Archaeologists have unearthed a pair of carved figures believed to be the first ever depiction of the band Status Quo. The unmistakable wide-legged stance of Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt can clearly be seen in the figure on the right. On the left, Francis Rossi has yet to adopt his characteristic jeans-and-waistcoat look of later years, favouring instead the formal attire of the Persian court.

These early years were a slow and frustrating period for the band. “The Babylonians just didn’t get us, they just wanted lute music and songs about livestock” Parfitt recalled in later years. They would have to wait another 4000 years for the invention of the Fender telecaster and electricity, for their careers to really take off.