First Listen: Gene Baxter on SXM Lithium

Gene “Bean” Baxter sounded very happy to be making his debut on Lithium, SiriusXM’s ’90s Alternative channel. “I’ve been a subscriber literally since the day the satellite went up,” he said, later adding that he’d been wanting to be on SXM for all that time as well. 

There are a lot of broadcasters who radio should have kept busier over the last five years. This week, with layoffs at Audacy and iHeart, that list is only growing. Those proven broadcasters aren’t being replaced by an eager next generation; often, they’re just not being replaced.

So, it’s good to have Howard Hoffman back on WEBE Bridgeport, Conn., on the weekends and Bean on SiriusXM. Baxter’s former KROQ Los Angeles morning partner Kevin Ryder has been back on that station since last year. In February, the heritage Alternative outlet was up 3.4-3.7 6, its best numbers since 2008. (He’s also with Lithium hosts Sluggo and Kat Corbett on the 3/4 Human podcast, which has become heavily KROQ-themed.)

The last time I wrote about Bean on the radio was 2023, when he was the most vocal advocate of Amazon AMP, a short-lived attempt at user-generated radio. (He did appear in these pages again after an observation of his about the Billboard Hot 100 in spring ’24 forecast a brief resurgence of the CHR format.)

Baxter is currently doing the three-times-a-week podcast A Cup of Tea and a Chat with former Kevin & Bean co-host Allie Mac Kay. He is also heard on the UK Country outlet CountryLine Radio. (Baxter left Kevin and Bean with the intent of working in his country of birth.) 

On his first day, Bean crossplugged the other SXM Alternative channels by talking about them as if he had moved into a new neighborhood. ’80s Alternative First Wave was “about 10 years older than we are but they seem very friendly. I don’t know about the Sirius XMU kids at channel 35. I’m not saying they’re unfriendly, but a little unsocialized.” 

As for Alt Nation, “They really let their lawn go. That grass is out of control.” Also, “They’ve got a garden gnome with an erection, and they think it’s hilarious.”

Some other Bean bits from the first few hours:

• He promised to explain in a future show why Radiohead’s Thom Yorke probably would not say hello to him on the street;
• Dedicating Limp Bizkit’s “Nookie” to a “Bizkithead” friend and warning listeners not to sneer “because you can’t believe how popular [they are] in 2026.”
• Introing “Lovefool” by recalling the Cardigans as one of Kevin & Bean’s toughest interviews. Nina Persson gave one-word answers. The band’s drummer went to sleep halfway through.
• Setting up Spacehog’s “In the Meantime” by volunteering to host a countdown of One Hit Wonders. (Given SXM’s penchant for using DJs across channels, I’m volunteering him for ’70s on 7 or the Willie’s Roadhouse Classic Country format as well.)

SXM’s announcement about Baxter promised that his weekly shows would be archived. The first show isn’t currently up, although you can hear the first two hours here.

While a lot of Lithium’s imaging goofs on how the music is now 30 years old, it’s still a reminder of how hard the format was rocking in the mid-’90s, even before Limp Bizkit. By contrast, the poppier Alt Nation might be too chill for regular lawn care, but it’s Active Rock channel Octane that seems more likely to go in for rude gestures. Here’s Lithium just before 3 p.m., March 29:

• Jane’s Addiction, “Been Caught Stealing”
• Rancid, “Ruby Soho”
• R.E.M., “Bang and Blame”
• 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up”
• Smashing Pumpkins, “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”
• 7 Mary 3, “Cumbersome”
• Mad Season, “River of Deceit”
• Stone Temple Pilots, “Plush (Acoustic)”
• Elastica, “Connection”
• Green Day, “She”
• Save Ferris, “Come On Eileen”
• Nirvana, “All Apologies”
• Third Eye Blind, “Never Let You Go”
• Moby, “Natural Blues”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Soul to Squeeze”
• Collective Soul, “Shine”
• Pearl Jam, “Dissident”
• Verve Pipe, “The Freshman”
• Bush, “Machinehead”
• Cake, “The Distance”