pm on CHSR 97.9FM. Podcasts are available.
