This is 23-year-old Bill Wyman and his great big Framus bass, captured toward the end of 1964 when photography was still in its infancy. Still, they didn't do too badly, did they? Nor did Bill. His group, the Rolling Stones, had notched up a good year — they'd had their first number one single with 'It's All Over Now', released a highly successful first LP, and begun the all-important US breakthrough in earnest (actually it was in New York).

Bill, born in Lewisham, south London, reckoned in '64 that he 'dug' (crazy Sixties expression meaning to like rather a lot) Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Les Paul. His secret sound back then relied on the then-overlooked treble knob of his Vox AC 100 amp. "My ideas are no different from any other bass guitarist's," he said modestly. "Anyone will tell you it's great to have a full bass sound, as long as you get just the right amount of treble so that the sound really travels." Then he was off to record 'Little Red rooster'. Bye.