Xavier B / Webmaster, Program Director/DJ

Former community host of The Retro Mix

What was the name of your show? The Retro Mix

What was your show about and when did it air? I played a wide variety of music from the 1940s through the mid 2000s. Each week’s show was normally based on a theme, artist, genre or era of music.  I played artists as diverse as The Temptations, R.E.M., Nina Simone, Public Enemy, The Andrews Sisters, and Garth Brooks. Although I enjoyed playing hits, I also featured songs/artists that don’t get a lot of airplay. I discontinued my weekly show on 12/1/17.  If you missed any of my shows or want to hear them again, please visit my Mixcloud page.

Was there a story behind your on-air name?  Xavier is my middle name and “B” is the first letter of my last name.

How long was your show on the air? Since January 2005, which makes it the longest-running show on WKUF. It was originally called Spin City. The name changed to The Retro Mix in April 2008. My show ended on 12/1/17.

Tell us about a funny incident that happened during your show. On 8/13/10, my niece Pam co-hosted a show with me where we featured lesser-known Motown songs. She ripped many of her song selections to CD and I seem to recall watching her do it.  However, due to either a faulty disc or bad files, only a few of the songs made it to the CD. Unfortunately, we didn’t discover this until we were on the air. Suffice it to say, there were quite a few holes to fill. For about 5-10 minutes, I was sweatin’ like Shaq trying to fill those holes! Although it was chaos for a bit, the audience had no idea.

What do you like to do in your spare time? What the hell is spare time?! Seriously, I like to spend time with family/friends, listen to music (surprise, surprise!), travel, watch Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and DVDs (I cut the cable cord in November 2012), follow politics and sports, play cards/board games, stay active on social media, read Entertainment Weekly, and workout.

Did you get any funny calls during your show? Once, a young lady called to request something by a contemporary artist. When I told her I was playing all 80s music, she said “Oh, you’re doing oldies”. Another time (when my format was 70s, 80s, and 90s) a guy called and said, “Since you’re doing oldies, can you play something by Alice in Chains?” Although I was amused because I consider “oldies” to be music from the 50s and 60s, I couldn’t correct them because the term “oldies” means different eras to different people.
If you knew you were going to be stranded on a desert island, what are 10 of the songs you’d want with you?

1. Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush
2. My House by Flo-Rida
3. Roman’s Revenge by Nicki Minaj
4. Viva La Vida by Coldplay
5. Young by Ruth B
6. Cups (When I’m Gone) by Anna Kendrick
7. Lights by Ellie Goulding
8. Ashes of Eden by Breaking Benjamin
9. Alaska by Maggie Rogers
10. Dangerous by Kardinal Offishall

What is one of your most memorable concert experiences? In November 2014, I saw Stevie Wonder at the Palace of Auburn Hills as part of his “Songs in the Key of Life” tour. Due to the title of the tour, I was only expecting to hear tracks from that album. However, Stevie then transformed himself into his alter ego “DJ Tick Tick Boom” and teased us by playing snippets of the studio versions from some of his greatest hits (including “Part Time Lover”, “Higher Ground” and “Uptight”). He, his band, and back-up singers (including India.Arie) then did medleys of “Do I Do”, “All I Do”, “For Once in My Life, and “Master Blaster”. They closed the show with full-length versions of “Superstition” and “My Cherie Amour”.

Tell us something about yourself that people might find surprising. I am a huge Three Stooges fan. 

In the movie “WKUF: The Untold Story”, who would you cast as yourself? Mekhi Phifer