How do you describe Bill Wyman? Restauranteur, photographer, historian, writer, and ... oh yes, one-time bass player with arguably the greatest rock and roll band in the world and a South London boy into the bargain.

Now happily settled into his position as band leader of The Rhythm Kings, a line-up of incomparable musicians that in years gone by would have been hailed a supergroup', he is preparing for another sell-out Autumn tour of the UK.

Having left The Rolling Stones in 1993, Bill took a much-needed break from the music business and threw himself into a variety of other interests. When he finally decided he wanted to pick up his bass again, he called in guitarist Terry Taylor for a blues jam and expanded the sessions to include jazz, swing and original rhythm and blues.

Seven years and eight albums later, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings are a hugely popular draw on the live circuit. Was he surprised at their continued success?

"Yes, I didn't know if there was a market out there for the wide variety of music the way we play it - but I soon found out there was," said Wyman.

"I persisted with it, thinking it might just be a short term thing but we get fantastic receptions, we're always asked back to the same venues and we are exploring new territory all the time.

"Last Autumn we did the whole of Eastern Europe, Zagreb and Prague right through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Hungary and Poland, then up into Scandinavia and it was just amazing, with lots of young audiences as well."

The Rhythm Kings host a spectacular mix of musicians, such as Gary Brooker, Albert Lee, Beverley Skeete and Georgie Fame, great names whose inclusion on any bill could fill a hall in their own right. So how does Bill manage to keep such a high-profile group together?

"The band is pretty much the same as it started actually, seven of us anyway, and that's phenomenal to begin with, because they've all got their own careers, they all play with other bands, but they all make space to play with me twice a year," he said.

"We always change the material, often playing things we've never recorded and on this tour we can bring in Eddie Floyd to do some soul stuff, which gives us another angle.

"Georgie Fame does two thirds of the tour and then Andy Fairweather Low takes over from him. It's like a football team, you know, someone gets a red card and you have to replace them.

"To have four or five really great musicians and singers in the band, allows us to do this whole variety of music, which is unique, I think, in the music business, There really isn't a band that plays the variety that we do and I think that's why the audiences love us."

Outside of music, one of Bill's major interests is photography and, having toured the world many times over thanks to the day job, he has amassed a wonderful collection of images. A major photo exhibition - Wyman Shoot's, will soon be heading for a London gallery: "It started in San Francisco. Someone heard that I had taken a lot of photos in my career and asked me if I wanted to put together an exhibition," said Wyman.

"It ran there for two months, showed 140 pictures and got some great reviews. I've got 20,000 in my collection, so it was hard to cut them down. And it's not just musicians and celebrities, there are landscapes and nature shots, too. It will show in London and Japan in the Spring, then tour Europe throughout the year."

Having started his career in local bands from the Beckenham area and playing Croydon in the early days with the Rolling Stones, the Fairfield holds special memories for Wyman.

"Well, it's like playing at home, isn't it? I lived all round that way, Beckenham, Penge, Anerley, everywhere down there, Crystal Palace, Sydenham - so it really is like my local," he said.

"And, of course, my football team is Crystal Palace. We always get great crowds at Croydon, my family come along and a lot of friends from London, because it is the one London gig on the tour.

"My mate Mark Butcher, the cricketer, often gets up and does something with us - so I have some very fond memories of the Fairfield and I'm sure it's going to be a fun night again."

Over the years, I have spoken to a number of people who swear blind that The Rolling Stones played at the celebrated Star Hotel in Broad Green and now I finally had the opportunity to ask the band's own historian if he could confirm or deny this piece of folklore?

"No, we never played there, more's the pity," he added. "We didn't play Croydon until the package tours at the Fairfield, with people like Gerry and the Pacemakers.

"But talking of the Stones, I must tell you I had a great surprise recently. A few nights ago I had an early birthday party at Ronnie Scotts and about 300 people turned up, not just musicians but from the worlds of film, theatre and sport and it was a fantastic night.

"At the end they put a screen up and, unbeknown to me, The Stones had made a video and sent it over to wish me happy birthday! It was so funny, they were really great, so it's nice still to be friends with them and keep in touch."

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
Wednesday, November 1
£24.50
020 8688 9291