THEY have been playing together for nearly four decades but this gang of musicians shows no signs of slowing down.

Going into 2017, the Blues Band will be marking their 38th year together and they are celebrating by being on the road.

The final stop on the current tour for members Paul Jones, Dave Kelly, Tom McGuinness, Rob Townsend and Gary Fletcher will be a sold-out gig at The Met in Bury next Saturday.

Put together by ex-Manfred Mann members Paul and Tom, the line-up is still the same bar drummer Hughie who retired in 1982 and was replaced by Rob.

In his time Dave has toured with the likes of Howlin Wolf and John Lee Hooker, and jammed with Muddy Waters.

He said: “The Met is a really nice venue. We have always enjoyed playing there.

“Thirty-eight years and we are still going strong and it is still fun! We still enjoy playing live.

“Obviously there is a certain generation in the audience but in the last few years more and more younger people are coming.

“There has been quite an upsurge of interest in blues music, and a lot more young bands out there are playing around with it.”

He jokingly adds: “We like touring but we don’t travel together.

“We have got to a certain age where we are parents, grown-ups, and you want to get away from the crowded bus journey. You no longer all want to be waiting around for that same person who is always late for the tour bus!”

Many of the Blues Band’s fans weren’t even born when these five virtuosos, already music industry veterans, decided to fly in the face of musical fashion and form a band ‘just to play the blues’.

Twenty albums and thousands of gigs later, they’ve earned a reputation around the world as one of the finest exponents of the blues tradition in all its forms.

Their most recent album, Few Short Lines, features special guests such as Bob Dylan’s keyboardist Al Kooper and Springsteen collaborator Southside Johnny.

Their next album - The Big Blues Band Live Album - is due to be released on February 24.

It comes from a recording of a “legendary” live concert at the Town and Country club in Kentish Town back in 1991.

It features the original band line-up, 15-piece band, and 10 guests.

Dave explains: “Three months ago I was looking through the archives and found a live recording.

“There was a lot of big band arrangements, it was such fun to listen to and I was knocked out by the sound. I don’t normally get knocked out by old stuff!

“It was really out of the ordinary to play with a 15-piece band and there was a buzz on the stage and great energy. I just thought, that has got to be released!

“We will be playing some of the stuff - unfortunately without the big band - along with our playlist during the tour.”