Getting local music heard: Chris Holland’s dream radio role

It’s plain to see there’s no shortage of affection for Chris Holland among his radio industry colleagues.

When Chris was last year made Music Director and Workday Announcer at Geelong’s K rock, the news of his appointment was one of Radio Today’s most popular social media posts of 2023, generating an avalanche of comments and reactions:

The best news ever!

One of the nicest blokes in the biz!

Good things happen to good people!

Hell YES!!!!

Having been made redundant after 4 years at Triple M Melbourne as SCA Music Director, Chris describes landing the K rock gig as “serendipity in the extreme.”

The affable dad, his wife and young son had already moved to the Geelong region.

“We built here in 2022,” Chris tells Radio Today.

“I split my week evenly between commuting to Triple M and working from my home office.”

“When SCA made my position redundant in October last year, it just so happened that K rock needed a Music Director/Announcer.”

“While I’d strongly considered opportunities outside of radio, this position was a dream.”

“It took me just short of 19 years to earn my first redundancy!” Chris says. “But as seen on this very site, it didn’t take long before I found the home I’m at now.”

“It’d been 8 years since my last permanent announcing role (Sea FM Cairns) so there was some rust to shake off, but I’ve relished being back on the bike!”

Chris reflects on his suburban Melbourne upbringing in his typical self-deprecating style.

“I’m just a nerd who grew up in Airport West,” he says.

“I didn’t discover the live music industry until well into my teens and while I listened to radio constantly, I never imagined I could possibly do it until after I’d finished school and discovered community radio.”

From his mum entering him in 3KZ competitions in the late 80s to falling asleep to Rick Dees’ Weekly Top 40 in the 90s, radio was always there in the background.

Keen to discover a way of working with music, Chris studied Music Business courses at TAFE.

Whilst he knew performing wasn’t for him, Chris was determined to do something else within that space.

In early 2003, things started to fall into place.

Chris embarked on his first weekly radio show on community station North West FM (3NOW) in Hadfield.

And he’s stuck with radio ever since.

“I’m still here for two reasons: 1) My desire to keep learning and keep going and 2) Incredibly awesome people who have believed in and helped me along the way – not least of all my wife, who tolerated the years of travel and stress!”

When it comes to his standout radio moments, Chris reckons anything can be a highlight, provided you’re looking through the right pair of goggles.

“My first few interviews where you wonder how the hell you just spoke with someone famous. MCing your first local event that made you feel valued, and that you yourself were adding value.”

“Being nominated for/winning ACRAs. The first win (Best Music Presenter – Country 2012) really did mean something to me … a recognition that I belonged was important to me at that time.”

“There’ve definitely been moments where I didn’t excel but they’re part of the learning journey.”

“I’ve worked all over this continent and experienced more than I could have ever imagined.”

Exciting opportunities have arisen as result of his radio connection, including being part of Australia’s Eurovision jury in 2015 and judging the annual Australian Music Prize since 2020.

Chris says he’s been blessed with great support from many people along the way – far too many to mention here.

“Bob and Jean Rau at North West FM nurtured my interest and passion when I first enquired about radio as a hobby in 2002. Jim Barbour and his Swinburne course!”

“Kim Saker, Rick Shipp and May Perno gave me my first commercial opportunities at 2EC/Power FM in 2004. I gravitated to watching Shippy schedule music instantly. Drex who heard me on air in Echuca, called the studio and suggested I apply for a role in Darwin.”

“Without those early open doors, there’s no clear pathway.”

“These days I’m inspired by music warriors like Matt O’Gorman, Nic Kelly, Maddie Rowe and others whose importance to our industry should not be understated.”

“I understand that Matt is the driver and front man of Triple M’s Homegrown but being his Music Director for that show, which won a 2023 ACRA for championing Australian music, was definitely a highlight.”

This year, Chris launched a weekly show on K rock that promotes local artists and local shows in the greater Geelong region.

Called Great Ocean Odes, the program goes to air Wednesday nights at 7.

“It’s half gig guide, half local music discovery. I’m not aware of any commercial stations in the country that are doing anything like this on a local level.”

“I can play acts who are performing in the region, from The Presets to The Rubens or James Reyne. I’ve had interviews with the likes of Ella Hooper and Phil Jamieson.”

“I recently had a long chat with Michael Newton, founder of A Day On The Green, which has Mount Duneed Estate in our region.”

“Alongside these are musicians that live in the local area. I’ve loved the scouting and networking process of this.”

Chris has discovered dozens of new artists in the last few months.

“It’s great to get their music heard.”

After all, Chris says, music is the reason he became interested in radio in the first place.

“It’s important to me to feel like I’m actually contributing to the music industry somehow, and not just following the crowd,” he says.

“There’s so much more to music than the tiny, tiny fraction of songs we hear on radio regularly. It’s my compulsion to share it.”

Chris is also proud of the community-minded element of the show.

And so, even though the last quarter of 2024 was somewhat turbulent, things have turned out better than Chris could have imagined, in terms of both his work and family life.

“We live about 15 minutes from Geelong, 15 minutes the other way to Torquay and the surf beaches. We’re loving it.”

“The stations (K rock and Bay FM) have a fantastic vibe and I really enjoy being in the office with these people each day.”

“I’m rapt to be here.”