A silly and brilliant madcap gouache painting by one of our favorite late period calendar illustrators Bill Layne, titled The Original Beetles. Captured on stage (or is it a daisy pod), are a mod trio of mop topped bugs making a racket as a trio version of England’s pop sensation the Beatles. This was a published illustration likely commissioned by The Louis F. Dow Calendar Company of Saint Paul, Minnesota where the artist was active during the band’s heyday. This could have been created to coincide with The Beatles only appearance in the Twin Cities, an August 21, 1965 show at Metropolitan Stadium.