Rare French TV footage of Kaleidoscope found

Fans of UK psych group Kaleidoscope will be thrilled to hear that a rarely seen 1967 appearance by the band on the French television show Le Petit Dimanshe Ilustry has just surfaced. Originally formed as The Sidekicks, Peter Daltrey, Eddy Pumer, Steve Clark and Dan Bridgman changed their name to the more psych-appropriate Kaleidoscope upon signing with Fontana and can be seen in the black and white clip below decked out in their flower-power finery while miming to both sides of their first single, Flight From Ashiya and Holidaymaker. Since their Fontana debut was released on September 15, 1967, the footage likely dates from around that time – just prior to the November release of their Tangerine Dream album.
Along with Kaleidoscope, you'll also notice a cigarette puffing Serge Gainsbourg sitting at the piano off to the side getting ready for his performance with France Gall who seems to be getting into the Kaleidoscope groove.

Peter Daltrey recalls the strange event:
"One of our first outings under the new banner was to Paris to appear on a live TV show," explains  Daltrey. "We entered the studio to find ourselves in the midst of unorganized chaos. They complained about our frilly white shirts; too white for colour transmission. Suddenly we were dragged on set and we realized the show was on air. A group of guests sat on a sofa smirking at a tasty young girl; someone threw their arm in our direction and we grinned.

"Then everyone began wandering around; we were off air. In fact we had to wait for hours for the real show. Ed fell over a cello and then we mimed expertly to the single and then we were in the street, in a taxi, in a plane and off home before you could say, `J`taime."

Kaleidoscope on French TV 1967




Serge Gainsbourg and France Gall