Episode #87: Don Dixon & Heathers

We're back! It's been a relaxing two months off for summer break, but we're glad to be back with a new episode, talking with musician and producer, Don Dixon, about his contribution to the 1988 dark comedy, Heathers. The movie's been getting some hype, lately, what with the Broadway musical adaptation, the TV series, and the Riverdale episode featuring music from the musical, so it seems as good a time as any to dig deep into the darkly-hilarious film.

Don Dixon did a lot of production work for indie bands in the early '80s, most notably co-producing R.E.M.'s first two albums, Murmur and Reckoning, with Mitch Easter, as well as three of the early Smithereens LPs. For Heathers, Dixon wrote and produced the song, "Teenage Suicide (Don't Do It)," which is the big hit by the fictional band, Big Fun.

It's strangely never seen inclusion on any official release of the soundtrack, and is only available on Dixon's compilation If I'm A Ham, Well You're A Sausage, released on Restless Records in 1992.

However, last month, Varese Sarabande brought out a 30th anniversary edition of David Newman's score for the Michael Lehmann film, pressed on “very” neon green wax. The synths might be a little cloying at times, but the melodies are excellent. So, much like the film, it manages to still be excellent, despite parts which are a little dated.

We talked about all of this and more by phone with Dixon a couple of months back.

Tracklist:

Big Fun, "Teenage Suicide (Don't Do It)" (If I'm A Ham, Well You're A Sausage)

David Newman, "Strip Croquet" (Heathers OST)

Riverdale cast, "Big Fun" (Riverdale: Special Heathers the Musical Episode)