LEAVING one of the most successful rock bands in the world must have been a tough decision for Bill Wyman.

But since quitting the Rolling Stones 11 years ago, the softly-spoken bass guitarist certainly hasn't been gathering moss.

With a busy home life (he is married with three young daughters), twice-yearly tours with his band the Rhythm Kings, co-ownership of a London restaurant, books to write (three to date, with a fourth to come next year) and the avid pursuit of some particularly eclectic hobbies (including archaeology and the works of the French artist Marc Chagall), there's precious little time to moon over the past.

"My life is incredibly full, touring and recording and spending time with my wife and wonderful daughters. I've never been happier," says Bill, 62.

The Rhythm Kings, playing the Eastleigh Festival tonight, represents everything that Bill seems to want from a band - and is the complete antithesis of that unstoppable rock 'n' roll monster the Rolling Stones.

The band's nine members, all of whom enjoy successful careers in their own right, meet up occasionally for touring and recording duties, but spend enough time apart to enjoy each other's company when they do get together. Their shared love of music (they play everything from blues to boogie-woogie), and a notable absence of egos or the creativity-sapping demands of pop success, make it a pleasure for all concerned.

"We do eight different sorts of music, including blues, jazz, rockabilly and early rock'n'roll. We do whatever we fancy - and nobody ever shouts out for a Stones song," says Bill.

"When Mick, Keith and Woody have done solo tours, 80 per cent of what they play is Stones songs, which seems rather absurd to me."

One of the nicest things for Bill about the Rhythm Kings is the lack of expectation.

"You haven't got all those pressures of a hit record or having to outsell every other band on the planet in case you lose your reputation," he says, clearly not pining a bit for his days in the Stones.

"It's not a money-making thing, it's just a great fun band. It's not a career thing, and a nine-piece band obviously doesn't earn much money. I've got so many other projects on the go, as well as my family, it has to be something really good to get me out of the house these days."

Bill describes the band's approach as "back to basics".

"When I started with the Stones, we used to just jump in the back of a van or a bus and go all over England and Europe. That's the way it is with this band. There's no massive entourage with security people and photographers and all that."

Never much of a showman, Bill was always more concerned about the quality of the music than strutting his stuff in front of a crowd.

"With the Stones, it became such an enormous production that it always took over from the music. There were so many decisions to make and we always used to stay in the same kind of hotels.

"We don't have that in this band. We just go out there and play."

In a typical Rhythm Kings show, Bill will sing just one song, leaving the rest of the vocal duties to Albert Lee, Andy Fairweather Low, Mike Sanchez and Beverley Skeete.

"The fans sometimes say 'sing another one' but I say 'no - I'm the bass'. I get my arm twisted to sing, but I'm not a front of the microphone sort of person.

"When I'm confronted with something that's a bit alien to me, I feel a bit shy. I only ever did the occasional backing vocal in the Stones.

"I speak to the audience when I come on stage, then I leave it to Mike Sanchez or whoever to do the rest of the talking. It's not a nervous thing - it's just alien to me. If I played football for charity, I would never want to be in goal."

One of the places Bill is happiest, one imagines, is digging for historical treasures in the grounds of his 15th century manor house in Suffolk. He has unearthed everything from ancient walls to Roman and Saxon coins there.

"When you find something, it's like being a fisherman and hauling in that trout you've been waiting three hours in the rain four," explains Bill, before revealing that he has a TV archaeology project on the "back

burner".

These days, digging up old coins is of far greater interest than pursuing potentially lucrative business deals.

"My restaurant in London, Sticky Fingers, is still very successful and I have been asked to take it to Japan and America - but that means I would have jump on a plane and fly around the world.

"I don't do things for the money. I'm proud of what I do and try to do things to the best of my abilities, but I don't take it further than that."

After the traumas of the 80s - including his ill-fated marriage to teenager Mandy Smith - Bill is happy to be back on an even keel and enjoying a simpler, but no less full, existence.

"My private life is successful, my music is successful, my books are successful, and all my other projects are successful. I really couldn't be happier."