Did CFCR 90.5 FM have a hand in the genesis of The Sheepdogs? Did the venerable funk program Hot Buttered Soul help write local music history? Should you support your local community radio station?
Probably, a strong maybe and absolutely, says Sheepdogs bassist Ryan Gullen.
Everyone and their dog seems to have a story about when they first discovered CFCR – that AHA moment when a world of music and possibility opened up and suddenly everything became a little bit cooler.
For Gullen and his bandmates that all happened in high school.
“I had a spare after lunchtime and so did Ewan [Currie, lead-singer]. And we became good friends over the music we heard. So we used to cruise around and listen to Hot Buttered Soul and together it was really the first time we discovered a lot of funk and soul,” says Gullen.
“It became a bit of a tradition and it was a gateway into discovering CFCR, a radio station that actually played this kind of music. It sounds cheesy, but it was the soundtrack to when we became friends.”
And now you know the rest of the story!
While The Sheepdogs would eventually go on to tour the world, Gullen says that CFCR was an instrumental hub of all things Saskatoon music for the band during their formative years.
“Ewan, Sam and myself all had shows on CFCR at some point. It was something I always wanted to do. We all had that AHA moment, and it was great to be involved to help shape what CFCR was with all the other music fans,” he says.
While the band has returned to grace local stages numerous times ever since they fateful date with Rolling Stone Magazine back in 2011, it’s been seven or eight years since The Sheepdogs last graced the stage at Amigos, estimates Gullen. And now the group are back for this year’s FM-Phasis campaign.
“It’s going to be such a throwback moment,” he says. “We’ve got a special screenprinted poster made up for the show and it’s going be a great night. CFCR was definitely a place where we met so many friends and it’s going to be a blast.”
But it’s not just The Sheepdogs you should be getting frisky about – CFCR is hosting shows starting this week that run all the way into mid-October. Make sure to support your local station by being awesome and coming out, visiting the donation tables, or by tuning in and pitching in to this annual fundraiser.
Your guide to all things CFCR 90.5 FM-Phasis 2016
The good folks at CFCR have put together this handy guide for all things FM-Phasis, with a line-up reminiscent of a pretty rad mini-fest. Collect ’em all? We sure hope so!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th – AMIGOS – Andino Suns w/ Oral Fuentes, The Whiskey Jerks$10 at the door.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9th – AMIGOS – Born Ruffians w/ Ponteix$15 advance/$18 day of (if still available)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14th – AMIGOS – The Garrys, Man Meat, Quinzee Town, Sad Buckets$5 at the door.
CFCR will also have a table set up at each show if you wish to make a donation towards FM-Phasis. There are plenty of great prizes to be had for every donation, as well as great Grand Prize and Early Bird Prize draws.