A New Look at Christmas

by Bob Moses

I think about Christmas periodically, not because I'm generally in the holiday spirit, but because the band Christmas gave early- and mid-80s Boston rock a colorful injection of wicked humor. They were more on my mind this winter after getting the news of bassist Dan Salzmann's death in Paris. He had lived there many years working as a photographer and DP, and his new band, The Binoculars, had just released a record. As many have since noted, Dan was one of the coolest guys anyone knew then - he looked cool, played in cool bands, lived in a cool loft, had the coolest girlfriend. He basically embodied my romanticized version of what the Beats must have been like.
Dan Salzmann
I went looking for Christmas songs (unavailable), so turned to the modern museum of curiosities, YouTube. Sure enough, "Big Plans," the video of the lead track from the Christmas album, In Excelsior Dayglo (Big Time; 1986) was there — but in a fuzzy, degraded form.

I asked Cindy Kleine, the "Big Plans" filmmaker, if she had a digital transfer. She didn't and the master was no doubt wherever Big Time records dumped their archives. She generously offered to make one from the only tape she had, as it holds a special place in her memory, too. Now, you can see the work clearly with all its models and props, home-made effects, kids, and the vision of Cindy, guitarist Michael Cudahy, drummer Liz Cox and Dan.

Christmas videos benefitted from Michael's love for film and filmmaker's instincts, and he attracted talented friends to realize his ambitions. In addition to Cindy (whose feature documentary, Phyllis and Harold recently opened in NY and LA), you'll note Kelly Reichardtin the credits, who made the critically renowned indie features, River of Glass, Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy, and the upcoming Meek's Cutoff. Both Cindy and Kelly made other Christmas videos (the story of making the second Christmas video, picking up the band in Las Vegas, driving to LA, and then the video's rejection by IRS awaits telling).

So, enjoy "Big Plans," courtesy of Cindy - and Dan, Michael, and Liz.

Letters to the Editor

Brill band; chill vid. I especially like the way the Puppet-Dan looks more like my memory of him than the Human-Dan. Coolest cat ever.

Clint
[Clint Conley plays bass for Mission of Burma and shared many bills with Christmas]

Was certainly very sad to hear about Dan.
Hadn't seen that Christmas video for years. Then seeing it reminded me of Michael calling me to borrow my engineer boots for the shoot. Said he was going for some vague Angus Young thing.
Hilarious.

Reid
[Reid Paley leads the Reid Paley Trio in NYC, and, at the time he describes, was the voice of The Five in Boston.]

Share