Thursday 22 November 2012

Kaleidoscope on French TV in 1967







This footage has been up on YouTube for quite a while, so most of hardcore  fans of British psychedelia probably already know about it, but for those who don't (I only discovered it few days ago) it is quite a treat. It is the only known footage of Kaleidoscope -  a 60's psychedelic band from London, performing a song "Flight From Ashiya" from their album Tangerine Dream on French TV show Le Petit Dimanche Illustre in late 1967 (22nd October, to be precise).





The singer Peter Daltrey is sporting a perfect Peacock look - velvet jacket and white frilly shirt spiced up with a massive brioche.



Hanging around the studio are two great looking French dolly birds. The one with a bob is called Haydee Politoff. She was one of the top fashion models in France at the time, known for her work for Paco Rabanne. Around the time when this footage was shot, she appeared in Eric Rohmer's film La Collectionneuse, where she played promiscuous "Minet" (French for Mod) girl who constantly leads boys on, only to dispose of them after sex (sounds a bit like a French, female version of Michael Caine's character in Alfie. I haven't seen La Colletionneuse - I usually can't stand French New Wave - but I must say I am quite curious about this one).



The girl with long blonde hair is of course, one of the most famous French singers of 1960's, France Gall - a winner of Eurovision Song Contest in 1966 (It is hard to imagine that there was a time, when Eurovision was actually good). In this program, she performed her newest hit "Teenie Weenie Boppie" (Sadly, it's not included in this footage). Accompanying her on the piano was the author of the song, legendary French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg  - although you can barely see him in the footage.



Serge Gainsbourg and France Gall


It is great that this long thought lost TV performance, finally re-emerged. It brilliantly depicts the music and the fashion of 1967  London psychedelic underground. 


    

3 comments:

Wilthomer said...

I HIGHLY reccomend Peter Daltrey's book "Tambourine Days: The Definitive History of Kaleidoscope & Fairfield Parlour" if you have not read it already. Halfway through it now. He was as surprised as we are to see that clip pop up!

Unknown said...

this is a really good article.we should read the post carefully.visit Frenchtv La FrenchTv box vous propose les chaînes de la TNT française en décalées sur le continent Américain et Amérique latine.

bambi said...

France gall was the winner of Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. She don't performed "Teenie Weenie Boopie " but "Poupée de cire poupée de son ", written by Serge Gainsbourg.